The Westlander
Passenger rail service in Queensland, Australia

The Westlander
Overview
Service typePassenger train
StatusOperational
First serviceAugust 1954
Current operatorQueensland Rail
Route
TerminiBrisbane
Charleville
Distance travelled740 km (460 mi)
Average journey time17 hours
Service frequencyTwice per week
Route map
Not all stops shown
Legend
 Brisbane
Corinda
Ipswich
Rosewood
Laidley
Gatton
Helidon
Toowoomba
Oakey
Dalby
Chinchilla
Miles
Yuleba
Roma
Mitchell
Morven
Charleville
Westgate
Wyandra
Wanko
Coongoola
Coothalla
Cunnamulla
Cooladdi
Cheepie
Coolbinga
Quilpie

The Westlander is an Australian passenger train operated by Queensland Rail on the Main and Western lines between Brisbane and the outback town of Charleville.

History

In the 1888 timetable, the train from Brisbane to Roma was officially called the Western Mail, with some runs extended through to Morven. With the opening of the line from Morven to Charleville on the 1st March 1888 the train was again extended.[1]

In the early 1950s, Queensland Rail began planning for a new generation of steel air-conditioned carriages. Consequently, work was started on one at Ipswich Workshops, with a further 8 ordered from Commonwealth Engineering. Ten diesel locomotives were to be imported from America to haul these carriages.[2] On 5 June 1952, the route between Brisbane and Cunnamulla was announced as one to be served by these new carriages, with the tentative name The Westerner.[3] By 1953, with the first train completed, it was announced the 5th train would form The Westlander, with an estimated lead time of four months to produce each train.[4]

Even before the service commenced, there was community opposition to its timing. The train was expected to arrive in Charleville late in the afternoon, meaning workers would have to work late into the night delivering mail and goods to their final destination. There were consistent complaints made to Transport Minister J Duggan and Premier V Gair, however it was concluded that the timetable would not be adjusted.[5][6] Duggan stated that this was because there would be insufficient time to service the train in Mayne (Brisbane), it would result in an unreasonably early departure on the return trip and that there was a need to stable the dining car in Roma.[7]

The inaugural run of The Westlander was on 24 August 1954, replacing the Western Mail and its wooden carriages. The route from Brisbane to Cunnamulla was 973 kilometres (605 mi), with a connecting service to Quilpie from Charleville, 777 kilometres (483 mi) from Brisbane.[8][9] Initially the Quilpie connecting train was not air-conditioned, so in 1967 a generator was fitted to an insulated van to provide power for an air-conditioned sitting car and mechanical refrigeration for the van to provide this comfort on the Quilpie service.[citation needed]

Later The Westlander was divided at Charleville, the service to Quilpie (3Q02) being nicknamed the Flying Flea and consisted of two passenger carriages, a guards van and power van. The remainder of the train (3V02) headed to Cunnamulla via Westgate and Wyandra. In 1970 the Flea had the honour of being the fastest train in Queensland, with an average speed of 49 kilometres per hour (30 mph)[citation needed]

The return service (3907) departed Cunnamulla at 09:00 arriving in Brisbane at noon the next day. Even with the line speed from Cunnamulla being 30 km/h (19 mph), the train was still preferred by many due to the lack of quality roads at the time.[9] By 1957 freight wagons were also attached to the train, including louvred steel QRX and QLX-T wagons, and MPR refrigerated wagons. Up to 16 vehicles could make up the train.[9] Passenger services beyond Charleville to Cunnamulla (3V02) and Quilpie (3Q02) were withdrawn in 1994.[1][10]

Today

Route diagram of the Westlander

As at October 2020, the train runs twice weekly to Charleville with a journey time of 17 hours. Connecting coach services operate to Cunnamulla and Quilpie.[11]

The westbound service (3S86) departs from platform ten at Roma Street railway station at 7:15 pm on Tuesdays and at 6:55 pm on Thursdays and arrives at Charleville station at 11:45 am on Wednesdays and Fridays.[12]

The eastbound service (3987) departs from Charleville Railway Station at 6:15 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays and arrives at platform ten at Roma Street Railway Station at 11:40 am on Thursdays and 11:25 am on Saturdays.[12]

Crews for the Westlander are based at Toowoomba, Chinchilla and Roma.[citation needed]

The train currently consists of:

  • 3 L series cars (1 LSCL Lounge/Staff Car, 1 LAL Sitting Car and 1 LBL Sitting Car)
  • a QPB Power-Baggage Car

The QPB Power-Baggage Car was only enabled to run on this service because of the tunnel clearance-enabling works which were undertaken by Queensland Rail in early 2020.[citation needed]

The dining and sleeping (M series) cars were withdrawn from 1 January 2015, with catering now provided by at seat snack packs delivered at mealtimes.[13][14]

On 16 June 2021, a $1 million business case was announced by the Queensland government to investigate upgrading the trains used for The Westlander, the Spirit of the Outback and Inlander services.[15]

Subsidy levels

In 2016, the service was estimated to have carried 3,677 people in the previous financial year, with the effective subsidy paid by the Queensland State Government for each passenger amounting to an estimated $4,007 (total subsidy $14.7m)[16]

In 2021, the service carried 2,999 people in previous financial year, with the effective subsidy paid by the Queensland Government for each passenger at $4,928.90.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b "About Traveltrain - History". www.traveltrain.com.au. Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  2. ^ "AIR CONDITIONED TRAINS". The Morning Bulletin. 20 March 1952. p. 1. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  3. ^ "AIR-CONDITIONED TRAINS". The Cairns Post. 6 June 1952. p. 5. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  4. ^ "STATE'S PROGRAMME FOR NEW TRAINS". The Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs Gazette. 2 February 1953. p. 5. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  5. ^ "LATE ARRIVAL OF THE WESTLANDER". The Charleville Times. 19 August 1954. p. 6. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  6. ^ "Westlander Timetable The Best Possible". Queensland Times. 24 August 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  7. ^ "THE WESTLANDER". The Charleville Times. 30 September 1954. p. 8. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  8. ^ "WESTLANDER STARTS". The Northern Miner. 26 August 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  9. ^ a b c Robin Bromby (2004). The Railway Age in Australia. Lothian Press. p. 97. ISBN 0-7344-0715-7.
  10. ^ "QR's Westlander Service Truncated" Railway Digest September 1994 page 14
  11. ^ "Westlander & Inlander timetable" (PDF). Queensland Rail Travel. 19 September 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Timetable". www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  13. ^ "The Westlander Factsheet" (PDF). Queensland Rail. 3 January 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2015.
  14. ^ "Westlander and Inlander to lose sleeping and dining cars this month" Railway Digest January 2015 page 16
  15. ^ "Three train manufacturers shortlisted for Queensland train building program". Ministerial Media Statements. Archived from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  16. ^ Rural rail subsidised by up to $4,000 a trip, prompting overhaul call Archived 1 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine ABC News 28 July 2016
  17. ^ "Annual patronage and government subsidy per passenger trip for direct operating costs: Parliamentary Question on Notice" (PDF). Queensland Parliament. 13 October 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
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