# Southern Cross Express

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{{Short description|Australian luxury train operator}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}}
{{Infobox rail service
|name            = Southern Cross Express
|image           = 
|caption         = 
|type            = [Luxury train](/source/Luxury_train)
|status          = Ceased
|formeroperator  = Australian Vintage Travel
|start           = [Melbourne](/source/Southern_Cross_railway_station)
|stops           = [Sydney](/source/Central_railway_station%2C_Sydney)<br>[Canberra](/source/Canberra_railway_station)
|class           = First
|stock           = [South Australian Railways steel](/source/South_Australian_Railways_steel_carriage_stock)}}

The '''''Southern Cross Express''''' was a luxury train operator in Australia. It was launched in June 1985 as Steam Age operating out of [Melbourne](/source/Southern_Cross_railway_station) on the [Victorian Railways](/source/Victorian_Railways) broad gauge network. Services were operated by steam locomotive [R766](/source/Victorian_Railways_R_class) and six [South Australian Railways carriages](/source/South_Australian_Railways_steel_carriage_stock).<ref name=DigestOct88>"Southern Cross Express" ''[Railway Digest](/source/Railway_Digest)'' October 1988 pages 365-369.</ref>

In 1987, the carriages were sold to Australian Vintage Travel, who also owned a [Douglas DC-3](/source/Douglas_DC-3) airplane and the ''[South Steyne](/source/SS_South_Steyne)'' ferry, converted to standard gauge and began operating interstate services into [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales) on the [State Rail Authority](/source/State_Rail_Authority) network. Its first trip was a cruise from Melbourne to [Sydney](/source/Central_railway_station%2C_Sydney) and [Canberra](/source/Canberra_railway_station) hauled by an [81 class](/source/New_South_Wales_81_class_locomotive) in January 1988. It operated a few further trips in 1988 before ceasing.<ref name=DigestOct88/><ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19880410&id=KzBWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=huQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2789,7214772&hl=en Stylish new train] ''[Sydney Morning Herald](/source/Sydney_Morning_Herald)'' 10 April 1988.</ref>

In 1990, the carriages moved to [Goulburn](/source/Goulburn_Railway_Workshops) and later [Junee Locomotive Depot](/source/Junee_Roundhouse_Railway_Museum) before moving to [Casino](/source/Casino_railway_station) in October 1996 for use on [Northern Rivers Railroad's](/source/Interail) ''Ritz Rail'' tourist train on the [Murwillumbah line](/source/Murwillumbah_railway_line).<ref>"Southern Cross Express cars sold" ''Railway Digest'' February 1990 p. 47.</ref><ref>"Intelligence" ''[Railway Gazette International](/source/Railway_Gazette_International)'' September 1991 p. 568.</ref><ref>"The Northern Rivers Railroad" ''Railway Digest'' December 1996 p. 28.</ref><ref>"Northern Rivers launches a Ritzy train" ''Railway Digest'' July 1999 p. 22.</ref>
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}

Category:Defunct railway companies of Australia
Category:Named passenger trains of Australia
Category:Discontinued railway services in Australia

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Southern Cross Express](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Cross_Express) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Cross_Express?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.