Rail enthusiasts Crystal and Ben Parker, and their six-year-old son Luke, love historic trains. It’s why they stayed up all night to catch a train to Lithgow early on Friday morning in the hopes of getting a seat on the final V-set service through the Blue Mountains to Sydney.
“We caught the last train that was leaving Central at 12.05am we got on at Springwood at 1.40am, and we didn’t make it to Lithgow until five to four, something like that … and then we caught this train like everybody else at 5.45am. So last night’s trip was not pleasant,” Crystal said.
But the lack of sleep was worth it for the family, even young Luke, who enjoyed the journey for the first few stations before promptly falling asleep.
It was an experience shared by many rail enthusiasts who turned up in the hundreds to take one last journey among the bush plum seats. The 55-year-old fleet has been replaced by the modern Mariyung trains.
“It’s honestly a little sad because this train has been in service for so long, but it’s also pretty exciting to be on the last service,” said Zedd Spencer, aged 10.
The V-set train was freshly sprayed in the classic Blue Goose livery of royal blue and grey for its final run.
The train had already reached capacity by the time it reached the lower Blue Mountains, forcing it to skip stations at both Blaxland and Glenbrook, much to the disappointment of the rail enthusiasts who were waiting at the platforms.
At every station that followed, more V-set fans fought to get on board, with the train at standing room only. One excited young passenger who managed to get on at Parramatta was seven-year-old Sayan Poudel, whose in-depth knowledge of the V-set’s history impressed even some of the older fans of the train service sitting nearby.
“These trains operated since 1970 and have been serving the line until 2026,” he said. “It’s time to say goodbye to the V-sets.”
But not everyone was as excited about the train’s final journey. Regular commuter Kristine Thompson was confused when she saw how busy the platform was and the “amusing characters and influencers” who were on board.
“Not since before COVID have I seen the platform that busy,” she said.
The V-set used for the final service will be retained for heritage purposes, but the future of the remaining 81 retired V-set carriages is still to be determined.
When the train pulled into Central Station for the final time, rapturous applause and cheers were heard onboard. On the platform, rail enthusiasts of all ages gathered to take photos of the train, with a few of the younger passengers shedding some tears.
A band played music to celebrate the train’s arrival, as the V-set service closed its doors for the final time.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
Ellie Busby is a Parramatta reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
