View allAll Photos Tagged Xplorer
The Explorer regional train for Canberra stands at No 2 Platform Central Railway Station before departure at 12:15 pm.
First West of England SK65 PVZ
Mendip Xplorer liveried Wright Streetdeck
Bristol
Service 376
7th April 2018
First Cymru's Port Talbot and Swansea Ravenhill depots have recently received a dozen Wright Eclipse Gemini & Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TLs from First West of England, and these carry six different liveries. Fortunately, Wright StreetLites are transferring to the West Country in exchange.
37606 is from the older batch that date from 2008, and carries the three-tone blue and gold Interurban version of Olympia corporate livery that was applied to a number of Volvo B7RLEs & B9TLs, Wright Streetdecks and Alexander Dennis E40Ds for the Mendip Xplorer network operated from Wells depot. However, she was latterly allocated to Lawrence Hill depot in Bristol.
I caught up with her in August 2025 romping along the A48 dual-carriageway at Earlswood when employed on Port Talbot depot's Service X5 (Neath-Briton Ferry-Swansea) with some happy front seat passengers.
The M4 Briton Ferry Bridge forms the backdrop.
Volvo B7RLE / Wright B44F new 10/2009 , one of a batch of 14 new at Wells , negotiating the roundabout in Paulton on service 172 from Bath to Wells via Midsomer Norton and Radstock which is operated by Wells depot . Service 172 operates every half hour from Bath to Paulton during the day , but after 6pm it runs through to Wells via Hallatrow and the A37. The bus goes up Farrington Road and through Downsway as if it was turning round to go back to Bath and then does a U-turn at this roundabout to go on to Hallatrow .
All 25 vehicles at Wells are now in this Mendip Xplorer livery .
NSW TrainLink Canberra Xplorer service SP33 approaches Bungendore in the afternoon. At Bungendore it'll cross QUBE Logistics 2M32 ballast.
With the Canberra bound Xplorer well on it's way, 4471 leads 4488 and 4717 out of Moss Vale on what is believed to be the trio's transfer run to Goulburn for storage.
Amongst a large crowd of Train Enthusiasts, and locals DC6029 prepares to hit up the straight section towards Moss Vale before pulling up to be checked over and allow the morning Xplorer service from Canberra to overtake. This wide angle shot really shows off the size of the locomotive, being the largest operating steam locomotive in the Southern Hemisphere.
This was really just the first half of the first class carriage that we rode in. It wasn't a place where one could dine but rather, this was where one went to order food. The attendant, despite being very busy performing a few different jobs, was very friendly.
The lunch time Canberra Xplorer, SP33 passes through Picton with EA2504 leading the usual 3 car consist.
An 8 car S set waiting to leave for Olympic Park at Plat 4 while in Plat 3 is an Xplorer service for Canberra!
S Set:-
Constructed: 1972–80
Manufacturer: Comeng and A Goninan & Co
Built at: Granville and Broadmeadow
Depot(s): Flemington
Line(s) served: T2 Airport, Inner West & South, T5 Cumberland, T6 Carlingford and T7 Olympic Park
Xplorer:-
Constructed: 1993
Manufacturer: ABB Transportation
Built at: Dandenong, Victoria
Depot(s): Eveleigh Railway Workshops
Line(s) served: North Western, Southern (to Canberra and Griffith) and Western (to Broken Hill)
SP32, the up Canberra to Sydney service worked by 3-car Xplorer railcar set, exits Werai curve and into the straight. Moss Vale lies over the next hill.
Xplorer trains have been nicknamed "Xploders", hence the title.
NSW TrainLink's Xplorer set P7; consisting of EA2507 at the front, EB2517 in the middle, and EC2527 at the rear; is seen appraoching the Thunderbolts Way crossing just outside of Uralla as both the temperature and visibility plummet, working NP23 to Armidale.
Thanks to AA for pointing out the stairs. Been searching for an elevated location and finally found it. Might be revisiting this place soon. Got some awesome ideas.
About to leave South Road in Midsomer Norton after receiving some resuscitation from a mobile mechanic.
Branded for Mendip Xplorer service 376.
First Mendip
Wright StreetDeck
SK65PWO (35167)
Bond Street, Bristol
22 March 2019
44208 and FL220 run around a CFCL Australia charter train at Sydney Terminal. The Xplorer service on the adjacent platform is the evening train to Canberra.
Thanks to CFCL Australia, sick children and their families were given a day out at Thirlmere including a visit from Santa and a few early Christmas presents. The outbound trip was hauled by heritage steam locomotive 3642, whilst CFCL Australia locomotives FL220 and 44208 were used for the return journey.
3642 has just turned on the triangle at Moss Vale, and is waiting in the Up Refuge for the passing of the Up Canberra Xplorer service, so it can shunt back into the platform for its return journey.
On 29th March 2015, a special 'Southern Highlander' tour was ran by Heritage Express, which was done to utilize 6029 on a tour one last time before its return to Canberra.
The train was hauled by 4490 & 4520 from Sydney to Picton, from where 3642 and 6029 took over the tour down to Moss Vale, where 6029 would be detached and would couple up to another passenger train from Canberra hauled by 4403.
The Garratt would later lead the Canberra train back to Canberra later in the day, accompanied by 4403 at the rear.
SN14TSV 33837
First West of England/Bath
Alexander Dennis Enviro400
Mendip Xplorer Livery
376 to Street
25/02/22
Xplorer Raicars forming train NP23 have just passed Islington Junction. The 5 cars will run to Werris Creek where the train will divide. The first 3 cars will continue to Tamworth and Armidale, while the rear 2 cars will take the North west branch and terminate at Moree.
A Hunter railcar set running from Newcastle to Telarah is waiting to follow the Xplorer.
First West of England 33837 SN14 TSV is seen passing the overbridge outside Bristol Temple Meads working an X39 towards Bath, an allocation becoming a lot more common now with the E400’s being majority based out of Bath.
First West of England WX59 BZM
Mendip Xplorer liveried Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse 2
Weston-Super-Mare
Service 126
5th December 2018
Habría salido mejor de haber llevado el trípode, pero me gusta el efecto de las luces en movimiento.
Volvo B7RLE / Wright B44F new 10/2009 , one of a batch of 14 new at Wells , in Bath Bus Station on service 172 to Paulton via Radstock and Midsomer Norton which is operated by Wells depot .
Once again Wells has 14 of these 2009 Volvos , but 69457 / 8 new to Bristol have replaced 69435 / 6 which went to Leicester.
69441 was repainted in Mendip Xplorer livery with First Mendip branding in February 2017.
As well as these Eclipse IIs Wells depot has 2 Volvo B7RLEs new there in Dec 2004/ Jan 2005 and 9 Streetdecks new in Oct/Nov 2015. All 25 vehicles at Wells are now in this Mendip Xplorer livery .