End of an era as date announced for final V-Set service

Train lovers will have the opportunity to join the historic final timetabled V-Set passenger service when it rolls out of Lithgow Station headed for Central on the morning of Friday 30 January.

The last-ever V-Set journey is expected to be an emotional one for rail enthusiasts and Sydney Trains staff as the curtain comes down on a long and distinguished 55-year career for the intercity workhorses.

There will be three V-Set services operating on 30 January on the Blue Mountains Line, with the final service departing Lithgow at 5.47am and arriving at Central Station at 8.32am.

The service will stop at most stations along the Blue Mountains Line including Blackheath, Katoomba and Springwood, on its way to Central Station.

To mark the occasion, the V-Set for the final service has been painted with the original royal blue and grey ‘Blue Goose’ colours used when the trains were first unveiled to NSW train travellers in 1970.

Passengers are encouraged to add a touch of 1970s to their outfit on the day, including a splash of purple or green in a sentimental nod to the distinctive colours used in the V-Set interiors over the decades.

Sydney Trains’ fleet of V-Sets have been progressively retired from the Central Coast & Newcastle Line and Blue Mountains Line to make way for the rollout of the new intercity Mariyung fleet.

The Mariyung provides improved comfort, convenience and safety for train travellers, with more spacious and comfortable two-by-two seating, a much quieter journey with modern air-conditioning, dedicated spaces for luggage, prams, bicycles and wheelchairs, as well as enhanced safety and improved accessibility.

The ‘Blue Goose’ V-Set used for the final service will be retained for heritage purposes, while the future of the remaining 81 retired V-Set carriages is still being determined.

Sydney Trains recently completed an Expression of Interest open to the public - including heritage groups or private collectors - to acquire the retired carriages, with applications currently being assessed.

Image credit to ARHS archives