A scenic heritage steam rail journey from Sydney to Newcastle, offering a nostalgic picnic experience with the option to disembark and explore.
The Picnic Train is running a steam-hauled heritage trip from Sydney to Newcastle on Saturday 12 September, with the same journey following on Sunday 13 September. It's a return trip in restored 1930s ex-government railway carriages, hauled by steam rather than diesel. The northbound leg departs Sydenham at 8.10am and pulls into Newcastle Interchange at 12.20pm; the southbound return leaves Newcastle Interchange at 3.10pm and gets back to Sydenham by 7.30pm. You can disembark at either Hamilton or Newcastle Interchange, which leaves you up to three hours to stretch your legs and explore the city before the return leg.
Along the way, the line skirts the waters of Brisbane Water and crosses the Hawkesbury River Railway Bridge. On the way back, it climbs the Cowan Bank, which is known as one of New South Wales' toughest railway grades. The star attractions are locomotives 5917 and R766, two rare survivors from the golden era of steam travel, and the carriages are kept running by volunteers from all sorts of backgrounds. Steam journeys take a break during the hotter summer months, with diesel-hauled trips continuing in an air-conditioned fleet.
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The train is a licensed venue, so hampers are encouraged. For a same-day return, a Classic Duo Ticket is A$260 per group, a Four Seater Booth is A$360 per group, and a Private Compartment is A$550 per group for up to eight people. High Tea in the First Class Dining Car is A$179 per person, and four seats in the Air Conditioned Lounge Car are A$360 per group.
