CountryLink was a passenger rail and road service brand that operated in regional areas of New South Wales, and to and from Canberra, Brisbane and Melbourne.[1] Originally created as a business unit (or sub-brand) of the State Rail Authority of New South Wales, it later became a subsidiary of RailCorp.[2] CountryLink operated rail services using XPT and Xplorer rolling stock, with connecting coach services operated under contract by private operators.
CountryLink was established in January 1989 under the Transport Administration Act 1988 as a business unit of what was then the State Rail Authority to operate all non-metropolitan long distance passenger services.[3][4] It inherited a fleet of XPT and locomotive-hauled passenger trains. Following the election of the Greiner State Government in March 1988, consultants Booz Allen Hamilton were commissioned to prepare a report into NSW rail services. On purely economic grounds, the report recommended closing all country passenger services as they were judged unviable, however this was not politically acceptable.[5] If services were to be maintained, the report recommended an 'all XPT' option with an expanded network of coach services replacing many other services.
In a June 1990 policy reversal, the government announced that it would purchase 17 Xplorer carriages to reintroduce services to Armidale and Moree and replace locomotive-hauled stock and coaches on services to Canberra. This would release an XPT to operate a daily service to operate the Grafton Express replacing a weekly locomotive-hauled service that was reintroduced at the same time.[10] The Xplorers entered service on the North Western service in October 1993[11] and on the Canberra service in December 1993.[12] In November 1994 the government ordered a further four Xplorer carriages.[13]
In October 1990, the government announced that eight sleeper carriages would be ordered for use on overnight services to Brisbane, Murwillumbah and Melbourne.[14] These were included in an order placed with ABB, Dandenong in 1991 for four power cars and 13 trailers that was jointly funded by the New South Wales and Victorian Governments.[15][16]
In December 1994, a daylight service to Melbourne resumed by extending the Riverina XPT from Albury.[17]
In 1995, CountryLink trialled three Swedish RailwaysX2000 tilting train carriages. After conducting a statewide tour in March, they were used on Canberra services from April until June with two modified XPT power cars.[18]
In March 1996, services were reintroduced to Broken Hill and Griffith using refurbished locomotive-hauled rolling stock honouring an election commitment by the Carr State Government.[19] Following the electrification of the Illawarra line from Dapto to Kiama, CityRail was able to release one of its mechanically identical Endeavours and this was converted to an Xplorer to replace the locomotive-hauled stock.
With the formation of RailCorp, responsibility for CountryLink transferred to the new corporation in January 2004.[20][21] With the closure of the Muwillumbah branch, services were cut back to Casino from May 2004.[22][23]
CountryLink was merged with the intercity services of CityRail to form NSW TrainLink on 1 July 2013.
Patronage
The following table lists patronage figures for the network during the corresponding financial year. Australia's financial years start on 1 July and end on 30 June.
CountryLink patronage by financial year from 1992–93
The final CountryLink fleet consisted of two train types, XPT (19 power cars and 60 carriages) and Xplorers (23 carriages).[32] The XPT fleet was maintained at the purpose built XPT Service Centre. The Xplorer fleet was maintained at the Xplorer-Endeavour Service Centre.
Fleet (italics = in service today under TfNSW)
Class
Image
Top Speed (km/h)
In Service (under Countrylink)
XPT Diesel Multiple Units
An XPT in its original livery at Bathurst for a Dubbo service.XPT in the final CountryLink livery at Sydney Central
193
1989–present
Xplorer Diesel Multiple Units
Xplorer in the late livery crossing the Queanbeyan River railway bridge.Xplorer in original CountryLink livery at Sydney Central
145
1993–present
XP2000/2009 (Tilt Train mod)
193
April 1995 – June 1995
X2000 Tilt Train (non powered cars only)
n/a
April 1995 – June 1995
HUB coaches
RDH 2220, same location as below image
n/a
1989–1994
1996 – April 2000
RUB coaches
NDS 2268 at Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot
n/a
1989–1994
1996 – April 2000
Stainless Steel coaches
n/a
1989–1993
73 Class Locomotive
64
1989–2013
Road coaches
The Public Transport Commission had first introduced coaches in September 1975 when six Dennings were introduced to replace all train services out of Dubbo. Coaches replaced many branch line rail services over the next few years and by 1987 the State Rail Authority had 36 Denning, Hino and Scania coaches operating throughout the state.[33]
CountryLink adopted the model used by V/Line in Victoria and contracted out the provision of these services to private operators, with services transferring to the successful bidders between November 1989 and June 1990.[34]
Coaches were originally painted in CountryLink's grey, white and blue livery. Following the transfer of the administration of coach services to the Department of Transport in July 1992, operators were not required to repaint coaches dedicated to CountryLink duties, thus most operated in the livery of their owners.[35] This policy was later reversed and coaches once again were painted in CountryLink livery.
The full list of coach operators providing services at the time CountryLink ceased in June 2013 were:
On 9 December 2003, the Minister for Transport Services released Professor Tom Parry's Final Report of the Ministerial Inquiry into Sustainable Transport. Known as the "Parry Report" it recommended refocusing CountryLink, and to adjust fare structures.[36][37]
"CountryLink currently operates a number of train services that move relatively small numbers of passengers," the inquiry has concluded, noting that the high cost of maintenance and the need to replace rolling stock "makes these services very expensive ... they are expected to become even more expensive in the future." At the time of the report operating expenditure is around five times as much as revenue gained through ticket sales.[38]
The Inquiry also noted that in the year ended June 2003, CountryLink incurred $29.9 million in costs associated with advertising, booking and selling tickets, against $43.5 million in fare revenue. "This is more than two-thirds of the revenue received from passengers and is excessive," the Inquiry report stated.
The Inquiry made eight specific recommendations for "refocusing CountryLink":[36]
review the allocation of costs to CountryLink to improve the transparency of government railway accounts
seek efficiencies in the marketing of tickets
align subsidies to CountryLink with the benefits to the community
seek to have the ACT Government contribute to the cost of the Sydney-Canberra service
explore alternatives to rail on a case-by-case basis for all rural and regional routes
include CountryLink in integrated regional transport planning
establish "Solutions Teams" to assess various areas of CountryLink's operations
review fare structures and discounting
Government response
In 2005 the State Government announced a rationalisation of ticket offices across the CountryLink network, but ruled out the closure of further rail services in the immediate future.[38][39] Ticket prices increased on 1 November.
Transport minister John Watkins told the Sydney Morning Herald that "To protect commuters who want a continued rail option, the Government has made a number of changes to booking options in an effort to secure CountryLink's future and boost patronage." Mr Watkins also said in front of news crew that the refurbishment of the XPTs would also encourage more people to use the trains. However the Opposition questioned how price increases would increase patronage.[40]
Restructure
In May 2012, the newly elected O'Farrell State Government announced RailCorp would be restructured, with CountryLink and the regional services of CityRail incorporated into NSW TrainLink in July 2013.[41]
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