The Overland

[[File:Morning tea served in Red Premium car on The Overland, May 2011.jpg|thumb|Morning tea is served in a Red Premium (first class) car, 2011]]

[[File:Morning tea served in Red Premium car on The Overland, May 2011.jpg|thumb|Morning tea is served in a Red Premium (first class) car, 2011]]

In November 1997, Australian National was sold and the passenger cars passed to [[Journey Beyond|Great Southern Rail Limited]], which contracted [[National Rail Corporation|National Rail]] to haul the services with [[NR class]] locomotives.<ref name="ARHS" /><ref>{{citation | title = Goodbye AN Passenger, Hello Great Southern Railway | magazine = Railway Digest | edition = December 1997 | page = 7 }}</ref> On occasions, [[Australian National BL class|BL]] and [[UGL Rail C44aci|93]] class locomotives hauled the service.<ref> {{citation | title = SA Standard Gauge | magazine = Railway Digest | edition = May 1999 | page = 37}}</ref><ref>{{Victorian Rail-Newsrail|title=The Overland|month=6|year=2014|page=181}}</ref> In July 1998, the Wednesday and Saturday night journeys in each direction were cancelled, leaving the service operating five times per week in each direction.<ref>{{citation | title = GSR Announce Changes to Ghan & Overland | magazine = Railway Digest | edition = August 1998 |page =10}}</ref> In May 1999, a new timetable was introduced but with previous intermediate stops omitted at [[Stawell railway station|Stawell]], [[Murtoa railway station|Murtoa]], [[Nhill railway station|Nhill]], [[Kaniva]], [[Wolseley, South Australia|Wolseley]], [[Keith, South Australia|Keith]], [[Tintinara]], [[Coonalpyn, South Australia|Coonalpyn]] and [[Tailem Bend railway station|Tailem Bend]].<ref>{{citation | title = Geelong Standard Gauge Platform Opens, Overland Accelerated but Stations Bypassed | magazine = Railway Digest | edition = July 1999 | page = 17 }}</ref> In 1999, the maroon and silver livery was removed and the train was repainted in a new grey and silver scheme, with a new [[kookaburra]] logo.<ref name="Comrails" /> In May 2000, the service was reduced to four times weekly. However, with an accelerated journey time of 10 hours 30 minutes, the service was able to be operated by one set of passenger cars, operating to Melbourne in the day and to Adelaide overnight.<ref>"Passenger in Brief" ''[[Railway Gazette International]]'' May 2000 page 288</ref><ref> {{citation | title = SA Short Lines | magazine = Railway Digest | edition = October 2000 | page = 10 }}</ref> Some of the largest ''Overland'' consists were run during this era; during the [[2002_AFL_season#Finals_series|2002 AFL finals]], in which both the [[Adelaide Crows]] and [[Port Adelaide Power]] were competing, ''The Overland'' was built up to a record 32 carriages for the Preliminary Final round on 21 September.<ref>{{citation | magazine = Railway Digest | title = AFL Grand Final Trains | edition = November 2002 | page = 40 }}</ref>

In November 1997, Australian National was sold and the passenger cars passed to [[Journey Beyond|Great Southern Rail Limited]], which contracted [[National Rail Corporation|National Rail]] to haul the services with [[NR class]] locomotives.<ref name="ARHS" /><ref>{{citation | title = Goodbye AN Passenger, Hello Great Southern Railway | magazine = Railway Digest | edition = December 1997 | page = 7 }}</ref> On occasions, [[Australian National BL class|BL]] and [[UGL Rail C44aci|93]] class locomotives hauled the service.<ref> {{citation | title = SA Standard Gauge | magazine = Railway Digest | edition = May 1999 | page = 37}}</ref><ref>{{Victorian Rail-Newsrail|title=The Overland|month=6|year=2014|page=181}}</ref> In July 1998, the Wednesday and Saturday night journeys in each direction were cancelled, leaving the service operating five times per week in each direction.<ref>{{citation | title = GSR Announce Changes to Ghan & Overland | magazine = Railway Digest | edition = August 1998 |page =10}}</ref> In May 1999, a new timetable was introduced but with previous intermediate stops omitted at [[Stawell railway station|Stawell]], [[Murtoa railway station|Murtoa]], [[Nhill railway station|Nhill]], [[Kaniva]], [[Wolseley, South Australia|Wolseley]], [[Keith, South Australia|Keith]], [[Tintinara]], [[Coonalpyn, South Australia|Coonalpyn]] and [[Tailem Bend railway station|Tailem Bend]].<ref>{{citation | title = Geelong Standard Gauge Platform Opens, Overland Accelerated but Stations Bypassed | magazine = Railway Digest | edition = July 1999 | page = 17 }}</ref> In 1999, the maroon and silver livery was removed and the train was repainted in a new grey and silver scheme, to match the [[Commonwealth Railways stainless steel carriage stock ]] used on the [[Indian Pacific]] and [[Ghan]], with a new [[kookaburra]] logo.<ref name="Comrails" /> In May 2000, the service was reduced to four times weekly. However, with an accelerated journey time of 10 hours 30 minutes, the service was able to be operated by one set of passenger cars, operating to Melbourne in the day and to Adelaide overnight.<ref>"Passenger in Brief" ''[[Railway Gazette International]]'' May 2000 page 288</ref><ref> {{citation | title = SA Short Lines | magazine = Railway Digest | edition = October 2000 | page = 10 }}</ref> Some of the largest ''Overland'' consists were run during this era; during the [[2002_AFL_season#Finals_series|2002 AFL finals]], in which both the [[Adelaide Crows]] and [[Port Adelaide Power]] were competing, ''The Overland'' was built up to a record 32 carriages for the Preliminary Final round on 21 September.<ref>{{citation | magazine = Railway Digest | title = AFL Grand Final Trains | edition = November 2002 | page = 40 }}</ref>

In May 2007, Great Southern Rail completed a $4m interior overhaul of the passenger cars (jointly funded by the South Australian and Victorian governments) and introduced a new blue, purple and green livery applied; the service had already been re-timetabled to operate three times weekly in daylight the previous year.<ref>"Overland upgrade announced" ''Railway Gazette International'' April 2006 page 192</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081009165323/http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/bc348d5912436a9cca256cfc0082d800/e8e85fc5fde39a05ca2572d60003e228!OpenDocument Refurbished Overland Train Ready to Roll] Minister For Public Transport 8 May 2007</ref> A new running [[emu]] logo was also introduced.<ref name="GreatSouthernRail" /> From August 2008, 12 seats per train were made available to passengers within Victoria at [[V/Line]] fares.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081009165333/http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/minister-for-public-transport/new-train-services-for-western-victoria.html New Train Services for Western Victoria] Premier of Victoria 25 August 2008</ref> In October 2010, it was announced that the train would stop at [[Stawell railway station|Stawell]]. At the same time, the number of seats available on V/Line fares was increased to 64 per train.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.premier.vic.gov.au/newsroom/12282.htm|work=Minister for Public Transport|title=All Aboard: Train Services Return to Stawell – Premier of Victoria|publisher=www.premier.vic.gov.au|date=14 October 2010}}{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In August 2013, the three-times weekly service was reduced to twice-weekly.<ref>[http://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/site/news/change_of_schedule_the_overland.jsp Change of Schedule – The Overland] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213234037/http://greatsouthernrail.com.au/site/news/change_of_schedule_the_overland.jsp |date=13 February 2014 }} Great Southern Rail</ref><ref> {{citation | title = Overland's last Thursday departure | magazine = Railway Digest | edition = October 2013 | page = 22 }}</ref>

In May 2007, Great Southern Rail completed a $4m interior overhaul of the passenger cars (jointly funded by the South Australian and Victorian governments) and introduced a new blue, purple and green livery applied; the service had already been re-timetabled to operate three times weekly in daylight the previous year.<ref>"Overland upgrade announced" ''Railway Gazette International'' April 2006 page 192</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081009165323/http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf/bc348d5912436a9cca256cfc0082d800/e8e85fc5fde39a05ca2572d60003e228!OpenDocument Refurbished Overland Train Ready to Roll] Minister For Public Transport 8 May 2007</ref> A new running [[emu]] logo was also introduced.<ref name="GreatSouthernRail" /> From August 2008, 12 seats per train were made available to passengers within Victoria at [[V/Line]] fares.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081009165333/http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/minister-for-public-transport/new-train-services-for-western-victoria.html New Train Services for Western Victoria] Premier of Victoria 25 August 2008</ref> In October 2010, it was announced that the train would stop at [[Stawell railway station|Stawell]]. At the same time, the number of seats available on V/Line fares was increased to 64 per train.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.premier.vic.gov.au/newsroom/12282.htm|work=Minister for Public Transport|title=All Aboard: Train Services Return to Stawell – Premier of Victoria|publisher=www.premier.vic.gov.au|date=14 October 2010}}{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In August 2013, the three-times weekly service was reduced to twice-weekly.<ref>[http://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/site/news/change_of_schedule_the_overland.jsp Change of Schedule – The Overland] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213234037/http://greatsouthernrail.com.au/site/news/change_of_schedule_the_overland.jsp |date=13 February 2014 }} Great Southern Rail</ref><ref> {{citation | title = Overland's last Thursday departure | magazine = Railway Digest | edition = October 2013 | page = 22 }}</ref>