As previously mentioned, the train’s timetable dictates everything so we’re up at 05:45 and we pull into Rawlinna, a town that closed for business in 1996, after the railway line was nationalised and upgraded to its current format with concrete sleepers. It’s also home to Australia’s largest sheep station, although there’s no evidence of sheep to be seen, just an airstrip, and a few trucks. Nor is there much evidence of its former life, the old station, two old houses falling down, the rest including the school having been demolished.
Right adjacent to the track is an array of picnic tables where we enjoy a simple breakfast of fruit, egg and bacon sandwiches, and vegimite rolls. After breakfast we walk the length of the town, get told off for clambering on the track (didn’t hear the message saying we shouldn't) and are back onboard for our 08:05 departure.
In case you’re wondering although we’re a tourist train, we’re also the postal service so run to a very tight timetable and stop from time to time to pick up and drop off items, but passengers are not allowed off at these stops. We’re crossing the Nullabor Plain, which you Latinistas will already have translated to “no trees” - it’s so barren nothing bigger that the occasional scrappy bush survives amongst the sand, boulders and dry grass.
There is the occasional herd of cows, and we see two kangaroos, two camels and a loan emu in the distance, but mostly the plain is just empty. The plain is extremely flat and the railway is literally the only sign of life. It’s also the location of the longest straight track in the world, some 478 km.
During the day we’re passing from Western Australia into South Australia and this requires a 2.5 hour time change, so soon after breakfast we leap forwards towards brunch faster than the speed of light, but that’s OK since we were early risers. Brunch starts with aperitifs at 12:00 noon, or 09:30 looking at FitBit, which hasn’t got the memo yet, but the Chardonnay tastes good no matter whatever the time is! Today we dine with Louis and his wife from Burnley, it’s a curious combination of breakfast cereals and juices, on which we pass, and mains of eggs, full English, more traditional gammon, a haloumi salad or camel curry. No prizes for guessing what I’m having, and hubby enjoys the gammon. Dessert is OK but nothing special.
We repair to our cupboard for a while to read or write and of course watch the world go by at the same time, for an hour before our next stop, the former town of Cook - still called Cook but no longer a “town” - as another victim of the changes to the railway, now it has a population of just four.
We clamber down off the train using the cleverly positioned internal steps cut into the occasional carriage as there’s no platform here, into the baking heat of the afternoon. The light breeze feels warm to the skin, so it must be above body heat now.
Our end of the train, we’re at the rear, is close to the site of the hospital, but all that remains is the sign and a tourist plaque in explanation. The school has faired better and is still intact, but we’re warned not to enter any buildings as they are unsafe, so we resist the temptation to investigate. Walking on a bit, we pass several rows of accommodations still used by railway workers from time to time, but today all looking closed up like a caravan park in winter, until we reach the head of the train.
Up close the engine is huge especially, like any locomotive, when viewed from the ground rather than the platform. We get an obligatory photo at this point since everyone else seems to doing so! We’re also amazed by the goods train here, also taking on water and fuel like us, this and our engines positioned head to head on adjacent tracks. As it departs we count 93 flatbeds, carrying a mixture of mostly single or double 40 foot containers, others with more like grain or ore and some carrying odd shaped items we’ll never know what.
We reboard for more interminable Nullabor, but it’s really quite mesmerising, sadly we don’t see any new creatures, just a few more cows and camels. Before long it’s time to shower and dress for dinner then head to the lounge car for G&Ts, except (apparently) the English have drunk all the gin! Happily the Chardonnay is very acceptable so we while away the cocktail hour with Pammie and Keith, who sadly leave us tomorrow in Adelaide to continue their downunder adventure.
Tonight’s dining companions are Laura and Jim from Glasgow. They are very entertaining, especially Jim, and one of the many couples who are also embarking Noordam next week. Dinner consists of Peking duck, twice baked soufflé or Chinese dumplings, we have the last two and nether are particularly exciting. Mains of lamb shank which was OK and chicken which was actually fine. Once again I had cheese rather than pudding. Another digestif to finish the evening.
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