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Our cover photograph of The Overland crossing the Murray River heads up a report of the recent sale of the Journey Beyond Group, operator of the Indian Pacific, Ghan, Overland and Great Southern rail services, to the US-based Hornblower Group. We also detail a campaign to further upgrade the Echuca Line, news on the looming City Loop maintenance shutdown, Waurn Ponds Station upgrade and Williamstown Line reopening.

We have a rolling stock update with news on the new EV120 infrastructure evaluation vehicle, as well as new developments in loco fleets including the introduction of Qube’s QL Class to Victorian rails.

We are delighted to publish this month the first of a two-part feature article by noted author Nick Anchen, who compiled interviews with Warragul railwayman Ray Johns into a superb piece of writing. Ray gives a detailed overview of his experiences working on various classes of steam locomotives, the size and importance of Warragul as a railway town, and a whole series of surprising or amusing anecdotes along the way. The article is beautifully illustrated with photographs from the collection of the late Brian Goodwin, as well as Newport Railway Museum, SLV and PROV collections.

Noted photographer John Dare has put together a great photo essay on a day back in 1974 when a railfan tour to celebrate the centenary of rail services to Maryborough was held up at gunpoint by bushrangers who had placed hay bales across the line at Carisbrook. No doubt it certainly gave passengers something to talk about for the rest of the journey!

There’s also a very extensive Operations and Sightings update, Preservation news on the new homes for former Bacchus Marsh Station signal equipment being found in the heritage rail sector, and all the other regular columns, including: