Sydney to Newcastle

Thomas the tank engine · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:32 pm

Having driven up the F3 countless number of times, I decided to travel by train to Newcastle today. The scenary was very beautiful between Berowra and Gosford, but very boring from that point onwards. It was all stations from Tuggerah to Newcastle and I thought the trip would never end.

Anyone feel the same about this?

Somebody in the WWW · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:50 pm

I usually enjoy the part of the trip from Gosford to Newcastle moreso than the scenic Hornsby-Gosford part as the former is quite a fast trip, while the latter is rather slow, and the scenery wears off on you after a while.

All stations Tuggerah-Newcastle for every second train on weekends is rather annoying, especially if you just want to get there, stopping at those silly Lake Macquarie small stations. Have to feel sorry for the people traveling late at night when they stop all stations from Hornsby to Newcastle!!

I'd like it if they ran the Newcastle-Morisset shuttle trains on weekends, at least. The normal expresses aren't too bad, but in comparison to interstate examples they aren't that fast. For example, the distance for Melbourne to Bendigo and Sydney to Newcastle is almost the same, the former's fastest travel time being 1hr 24mins (average 2hrs), the latter's fastest being 2hrs 34mins, average 2hrs 45mins.

"The trains at Pennant Hills run roughly every half hour. Nobody in their right mind uses a service that shoddy. That so many do just proves how many dumb and/or desperate people there are in Sydney." - MrPC

Thomas the tank engine · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:53 pm

Yeah, I sometimes wonder why the smaller stations still get an hourly service. At many of the stops today, only 1 passenger got on/off the train, sometimes none at all.

Somebody in the WWW · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 9:02 pm

alltrainzfan · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 9:05 pm

But if Cityrail reduced the frequency even further, imagine the uproar that would cause in the Lake Macquarie region, even though they might not even take the train at all! Wink

According to a Cityrail brochure (Forgot its name), it said that the trip from Hornsby to Gosford is one of the most spectacular in Australia. I like the trip, but I reckon the South Coast and Southern Highlands are just as good. I like it when the train is approaching Hawkesbury River and Gosford stations - very nice scenery.

gw0071 · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 10:50 pm

Yeah I agree totally, close all of the silly little stations around Lake Macquarie. Apparently usage is down anyway. Locals are spoilt with a wonderful network of roads and an extensive choice of other forms of public transport.

Besides, the massive influx of new residents seeking sea/tree change from the south bring pockets full of money and would never need to be reliant on a half ar$ed rail service.

Central>Strathfield>Hornsby>Woy Woy>Gosford>Broadmeadow(terminate)

The rest is a pointless legacy.

doridori · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 1:20 am

I've seen the opposite for those "lesser Lake Macquarie" stations...

For example, I've been on the 2 car K set shuttle with standing room only more than once and have seen multiples of people waiting at these lesser stations as well... (i've witnessed 15+ people getting off at Warnervale and Wyee respectively after 2300)

Just because in the off peak period they're quiet, doesn't mean they're not used at all !

May be young'n'dumb, yet unlike some, I've heart!

Bwana · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 8:15 am

Something I used to like seeing, somewhere near Wyee There was a nursery, but the only sing visible from the railway line was "Andvanced plants". I first saw this when the "Advanced Hair" ads were new - well you can imagine the link we made...Advanced plants, yeah yeah.

I am SO moving to Victoria Street!!

Check out my pics at http://bwana.fotopic.net

neety · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:14 am

neety · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:17 am

a6et · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:28 am

Thomas the tank engine · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:41 am

There is a station between Hawksbury River and Gosford which is so short that if you blink, you would miss it. Can't remember if it was Tascott, Koolewong, or Wondabyne. It has no roads, but a very small wharf connecting to the platform.

Just off topic, anyone know why there isn't a direct service from Sydney Terminal to the Southern Highlands on weekends, apart from the Countrylink services? It would make a nice day trip if there was one.

Comeng · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:58 am

Your thinking of Wondabyne, situated between Hawkesbury River and Woy Woy!

HMC1989 · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 12:00 pm

Mainnorthern · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 12:19 pm

I have traveled down and back to Sydney from Newie for weeks on end and don't find it too bad as I usually listen to music or sleep (V sets are nice beds) and lot less stressfull then flogging it down in the car Shocked

but coming back from a concert on Australia day was my worst trip. 2215 service all stations from Hornsby and it was packed with loud talkative people who didn't seem to dissipate until around Morriset. I was really tired and needed to sleep and I ended up getting to that state were you just can't sleep and had to stare out at nothing and listen to each curve and brake application guessing what station was coming up. I got back to Broadmeadow at around 1. Also have been stuck in the rain at Wyong from 2am in the morning with a bunch fans from a PJ concert that I had been to that night and because trackwork was on, we had to wait until 5 or so to get an all stations service to Newie. I eventually got home by 10am via Scone service. It was a good night all the same.

Since using the great big station at Teralba to get to work recently, I have noticed that there are times when services are packed and patronage is increasing as I have witnessed seeing most services during my work passing through Broadmeadow. Sometimes it seems nobody uses these stations but just look at the cars parked at them although Cockle creek and Booragul I think are hardly used but with fuel rising who knows what might change.

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