CountryLink has announced a new, faster timetable for the Armidale Xplorer train service to and from Sydney.
From October 23, trains will leave Armidale at 9.00am, ten minutes later than at present. The return service will arrive back from Sydney at 6.12 pm, eight minutes earlier than the present time.
The new times have been welcomed by the local lobby group Friends of The Northern Railway.
“In May we wrote to the Acting General Manager of CountryLink pointing out that the newly introduced safety system between Armidale and Tamworth should permit at least ten minutes to be cut from the journey time,” said Don Martin, a spokesman for the group.
“We are very pleased to see our ideas have now been incorporated into the new timetable.”
The new safety system no longer requires drivers to contact the Newcastle-based controller at each station using a telephone inside the station building. All operating instructions are now given through an on-board system, and so station stops need only be long enough for passengers to join or leave the train.
“The new times will be appreciated not only by the people of Armidale but also by those who journey by CountryLink coach to Armidale to catch the train.
“For example, travellers from Tenterfield will no longer need to catch their coach at 5.50am. They will also get home ten minutes earlier than before,” Mr Martin said.
Mr Martin also said that travellers had commented favour-ably on other recent CountryLink service quality improvements.
“The buffet service now includes a choice of higher quality tea and coffee, and trials of free children’s activity bags are also underway.
“We are very pleased with the direction that present CountryLink management are taking,” Mr Martin said.
