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Dreamworld Express

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Coordinates: 27°51′46.78″S 153°18′59.91″E / 27.8629944°S 153.3166417°E / -27.8629944; 153.3166417 (Dreamworld Express - Central Station)
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Dreamworld Express
Dreamworld's Baldwin locomotive ceased operations in 2013
Dreamworld
AreaMain Street, Rivertown, Dreamworld Corroboree, Rocky Hollow
Coordinates27°51′46.78″S 153°18′59.91″E / 27.8629944°S 153.3166417°E / -27.8629944; 153.3166417 (Dreamworld Express - Central Station)
Opening date15 December 1981 (1981-12-15)
Ride statistics
Attraction type4-4-0 steam outline diesel hydrostatic locomotive
ManufacturerC&S
Length1,500 m (4,900 ft)
Speed8 km/h (5.0 mph)
Capacity320 riders per hour
Duration30 minutes (full circuit)
Riders per train72
Previous nameCannonball Express
Disabled access Wheelchair accessible

The Dreamworld Express is a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge[1] railway located at the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, Queensland in Australia.[2]

History

The Dreamworld Express opened with Dreamworld on 15 December 1981 as the Cannonball Express. At the time the railway only featured a single stop in Main Street.[3] A locomotive from Baldwin Locomotive Works was purchased and 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) of track was said to have been laid to develop the ride.[4] This figure must relate to the quantity of rail used as reference to maps shows that the line is only about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) in length. The Baldwin locomotive was originally used during the First World War in France before being relocated to Queensland for use on the cane fields.[5] At the time of its opening, the Cannonball Express was said to be the Longest privately owned railway in Australia.[6] However, this was clearly incorrect. It is not even the longest privately owned passenger railway. A second steam locomotive, a Perry, that had also seen service at a Queensland sugar mill, was purchased and put into service on the railway. Until the late 1990s the railway operated with both steam locomotives in peak periods. The railway then shifted to operations on a rotational basis, with one train being serviced while the other would operate normally. The two locomotives could each tow carriages to cater for up 160 passengers at a time. A set of covered cars were mostly used on the railway, with a set of uncovered carriages, now disposed of, being rarely used unless both trains were operating. A carriage with disabled access was always added to the end of at least one of the operating trains.[6]

After Easter 2013, Dreamworld began operating the train only on weekends and school holidays.[7] The park subsequently replaced the two steam locomotives with a diesel replacement.[8] The diesel masquerades as a steam locomotive and was built by ride manufacturers C&S in Italy. The ride now operates as the Dreamworld Express.[9]

On 26 January 2016 Dreamworld reintroduced the Baldwin locomotive as a one-off event.[10] Subsequently it was announced that the steam locomotive would operate on the first Saturday of every month and on other occasions.[11]

Stations

Four stations are located throughout the park. The first is Central Park Station located at the end of Main Street at the bottom of the hill. The railway cuts across a main pathway through the use of a set of boom gates before navigating between the Tower of Terror II, Rivertown, Wiggles World and Tiger Island before arriving at the second station. The second station is located in a portion of Rivertown near the Billabong Buffet restaurant. Directly after the station the train passes another set of boom gates before passing the Dreamworld Woolshed and part of the Dreamworld Corroboree. A station is located in Dreamworld Corroboree with entry and exit via the Kai-Kai Café and Bunya Trading Gift Shop. The railway then passes the rest of the Dreamworld Corroboree alongside the Murrisipi River before arriving at the fourth and final station at Rocky Hollow. The station is located near the Rocky Hollow Log Ride and its on-ride photo shop. The final section of railway travels around the former location of the Blue Lagoon water park as well as Dreamworld Studios where Big Brother Australia is filmed. It then returns to Central Park Station in Main Street after passing the railway maintenance sheds.[12]

References

  1. ^ Surviving Steam Locomotives in Queensland
  2. ^ "Dreamworld Railway". Dreamworld. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  3. ^ "Dreamworld History" (PDF). Dreamworld. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  4. ^ "Dreamworld History" (PDF). Dreamworld. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  5. ^ "The Gold Coast finds a reply to Disneyland". The Age. 19 April 1982. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Dreamworld Railway (Dreamworld)". Parkz. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  7. ^ "Ride & Attraction Maintenance". Dreamworld. Archived from the original on 7 October 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  8. ^ Parkz (7 October 2013). "Dreamworld, October 2013". Parkz. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  9. ^ "Dreamworld Express". Dreamworld. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  10. ^ Richard Wilson (27 January 2016). "Dreamworld's historic 'Baldwin' steam train returns to service". Parkz. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  11. ^ Richard Wilson (28 January 2016). "Steam train back for monthly outings at Dreamworld". Parkz. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  12. ^ "Park Map" (PDF). Dreamworld. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
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