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Geostralis
@geostralis.bsky.social
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Today's historic pic: The station at Burradoo, NSW, November 9 1985. Burradoo is in the NSW Southern Highlands south of Bowral, 139km from Sydney on the main South line. The old nameboard has since been replaced, and a Canberra-style 'bunker' bus shelter erected on the up platform on this side.
A double track standard gauge mainline railway runs through a two platform passenger station in a regional location. The platform on the other side is backed by a cyclone wire fence, and has a number of large leafy green trees immediately behind the platform. A large white nameboard with black block letters announces BURRADOO as the station name.
February 13, 2026 at 1:36 AM
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Today’s historic pic: Alco diesel 4439 and a set of non-airconditioned carriages for the Southern Highlands Express sit in a siding at Canberra station, Kingston ACT, December 8 1985. The Southern Highlands Express ran daily between Goulburn and Sydney, and once each weekend it extended to Canberra.
An Alco World model 44 class diesel locomotive, flat end leading, in Indian Red livery sits at the head of a rake of five non airconditioned passenger carriages in a mixture of candy and Indian red liveries, on the third track across from the station platform on which I was standing. In the background at right, the very end of a rake of preserved carriages in Tuscan and Russet livery is just visible.
February 11, 2026 at 1:40 AM
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Today's historic pic: Exactly 41 years ago today, train S37, the Canberra Monaro Express from Sydney to Canberra then Cooma, formed of a 4 car candy liveried DEB set with power cars PF903 leading and HPF953 trailing, heads west just east of Queanbeyan, NSW, February 9, 1985.
A view of a wide landscape of rolling hills covered with dry late summery grassland, and with a pine plantation in the foreground, with a four car diesel multiple unit train in candy livery crossing the scene from left to right in the distance. A two land road climbs the hill in the far distance behind the train.
February 9, 2026 at 1:26 AM
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Today's historic pic: Train S15, the southbound Riverina XPT headed by power car XP2014 in Candy livery, calls at Cootamundra, NSW, October 26 1985. The Sydney-Albury Riverina XPT was re-timed and extended in 1994 to run through to Melbourne, and, as the Melbourne XPT, it still runs today.
An XPT in Candy livery stands at the main platform at a passenger station in a regional town. The station building at left has multiple transverse gabled roof segments, and an awning that projects towards the train. A white painted wooden sign also projects towards the train lists the platform numbers in black lettering and numerals with platform 4 at left and platform 2 at right.
February 6, 2026 at 12:22 AM
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Today's historic pic: Exactly 41 years ago today, a decrepit looking then-90-year-old mansard roofed L class carriage, (is it HFL992?), at the rear of the set for the once-weekly Canberra extension of the Southern Highlands Express in the yard at Canberra station, Kingston, ACT, February 3 1985.
A mansard roofed, tuscan liveried L class carriage attached at the rear of a carriage set is stabled in a railway yard. The carriage is looking borderline decrepit, with its paint job quite faded and with a large blemish on the roof above the passenger entry door.
February 3, 2026 at 2:24 AM
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Today’s historic pic: exactly 40 years ago today, Alco diesel 4860 hauls the Sydney-bound Cooma Mail away from Queanbeyan, NSW, February 1 1986. The Cooma Mail ran for the last time in May 1986, less than 4 months later. Today there are 3 Sydney to Canberra trains each day through here.
As seen from atop a lineside bank, a loco-hauled passenger trains runs along a track in a cutting beneath us. The train is hauled by a small hood style 48 class locomotive in Tuscan 'whiskers' livery. The single track is curving to the right (a left hand curve for the train), and a light road overbridge crosses the track in the middle distance. Dry, late summer grass covers the banks on either side of the track as they slope upwards.
February 1, 2026 at 1:09 AM
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Today’s historic pic: Exactly 43 years ago today, EMD branchline diesel loco 4910 on a southbound Gwabegar LVR tour train just north of Coonabarabran, NSW, January 30 1983. This line, which was then freight-only north of Mudgee, has been disused north of Binnaway since 2005.
Taken from a very low angle, at ground level looking up at a train crossing a wooden trestle overbridge carrying a single track railway over above a roadway, we see a NSW Railways 49 class hood style diesel locomotive in Indian Red livery. The space for the auto staff exchanger is clearly visible from this angle, and the driver's assistant is looking down at us through the open window at his seat in the cab.
January 30, 2026 at 1:34 AM
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After more than 55 years serving the people of New South Wales, tomorrow is the last ever run in public service of a V set interurban double deck electric train. So this is the perfect time for a photographic tribute to these venerable, hard working and much loved trains.
1/n
Set V21 in NSW TrainLink Yellow and Orange livery at Central station, 2024
January 29, 2026 at 6:56 AM
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Today's historic pic: Exactly 41 years ago today, we see the station at Gundagai, NSW, January 27 1985. Gundagai was 484km from Sydney by rail on the Cootamundra to Tumut and Batlow line. Railmotors last ran in 1983 and no trains have run since 1984 when they were suspended after flood damage.
A photo of a railway station taken from the street side. The station is of an elegant single-floor design with multi-hipped roof and gables punctuated by decorative finials. A low level veranda faces the street and an amount of corrugated iron fencing obscures the near end of the building. In the distance is a range of hills that are covered in summery dry grass.
January 27, 2026 at 12:45 AM
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Today's historic pic: Exactly forty years ago today, we see the railway station at Blayney, NSW, January 26 1986. Blayney is 290km west of Sydney by rail on the NSW Main West line. It is today served by the daily Sydney-Dubbo Central West XPT and the once weekly Broken Hill Outback XPLorer.
A brick railway station building stands on a platform at a station in a provincial town. The building has an awning projecting from the building towards the platform edge. A white painted station nameboard with black block letters announcing the station name as BLAYNEY is in the centre of the platform at right.
January 26, 2026 at 12:25 AM
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Today's historic pic: Exactly 38 years ago today, a charter XPT train to Corowa, named the Corowa Federation Flyer, runs through Burrumbuttock, NSW, January 24 1988

This was the last train to ever run to Corowa and as far as I know, it is the only time an XPT has ventured onto a pioneer branch line
A view through an open door looking along the outside of an XPT train in original Candy livery, running past a large, concrete grain storage silo and loading point in a regional location beneath a blue sky with scattered cumulus clouds.
January 24, 2026 at 12:38 AM
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Today's historic pic: 8155 and G520 haul a southbound Sydney-Melbourne express goods train through Wagga Wagga, NSW, April 6 1987. It was common in those early days of interstate through-working of locomotives for one loco to be provided by NSW and one by Victoria as was the case on this train.
An express container train of flats and wagons hauled by two boxcab style diesel locomotives enters a goods yard in a provincial city setting. The lead locomotive is a NSW 81 class unit in candy livery, whilst the second unit is a VLine G class diesel in VLine orange and grey livery. A number of sidings and loop tracks are visible to the left and right of the train, and a low hill rises away to the right in the background with a number of suburban houses on it.
January 21, 2026 at 3:55 AM
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Today's historic pic: Exactly 40 years ago today, 4473 and 42102, the locos from the Sundays-only Canberra Express, run around their train at Canberra, ACT, January 19 1986. 4473 is today preserved as part of the heritage fleet. All Canberra trains nowadays are run by XPLorer diesel railcars.
Two streamlined diesel locomotives coupled together nose to tail, sit in a headshunt at the very end of the line just beyond the end of a passenger platform.  The lead loco, further from us, is an Alco World unit in Yellow End livery, whilst the nearer unit is a candy-liveried EMD style streamliner with its no 2 end flat cab facing us.
January 19, 2026 at 2:30 AM
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Today's historic pic: Double-deck electric set V11 running an inter-urban train service from Sydney, departs Civic station, Newcastle, NSW, June 9 1985. The last of the V sets, built between 1970 and 1989, still run today between Sydney and Lithgow, but will be withdrawn by the end of this month.
Taken from an overbridge looking down over a passenger railway station with side platforms either side of a two track electrified railway line in an urban location, we see a double deck electric multiple unit train running away from us on the left hand track. The train, which has a target plate that denotes it as set V11, is painted in the blue and grey livery common in the early 1980s, that earned these sets the nickname Blue Gooses. The train is crossing a level crossing which is controlled by a dinky little signal box that is so small it is partly obscured by a colour light signal to the left of the train.
January 16, 2026 at 2:06 AM
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Today’s historic pic: Alco diesel loco 8018 hauls the Melbourne to Sydney Intercapital Daylight express through the then recently closed station at Bowning, NSW, October 19 1985. The semaphore signals and refuge tracks at Bowning have since been removed, but the larger building at right still stands
Taken from an overbridge looking down onto a railway station on a double track mainline in a small town in a rural location, we see a loco-hauled passenger train heading away from us passing through the station on the nearer track. The platform at left is cut away on the non-track side, and a refuge track passes behind it to the left. A two-storey buck and stone station building stands on the right hand platform in the middle distance.
January 13, 2026 at 2:27 AM
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Today’s historic pic: Exactly 40 years ago today, SRA NSW diesel loco 42106 sits at Queanbeyan, NSW, January 11 1986. The ten 421 class locos, built in 1965, had a classic GM streamlined cab at one end and, uniquely in Australia for GM streamliners, had a fully functioning flat cab at the no 2 end.
A carbody style diesel locomotive with a classic 1950s/60s style GM streamlined nose, sits in the yard at a passenger station in a regional location. The loco, which is painted in Indian red livery with yellow lining, carries a monochrome version of the SRA NSW double arrow logo and displays its road number, 42106, in yellow numerals on its side panels, and in white numerals on black backgrounds in the illuminated number boxes either side of its streamlined nose. One side window of the fully functioning driving cab at the rear end is just visible. A few tracks are visible in the rail yard in the lower foreground, as is a two-lever switch stand labelled 'E'.
January 11, 2026 at 12:50 AM
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Today's historic pic: Alco diesel loco 44203 hauls train no S65 the southbound Sydney to Melbourne Intercapital Daylight into the station at Harden, NSW, October 26 1985. The Intercapital Daylight last ran in 1991. XPTs re-introduced Sydney-Melbourne daylight trains in 1994 and they still run today.
A 442 class boxcab style Alco-engined diesel locomotive in Candy livery at the head of a passenger train arrives at a passenger platform at a railway station in a provincial town. Lights on poles are on the earthen-topped platform and also on much taller poles in the yard in the background. A lower quadrant semaphore signal is just visible at far left.
January 9, 2026 at 12:47 AM
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Today’s historic pic: Exactly 37 years ago today, 8162 and 4461 await their departures as the Melbourne Express cars sit in the background at Sydney Terminal, January 7, 1989. Loco-hauled passenger trains are now rare, with the once-weekly Indian Pacific being the only one now into Sydney Terminal.
Looking across the platforms at a city terminal station, we see three trains awaiting departure. The nearest one is an 81 class diesel locomotive in candy livery, then three platforms further away we see a 44 class diesel loco, flat end leading, also in candy livery with its road number 4461 in large white numerals on its side, and on the next platform behind it we see a fluted stainless steel sleeping car.
January 7, 2026 at 1:11 AM
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Today's historic pic: Exactly forty years ago today, 42218 and Wagga Wagga to Sydney holiday extra train no SL10 call at Goulburn, NSW, January 4 1986. This train, which followed the Riverina XPT at peak summer times only, was made up of non air-conditioned carriages. And it had a buffet car!
As seen from ground level beyond the end of the platform, a boxcab style 422 class EMD-engined diesel locomotive no 42218 in SRA Candy livery at the head of a train of non-airconditioned carriages sits at a passenger platform at a double track mainline railway station in a provincial city.
January 4, 2026 at 12:56 AM
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Today's historic pic: Candy-liveried Alco branchline diesel loco 4808 sits at Queanbeyan, NSW, April 2 1987. NSW Railways' 48 class, with 165 members, was Australia's most numerous type of diesel loco, even more so if you add the almost identical Silverton diesels and SAR's 830s.
A hood style branchline diesel locomotive in NSW railways early 1980s Candy livery sits at the head of a rake of goods wagons and alongside some petrol tankers in a railway yard at a railway station in a provincial city.
January 1, 2026 at 1:23 AM
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Today's historic pic: Two-car diesel set 731/631 about to depart for Sandgate Cemetery sits next to electric set NC 3 bound for Fassifern at the former terminus at Newcastle, NSW, June 10 1985. Sandgate Cemetery trains, which ran weekends only, last ran four months after this pic was taken.
Looking down from a pedestrian overbridge onto a passenger railway station at a dead-end terminus, we see a candy-liveried streamlined two-car diesel set in the platform at left, and a three car stainless steel Goninan electric multiple unit set in the platform at right. The two car diesel set has a destination board hanging on its front saying Sandgate Cemetery.
December 30, 2025 at 12:53 AM
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Today's historic pic: The southbound Canberra Monaro Express formed of a DEB set with a 620/720 class 2-car diesel attached at rear, calls at Michelago, NSW, October 10, 1983. This is the only time I saw a 2-car diesel on this line (so I went for a ride). No trains now run here.
Taken looking out through a window on the right hand side of a passenger train, looking forwards while stopped at a passenger station in a rural location. The platform in the foreground is earthen-topped, and the fence at right is formed of white painted vertical sections of re-used rail supporting horizontal wooden beams. The station building in the middle distance is a light green painted brick and stone building with an awning projecting towards the front of the train.
December 28, 2025 at 12:59 AM
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Today's historic pic: The northbound Cooma Mail from Cooma behind candy liveried EMD diesel 42209 and an unidentified 48 class Alco branchliner, arrives at Goulburn, NSW, October 27 1984. After connecting with the up Riverina XPT, the Mail would continue north stopping at Southern Highlands stations
A dark photo on an overcast day of a short passenger train of non air-conditioned carriages hauled by two diesel locomotives arriving at a passenger station in an industrial provincial town.
December 26, 2025 at 2:01 AM
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Today's historic pic: SRA NSW Alco diesel 4433 and the up North Mail ready to depart for Sydney at Tenterfield, NSW, November 2 1984. The North Mail, an overnight sitting and sleeping car train from Sydney to Moree, Armidale, Glen Innes and Tenterfield, last ran in 1988 and no trains now run here.
A black and white image, taken from trackside at ground level just beyond the end of a platform at a passenger railway station, showing a 44 class Alco diesel locomotive, flat end leading, at the head of a passenger train sitting at the platform with the brick and stone station building on the platform at right. A wooden post and rail fence is in the lower foreground.
December 23, 2025 at 1:37 AM
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Today's historic pic: Exactly 40 years ago today, after completing its afternoon run from Sydney, the Riverina XPT shunts from the station to a stabling siding at Albury, NSW, December 21 1985. The Riverina XPT last ran in 1994, but since then, daylight XPTs have run through from Sydney to Melbourne
An XPT in candy livery shunts in a multi-track railway yard with rakes of louvre wagons standing in sidings at left and some diesel locomotives sitting in the loco stabling point in the middle distance at right.
December 21, 2025 at 12:57 AM