Brisbane Limited

The Brisbane Limited was an Australian passenger train operated by the New South Wales Government Railways between Sydney and Brisbane from 1888 until February 1990.

Brisbane Limited
Overview
Service typePassenger train
StatusCeased
Last serviceFebruary 1990
SuccessorUnnamed XPT service
Former operator(s)State Rail Authority
Route
TerminiSydney Central
Wallangarra (until 1930)
South Brisbane (1930–86)
Roma Street (from 1986)
Distance travelled700 km (until 1930)
920 km (from 1930)
Service frequencydaily in each direction
Train number(s)NL1/NL2
Line(s) usedMain Northern (until 1930)
North Coast (from 1930)

History
44216 and another haul the northbound Brisbane Limited across the Corinda line at Yeerongpilly in 1987

The Brisbane Limited originally operated from Sydney via the Main Northern line to Wallangarra. A change of gauge required passengers to change here for a narrow gauge Queensland Railways train on its Southern line to complete the journey to Brisbane.

The Limited service was also known as a 'limited express'; its daily service ran in parallel with a 'mail train', open to passengers, which featured more stops and took several hours longer.[1]

Following the extension of the North Coast line to South Brisbane, in September 1930 it was rerouted shaving six hours off the journey time, even allowing for the need for the train to be taken over the Clarence River by barge pending the completion of the Grafton Bridge.[2] This occurred in May 1932.[3] Its headcode was NL1/NL2.

In the early 1950s, it began to be worked by diesel locomotives and from January 1960 was hauled by 46 class electric locomotives south of Gosford. Also in 1960 stainless steel sleeping carriages were introduced.[4]

From June 1984, it was hauled by electric locomotives to Broadmeadow, and in June 1986 was extended at its northern end over the Merivale Bridge to Roma Street.[5] It was withdrawn in February 1990 to be replaced by an unnamed XPT service.[6]

References
  1. "Sydney Mail Train, The New Timetable", 'The Telegraph' (Brisbane) 1 November 1915
  2. "Brisbane Express First Train Leaves via North Coast Route" Sydney Morning Herald 27 September 1930
  3. "Crossing the Clarence" Roundhouse July 1982 pages 4-23
  4. "The Southern Aurora and the Sydney – Melbourne Expresses" Railway Digest January 1994 page 18
  5. "North Coast Report" Railway Digest September 1986 page 280
  6. "The New Timetable" Railway Digest March 1990 page 94
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