Today's photo shows the opening train of the Brisbane suburban railway electrification on 17 November 1979 which ran from Darra (a little distance west of Brisbane) to the end of the Ferny Grove line. The rest of the system was progressively added over the next few years in time for the World Expo held there in 1988, as well as a new airport link in the 1990s.
Despite his faults, then Queensland Premier Joh Bielke-Petersen was an enthusiast for developing the state's railways and spent plenty on electrifying not only the suburban system but main lines as well, all of which is detailed in the book Railway Electrification in Australia and New Zealand, available in our online shop.
Like New Zealand, Queensland's rail gauge is 3'6" (1067 mm).
No comments:
Post a Comment