Steam on the surban network 17 May to 19 May 2010

[ozbob]

http://www.translink.com.au/event.php?id=198

Steam train services on Ipswich and Shorncliffe lines
Dates    Monday, 17 May to Wednesday, 19 May 2010

These three special services, one each day from Monday 17 May to Wednesday 19 May, are part of a training school to upgrade the skills of current electric passenger train drivers to become qualified steam train drivers.

There are no special conditions to travel. Passengers require a valid ticket or go card to board.

[Golliwog]

Cool! Even if they don't need to train drivers, maybe they could make this a regular thing? It doesn't interfere with normal services, and it seems fairly popular. Would make an interesting tourist attraction.

[stephenk]

Working again 

[WTN]

I'm working as usual, but I'll try to get a day off Tuesday or Wednesday to go for a ride.

[Golliwog]

Just tell them your doing "field work" 

[tronixstuff]

Wow. Although we often have a lot to criticise QR and TL for, these events help ease the pain a little.

[mufreight]

As an aside to this these training trips are entirely an initiative of QR Passenger having no connection with Translink, they are being done by and paid for by QR Passenger, the revenue from the additional fares collected all goes to Translink with no return to QR Passenger to offset the quite considerable costs incured by making these driver training services avaliable to the public,
To enable the public to ride these training trips requires additional staff, carriage safety officers and no doubt there would also be additional insurance requirements all of which adds to the costs, there is a good case here for Translink to cough up some of the additional fare revenue from these trips to help offset these costs even if only as a PR exercise for Translink whose image could stand a bit of positive PR.

[awotam]

Were there steam trains running on the network last weekend? I could have sworn I heard the sound of steam engines and whistles coming from the general direction of the Tennyson loop (I live at Sherwood). Sat morning around 11-ish, and Sun about 1pm. Or am I just losing it...? 

[mufreight]

Yes a steam train sunday

[kw]

The ARHS ran the Saturday steam train via Tennyson to Sandgate and return.

[QGT]

I will be on the train on Tuesday 

[ozbob]

Some photographs around Ipswich workshops this morning









Photographs mufreight 17th May 2010

[ozbob]

Some photographs around Bundamba this afternoon









Photographs mufreight 17th May 2010

[ozbob]

Steam Tuesday 18th May 2010









Photographs mufreight 18th May 2010

[QGT]

My Photos from Tuesdays Steam Train
http://sites.google.com/site/qgtsphotos2010/home/train-pictures/qr-special-steam-train-driver-training-may-2010


Cheers,
QGT

[ozbob]

Nice!  Like the photos of the Sx set as well.  Thanks for the link.

[awotam]

Yes a steam train sunday

Cheers. Nice to know I'm not losing it... 

[mufreight]

The saturday trip was a ARHS trip not a steam train sunday trip which is a QR heritage trip

[WTN]

I finally went for a ride on Wednesday (Central to Ipswich).  It was my first time and a very interesting experience.  I did notice that many of staff in each carriage were actually volunteers.  One of them worked in the railways since the late 1950's and admitted he never retired - going to unpaid work instead.

[mufreight]

One thing that was obvious from all involved in the operation of the steam services was that they all were enthuasists enjoying what they were doing, whether paid or unpaid and this came accross to all of those who rode the trains.
As for QR a good example of how a PR exercise can be most effective without any spin, all that was missing was more intensive publicity.
No-one could doubt the success of the exercise which will undoubtedly be repeated as the opportunity and needs arise.