Ministerial Statement: All aboard the Santa Express!

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport
The Honourable Rachel Nolan

Friday, December 10, 2010

All aboard the Santa Express!

With less than three weeks until Christmas, Santa is making a very special trip to South East Queensland when he jumps on board the Santa Express!

The State Government will roll out the red carpet for its special guest, as Santa takes time out of his busy schedule to spread the Christmas cheer across the rail network from 13 to 17 December.

Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said children were invited to hop on the special Santa Express to sing Christmas carols, eat candy canes and have their photo taken with the man himself.

"Santa is a very busy man, but he's made a special exception to join us on the Santa Express which will travel across the South East Queensland rail network next week," Ms Nolan said.

"We are delighted Santa can join us in spreading the Christmas cheer this festive season from Caboolture to Rosewood, Varsity Lakes to Cleveland, and everywhere in between.

"The Santa Express will stop at all stations so every child will have the opportunity to come along and join in the festivities."

An instant photo with Santa is available to all children for a gold coin donation to support charities which assist in the elimination of domestic violence.

Passengers who want to get on board the special services only need to hold a valid paper ticket or go card.

The Santa Express is an additional service and will not cause disruptions to the regular City network timetable.

Santa will be stopping at all stations on the following lines:

Monday 13 December – Beenleigh & Ferny Grove

Tuesday 14 December – Caboolture & Doomben

Wednesday 15 December – Shorncliffe & Cleveland

Thursday 16 December – Gold Coast

Friday 17 December – Rosewood

The special Santa Express timetable is available at www.queenslandrail.com.au/santaexpress

[Fares_Fair]

Santa seems to be ALMOST everywhere, out to Rosewood in the south and Caboolture to the North.
But what about the Sunshine Coast, second fastest growth area in the state, and nothing ....

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[colinw]

Santa seems to be ALMOST everywhere, out to Rosewood in the south and Caboolture to the North.
But what about the Sunshine Coast, second fastest growth area in the state, and nothing ....

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

After drinking all that milk & eating all those cookies, Santa decided he simply couldn't risk going to the Sunshine Coast on a train without a toilet.

[Fares_Fair]

After drinking all that milk & eating all those cookies, Santa decided he simply couldn't risk going to the Sunshine Coast on a train without a toilet.

Touche !  

and what with the draft timetable he wouldn't get there until after Christmas anyways ...
unless he is in training for the City to Central and Central to City sprint races.


It exemplifies this incumbent governments attitude to the Sunshine Coast.

Regards,
Fares_Fair

[ozbob]

 

Media Release 10 December 2010

SEQ:  Santa gives the Sunshine Coast line a miss, can't be real sure of a p%ss!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has said Santa has wimped out and decided not to risk a toilet-less trip to the Sunshine Coast on the Santa Express.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Queensland Rail has a Santa Express train running on all lines except for the Sunshine Coast (1)."

"A major problem for Sunshine Coast line commuters, apart from poor frequency is the lack of trains with toilets."

"Clearly, Santa has decided that the frequent cups of milk and Christmas cheer - certainly at a much higher frequency than trains north of Caboolture; is just too much to risk on an EMU to Nambour!"


Reference:

1. http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/AboutUs/MediaCentre/Campaigns/Pages/SantaExpress.aspx

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[#Metro]

How could they forget the Sunshine Coast?  

Even Doomben & Rosewood gets Santa!! Oh no...

[#Metro]

I think it is a very good gesture of goodwill QR is putting something like this on.
In other years they had the toy train where you could donate things to it and get it out to people.

The non-inclusion of the Sunshine Coast (i.e. Nambour etc) might be a bit of a disappointment for residents there, but they (QR) really are under no obligation to do this kind of thing.

[ozbob]

Which timetable session so far had the greatest turnout of punters?   Sunshine Coast ...

It would have been nothing to run the train to at least Nambour, unfortunately just reinforces the perception of neglect ...

Not too smart at all ...

[Fares_Fair]

oh well, there's always Easter, and guess who's the Easter bunny ?

On a more serious note ...

"An instant photo with Santa is available to all children for a gold coin donation to support charities which assist in the elimination of domestic violence."

How does one assist in the elimination of domestic violence I wonder ?
Advertising campaigns perhaps ?

Whilst domestic violence is abhorrent, I would much prefer to contribute more direct aid
to those who really need it. The charities should be named and their methods advertised.
People really have no idea where the money is going or on what exactly it is spent.


Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[mufreight]

Oh dear, QR encouraging children to eat candy canes on board a train, shock horror and they call it the Santa Express but the timetable shows it stops all stations, more misleading information from QR, can't trust the spin merchants to get anything right.
But in reality a good PR move by QR, Paul Scurrah would give Santa some competition with this effort.      

[Stillwater]

Well, that says it all!  Queensland Rail cancels Christmas for Sunshine Coast railway towns.  Folks there get the rough end of the Big Pineapple yet again.

[p858snake]

Oh dear, QR encouraging children to eat candy canes on board a train, shock horror and they call it the Santa Express but the timetable shows it stops all stations, more misleading information from

Not much different then some of the other Express trains.