The ''Albany Progress'' was an overnight passenger train operated by the

Western Australian Government Railways Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) was the operator of railway services in the state of Western Australia between October 1890 and June 2003. Owned by the state government, it was renamed a number of times to reflect extra responsi ...

between

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

and Albany via the

Eastern Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai *Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 *Eastern Air Li ...

and Great Southern lines from May 1961 until December 1978.

History

The ''Albany Progress'' commenced operating on 31 May 1961, when the long-standing service between

and Albany was relaunched with refurbished rolling stock hauled by X class diesel locomotives. Typically there were three overnight return services a week. In the late 1960s, Albany bound services operated on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, returning to Perth on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. From 7 November 1964, an additional service operated as the ''Albany Weekender'' departing Perth on Friday night, returning on Sunday night using the stock from '' The Midlander''. it ceased on 1 August 1975. The ''Albany Progress'' last ran from Albany on 1 December 1978, hauled by preserved steam locomotive W947 as far as Elleker. It was the last regular overnight passenger train to run on the WAGR system and was replaced by a road coach service. The train consisted of passenger sleeping berths and sit-up facilities, as well as wagons for general freight which were often shunted off the train at various towns. Eight surplus coaches were leased and later sold to the

Hotham Valley Railway The Hotham Valley Tourist Railway (commonly Hotham Valley Railway) is a tourist and heritage railway in the Peel region of Western Australia. The railway operates over a 32 kilometre section of the original Pinjarra to Narrogin railway line ...

and still run on the mainline today.History of HVTR
Hotham Valley Railway

References

{{Reflist

External links

State Library of WA Photographs
Albany, Western Australia Named passenger trains of Western Australia Night trains of Australia Railway services introduced in 1961 Railway services discontinued in 1978 1961 establishments in Australia 1978 disestablishments in Australia Discontinued railway services in Australia