The Tasman Limited was a passenger train operated by Tasmanian Government Railways (TGR) on the Main and Western lines between Hobart, Launceston and Wynyard from April 1954 to July 1978.
The service has the distinction of being the last regularly scheduled passenger train in Tasmania.
Commencement of service
With the introduction of the X Class diesel locomotives in 1950, Tasmania became the first state in Australia to operate diesel locomotives on a mainline rail network. Their delivery heralded the modernisation of the system by the Tasmanian Transport Commission, operator of the TGR. Other initiatives were the introduction of diesel-mechanical shunting locomotives (from 1948) and the redevelopment of Hobart's railway station in 1953. The decision of the TGR to introduce a new intrastate passenger service however, was courageous. The Philips Report of 1953 had recommended the withdrawal of all country passenger services due to steadily decreasing patronage as more people turned to the private motor car as their primary means of travel.
In 1949/50 the TGR took delivery of six 153hp articulated DP class railcars built by Commonwealth Engineering in Clyde, New South Wales. With seating for 58 passengers, they were initially rostered on the Hobart - Launceston Evening Service. In September 1950, they were used on a new limited-stops morning service between the two cities, working in pairs (DP + DP). Three railcars (DP27, DP28, DP29) were upgraded with carpeting, curtains and hot meal facilities.
The journey was extended through to the North West Coast in April 1953 when the Evening Service was converted to a locomotive-hauled train, thus making all articulated railcars available for the morning service. It operated three days per week (South-bound: Monday, Wednesday, Friday; and Northbound: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday). On 5 April 1954, the TGR decided to maximise the train’s popularity by giving it a name (Tasman Limited) and promotion of the service was increased. The TGR described the train as “cheapest & best in travel comfort.”
Destination name boards
The railcars carried a destination name-board on their front sides, depending on the direction of travel: Hobart to Launceston was The Tamar Launceston to Wynyard was Table Cape Wynyard to Launceston was The Launcestonian Launceston to Hobart was The Derwent.
Timetable
The north-bound Tasman Limited ('Tamar': Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) departed Hobart at 08:36, and arrived in Launceston at 13:08, stopping for passengers only at Derwent Park Junction and Western Junction. The east-bound train ('Launcestonian': Monday, Wednesday, Friday) departed Wynyard at 08:30 and arrived in Launceston at 13:19. The south-bound service ('The Derwent': Monday, Wednesday, Friday) departed Launceston at 12:30 and arrived in the capital at 17:03. The west-bound service ('Table Cape': Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) departed Launceston at 12:22 and terminated at Wynyard at 17:10. Both trains on each day crossed at Western Junction, and passengers could change trains for their journey towards either Wynyard or Hobart. A meal service and light refreshments were available only on the Main Line leg between Hobart and Launceston.
On 6 December 1954, the TGR expanded the frequency to a daily service (Monday to Saturday), except Sunday. The route operation was changed slightly and 'The Tamar' section was dropped. Hobart to Wynyard became one long section named 'Table Cape', whilst the 'Launcestonian' and 'The Derwent' sections remained unchanged. The train crossing point at Western Junction remained in place.
Conversion to locomotive-hauled train
With patronage increasing, the TGR decided to upgrade the service to a locomotive-hauled train. Two unique articulated carriages were built at the Launceston Railway Workshops. With seating for 76 passengers, they featured large panoramic windows, a central buffet/kitchen and luxurious passenger fittings such as fully-upholstered seating with head and foot rests (including ‘antimacassars’), fluorescent lighting, curtains, and pressure ventilation/heating. Fold-out dinner trays slotted into the sides of each seat. They had a toilet and small guard’s compartment at each end. Each pair of seats could be rotated to face the direction of travel. The new cars were classed 'ACS' ('Articulated Country Saloon'). Their low profile appearance was modelled on a prototype carriage constructed in 1954 (ABL1), which was sold to the Emu Bay Railway (EBR). The EEP ‘express freight’ bogie vans were also built to the same streamlined body design.