Broken Hill Xplorer is a Total Failure

A passenger on today's 0620 Xplorer from Sydney Terminal to Broken
Hill has advised that the cars were late arriving from Meek's Road
(not Acdep) did not arrive at Sydney Terminal until well after
departure time. When loaded, the train was well-booked, with the
first two cars full, but only a few passengers in the back car. The
latest report is that all passengers have now been detrained from
Platform 1 and sent to Platform 11 pending further instructions.
There is no replacement train at Platform 11 and there is talk of an
inter-urban to Lithgow and busses beyond. Read this page for the
next exciting report from our on train correspondent (sorry, on
platform correspondent)!

A subsequent report received at 0808 is that passengers WILL travel by
V set to Lithgow, thence by road coaches to Broken Hill (via Cobar???)

He also understands that last week's train was a partial failure at
Broken Hill, with one car being left behind.

Your ex-on-train reporter is now at Platform 23, heading to the
Airport for a alternatrive flight to Adelaide, thence local flight to
Broken Hill - not being paid for by Countrylink!

Hunslet

On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 10:39:08 +1000, "Ian S"
<ianysmithx@optusnet.com.au> wrote:

>
>"Hunslet" <hunslet@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
>news:ul4mhv40a67kchpfc5l0gu03unolg6crdv@.. .
>
>What do you mean a * total failure*? My wife and self travelled on the '
>Outback Explorer' to Broken Hill a few weeks ago and had no problems ( meals
>were a bit bland ). In fact we arrived 40 minutes early (due to the new
>track work I was told ). I don't believe that the set has that much trouble
>to call it a * total failure * albeit very annoying.
>Ian S...................
>
Sorry I have not made myself clear, but it was referring to today's
service. The CityRail web page refers to an industrial dispute.
There was no mention of this to passengers, who were apparently
transferred finally to the 0822 inter-urban, arrive Lithgow 1059 in
lieu of 0849. Buses presumably via Dubbo and Cobar.

Hunslet

On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 10:39:08 +1000, "Ian S"
<ianysmithx@optusnet.com.au> wrote:

> My wife and self travelled on the '
>Outback Explorer' to Broken Hill a few weeks ago and had no problems ( meals
>were a bit bland ). In fact we arrived 40 minutes early (due to the new
>track work I was told ). I don't believe that the set has that much trouble
>to call it a * total failure * albeit very annoying.


Presumably your trip did not wait time at the intermediate stations -
smoko (and photo) time.

Apparently last week, one car had to be left at Broken Hill, so
tomorrow's return trip could have been interesting, if the car had
been attached, making four cars. But not this week!

Hunslet

Hunslet wrote:

> Sorry I have not made myself clear, but it was referring to today's
> service. The CityRail web page refers to an industrial dispute.

More like one of the PSSs having a dummy spit!

Mark.