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The ''Central West Express'' is the legacy name for the Australian passenger train operating on the Main Western line in
File:Central West XPT at Lithgow.png, At Lithgow in 2025
File:Orange railway station, New South Wales, Australia 21.jpg, At
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
from Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
to Dubbo
Dubbo (; ) is a city in the Orana (New South Wales), Orana Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest population centre in the Orana region, with a population of 43,516 at June 2021.
The city is located at the intersection of the ...
.
History
The ''Central West Express'' commenced operating in June 1941 operating on alternate days fromSydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
to Dubbo
Dubbo (; ) is a city in the Orana (New South Wales), Orana Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest population centre in the Orana region, with a population of 43,516 at June 2021.
The city is located at the intersection of the ...
and Parkes Parkes may refer to:
* Sir Henry Parkes (1815–1896), Australian politician, one of the earliest and most prominent advocates for Australian federation
Named for Henry Parkes
* Parkes, New South Wales, a regional town
* Parkes Observatory, a radi ...
. In the early 1950s it received air-conditioned RUB sets and began to be hauled by 42 and 43 class diesel locomotives, although steam locomotives of the 36 and 38 classes would regularly haul it until July 1967.
In September 1956 in a reorganisation of rolling stock, the ''Central West Express'' was cut back to operate as a day return service to Orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
** Orange juice
*Orange (colour), the color of an orange fruit, occurs between red and yellow in the vi ...
with the RUB sets replaced by a HUB set. From 1957, the service was hauled by 46 class electric locomotives between Sydney and Lithgow following the electrification of the Main Western line over the Blue Mountains.
The service was selected as the first to be converted to XPT operation. Rebranded the ''Central West XPT'', it commenced operating in April 1982. Initially it operated six days a week to Orange extending to Dubbo on alternate days. From August 1983 all services ran to Dubbo and from December 1985 a Sunday service was introduced, a frequency it still maintains. The XPTs cut one hour and 54 minutes off the travel time from Sydney to Dubbo.
Gallery
Orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
** Orange juice
*Orange (colour), the color of an orange fruit, occurs between red and yellow in the vi ...
in the snow in 2020
File:XP2002 leads WT28.jpg, At Rydal in 2023
File:Dubbo XPT at Bathurst.JPG, At Bathurst in 2006
Further reading
*''Central West Express'' Peter Attenborough Eveleigh Press 2011References
{{NSWLocos, state=collapsed Named passenger trains of New South Wales Railway services introduced in 1941 1941 establishments in Australia