The Westland

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The Westland

Overnight train run between Perth and Kalgoorlie with sleeping berths and sit-up facilities.

Despite having dining cars attached to the service, there were also stops in the run that would include the facilities of alighting and using tea-rooms along the line.

Due to the length of the run on the narrow gauge line, it was often photographed and utilised in advertising and promotion as the 'premier' sleeper/express service of the Western Australian Government Railways.

It utilised the narrow gauge second route of the Eastern Railway passing through Chidlow.

Prior to the introduction of the X Class Diesels in the 1940s and 1950s - it was the higher performing steam engines of the time that were used to haul the express.

The service ceased to exist on the introduction of standard gauge services through the Avon Valley, and the current passenger service - the Transwa Prospector is run as a day time service.

This service linked with the Transcontinental Railway [commonly known as 'The Trans'] service at Kalgoorlie, for inter-state travel to Adelaide and beyond.

The era of the 1950s and 1960s was when the Westland was hauled by the X and XA class diesel engines

[edit] Reference

• Affleck, Fred N. On track : the making of Westrail, 1950 to 1976 . Perth : Westrail, 1978. ISBN 0-7244-7560-5

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