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CONTENTS
THE GHAN
A buzz of anticipation filled the air as a large and very excited crowd congregated on the platform of the Adelaide Railway Station. Handkerchiefs were madly waved, and the cheering was deafening as whistles sounded and the first train to travel from Adelaide to Alice Springs departed, on time, at 10.15am on Sunday, 4th August 1929.
A Pacific NM steam engine hauled 12 coaches, weighing around 367 tonnes. In total, 64 first class and 60 second class passengers travelled on the inaugural trip, with several leaving the train at Quorn to go on by the East-West express.
Included in an illustrious passenger list was the Commonwealth Railways Commissioner, Mr G.A. Gahan, Dr L.J. Pellew, Mr A. Palfreyman and Ambrose Pratt in the official car.
Another reserved coach carried a scientific expedition from the University of Adelaide, proceeding to the Hermannsberg Mission Station to collect information regarding the customs and history of the Arunta and Luritcha tribes.
The historic journey signaled the end of a romantic era for Central Australia, and the beginning of another.
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CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAILWAY
Much of the transport in the region until this time had been performed by teams of camels. Tended by cameleers who had mostly come from Afghanistan, India and Persia - and who became affectionately known as Afghans.
Alice Springs was the official name of the telegraph station two miles from the township of Stuart, an important centre for camel haulage. At this time, Stuart consisted of just two substantial buildings - the Stuart Arms and the Wallis Fogarie store. There were no churches, a small police station, aerodrome and many 'buildings' simply constructed out of hessian sacks.
On 1 January 1926, the Commissioner of Commonwealth Railways assumed control of the rail link from Adelaide to Oodnadatta and quickly decided to extend the line to Stuart, changing the name of the town to Alice Springs to coincide with the opening of the new rail link.
The final section of the line was only completed just in time - two days before the inaugural journey departed.
The construction of the railway through the middle of Australia had really evolved over a 50 year period, with many enduring incredible hardships to build a railway through some of the most inhospitable, yet beautiful country in the world.
A lightweight narrow-gauge railway from Port Augusta to Farina was built in 1882.
Extended to Hergott Springs (later Maree) in 1884.
Railway fettlers longing for a beer, took a railway trolley, hoisted a makeshift sail and set off for the hotel at William Creek. Unfortunately the sail was too effective and the trolley jumped the track at high speed. The three were found days later and buried on what became known as 'Dead Man's Hill.'
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EXTENSION TO OODNADATTA
Railway reached Oodnadatta in 1891, when the South Australian colony completely ran out of money to fund the project.
Oodnadatta became the end of the line and 1,500 kilometres away in the Northern Territory, enthusiastic construction of the railway southwards from Darwin petered out at Birdum.
The North Australia Railway survived until 1976 and features in the classic Australian story We of the Never Never.
In 1901, the Australian colonies joined together to form the Commonwealth of Australia and by 1911, South Australia ceded the Territory to the Commonwealth Government. Part of the deal was that the Commonwealth would take over the Oodnadatta Railway and extend it to Darwin. However, it would not be until 2004 that this dream would be realised.
The South Australian Railways continued to operate the railway until 1926 and it is during this period that the name 'The Ghan' first appeared. There are various stories about the origins of the name, but many believe the train was named the 'Afghan Express' by a driver at Quorn after an Afghan was the first off the train. It was not long before the nickname was shortened to 'The Ghan'. The official title of Alice Springs Express was used into the 1940s.
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A NEW BEGINNING
The Commonwealth took over the operation of the railway in 1926 and commenced the extension to Alice Springs.
They introduced new larger steam engines, new carriages and even a dining car. The line was completed in August 1929 and the first passenger trains commenced on a twice weekly service, taking two days from Port Augusta and another day from Adelaide.
The inaugural journey reached its destination in Alice Springs on a Tuesday morning, three days after departing Adelaide.
At the time, the population of Alice Springs was only about 100, so when newspapers reported the whole town turned out to welcome the train - it was not a big crowd!
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THE SECOND WORLD WAR
After the bombing of Darwin, traffic increased out of all proportion, with up to four trains a day in each direction. Thousands of troops were moved north, some even travelling in converted cattle wagons.
Railwaymen were recruited from all over Australia on a voluntary basis to work the extra trains. Thirty two steam engines were borrowed from the South Australian Railways. Meanwhile, the road from Alice Springs to the connection with the Northern Australia railway was hastily laid with tarmac.
The railway dams that collected enough water for a couple of trains a week quickly ran dry, but bore water was unsuitable for the steam engine boilers. Giant water softeners were erected at various stations, some of which survive today - lonely sentinels of the steam age.
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ADVENTURE FOR ALL
After the war, more travellers began to explore Australia's interior and new twin berth sleeping cars were introduced in 1948.
A typical Ghan consisted of an extra water truck for the engine, freight vans with perishable goods, six sleeping cars, two dining cars, and a crew relay van.
A second train carrying freight, passengers cars and a wayside car for intermediate passengers followed behind. This train was known as 'The Chaser', though at one time the first train was nicknamed 'The Flash Ghan' and the following train 'The Dirty Ghan'.
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END OF AN ERA
Diesel electric locomotives were ordered from England, arriving in 1954.
Travelling to Alice Springs now involved Budd railcars from Port Pirie to Marree where passengers joined the narrow gauge Ghan. Services were increased to twice weekly, still with the Chaser behind, and hand-me-down air conditioned carriages from the Transcontinental Service provided a welcome relief for passengers.
Although the upgraded train improved service, the track was still in poor condition and prone to washaways. By the 1970s large sections of the track were limited to 20km/h and the train crawled across the gibber plains for hours. Services were cut back to one Ghan a week.
The stories continued, including the woman who told the Conductor she was concerned about the delays, as she was due to give birth any day. Chastised by the Conductor for taking a chance travelling pregnant she replied, "I wasn't when I got on!"
A completely new railway some 200 kilometres west, missing the Lake Eyre flood plains was planned and the first sod was turned by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in 1975 and the new line reached Alice Springs in 1980.
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THE NEW GHAN
Princess Alexandria officially opened the new railway at Alice Springs in October. The new Ghan featured fully air-conditioned cars; economy sitting cars with aircraft style seats; single and double sleeping cars; dining cars and lounge cars. The trip from Adelaide was now less than 24 hours and the public immediately returned to the rails, revelling in the incredible vistas visible through the train windows, and the promise of romantic adventure.
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HISTORY REPEATING
In 2001 work started on the extension of the line to Darwin, fulfilling the dream of the pioneers over 100 years before. Progress was quick and the first train to Darwin eventually ran on Sunday, 1st February 2004.
Crowds once again gathered at the station in Adelaide to send the mighty Ghan off on her inaugural departure in grand style. Speeches were delivered by the Premier of South Australia, The Hon. Mike Rann, and NT Chief Minister, The Hon. Clare Martin. Music legends, James Blundell and Joe Camilleri got the party started with stellar performances.
Similar celebrations where held across the country, en route at Port Augusta, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine while thousands of Australians in remote locations travelled to line the track and wave the train.
The Ghan arrived at her destination in Darwin to much fanfare and deafening cheers two days later on Tuesday 3rd February.
The Ghan's inaugural journey also made the history books for being the longest passenger train in Australia. Over one kilometre in length, the train comprised two locomotives and 43 carriages with a mass of more than 2,000 tonnes.
This included the Prince of Wales Carriage, carrying the Hon. Gough Whitlam and Her Excellency The Hon. Jackson-Nelson. Foreign Affairs Minister at the time, Alexander Downer was also on board, as was South Australia Premier Mike Rann in the Chairman's Carriage.
Platinum Service, with a full sized double bed, lounge, private ensuite and extended cabin service was introduced in September 2008, The Ghan now delivers a truly world class standard of luxury train travel. A standard not even dreamed of by the early travellers.
Now, 80 years on, The Ghan continues to follow in the footsteps of explorers, tradesmen, cameleers and pioneers before her, blazing a trail through the heart of the country.
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