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Northern Tablelands Express

Northern Tablelands Express
Countrylink-Xplorer-2502-at-Central.jpg
Xplorer at Sydney Central in October 2006
Overview
Service type Passenger train
Status Operational
First service June 1941
Current operator(s) NSW TrainLink
Route
Start Sydney
End Armidale
Moree
Distance travelled 579 km (Armidale)
666 km (Moree)
Service frequency daily in each direction
Line used Main North
Mungindi
Technical
Xplorer

The Northern Tablelands Express is an Australian passenger train operated by the New South Wales Government Railways and its successors since June 1941.

The Northern Tablelands Express has operated from Sydney via the Main Northern line to various destinations in the New England district. It first ran in June 1941 between Sydney and Armidale, composed of R type carriages that were replaced by air conditioned in April 1951. It was usually hauled by a 35 class steam locomotive. In June 1959 it was converted to DEB set railcar operation dividing at Werris Creek with one portion for Glen Innes or Tenterfield and the other for Moree.

In June 1984, the service was taken over by XPTs and renamed the Northern Tablelands XPT with a DEB set connection between Werris Creek and Moree. In October 1985, the service was truncated to Armidale with an XPT operating the service three days per week and a locomotive hauled / set on the other three days.

In February 1990, the service was further truncated to become a day return XPT service to Tamworth. In 1993, the service was replaced with Xplorer railcars, initially still to Tamworth on a day return but, upon delivery of sufficient rolling stock, direct services were provided to Armidale and Moree, that once again divided at Werris Creek and this is how the train continues in service today.


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