The Flickr Railpage:Livery=16 Image Generatr

Commencing in 1996, National Rail Corporation started taking delivering of 120 NR class GE-powered locomotives from local manufacturer Goninan. Half the order was built in Newcastle, New South Wales and the other half at Bassendean in western Australia.

NR61 was the first of the WA built batch to enter service and is seen near Hillgrange, South Australia working no.6255 loaded ore form Mannahill to Port Pirie on 28 Februray 1997.

The ore is normally railed from Broken Hill, but heavy outback rains had cut the line and the ore was being roaded to a temporary site near Mannahill for forwarding by rail.

Less than two months after passing from government to private operation, 'The Overland' Adelaide to Melbourne overnight passenger service catches the late evening light as it passes Ambleside in the Adelaide Hills.

It is being hauled by a GE-powered, Goninan-built NR class loco, under a hook and pull arrangement with government owned operator National Rail.

At the time (1997) it was still a daily overnight service; today its future hangs by a thread and it only operates twice-weekly as a daylight train.

National Rails loco NR91 hauls a 14 car Ghan from Adelaide to Melbourne, originally Alice Springs as train number 4AM8 through Balhannah station on 7-11-2001

Low afternoon sun catches Pacific National locos NR47/AN3 as they pause at the crossing loop at McLeay, South Australia, with a southbound SteelLink service from Perth (WA) to Port Kembla (NSW) on 23 July 2003.

Pacific National's NR8 still carries the branding of its predecessor National Rail, while trailing unit AN9 carries those of Australian National which had by the time of this photo been defunct for six years.

They are working 3PM7 Perth to Melbourne Trailerail (Roadrailer) service seen between Tent Hill & Port Augusta on Thursday 24th July 2003.

The use of roadrailers was progressively phased out by Pacific National, the last running in Australia circa 2009.

Former National Rail locos NR16/NR108 round a curve near Crystal Brook, South Australia with 5PS6 Perth to Sydney transcontinental intermodal service on 24th October 2004.

National Rail was privatised in 2002, becoming Pacific National. Both locos still carry the National Rail colours and distinctive diamond logo on the nose. However the logo of the new company can also be seen towards the rear of each logo attached to the handrails.

For a few years in the late nineties/ early noughties The Ghan was extended eastward form Adelaide to Melbourne for one of its twice weekly journeys to/from Alice Springs.

Without much fanfare, National Rail locos NR92/NR52 head the first train east through the Adelaide Hills suburb of Coromandel on 18 November 1998.

With the OneSteel (former BHP) steelworks in the background, National Rail's NR35 picks up steel loading to be forwarded to various destinations across the Australian interstate rail network - 2 September 2003.

Another shot of former Australian National Loco DL41 sporting the colours of its new owner National Rail.

It has backed down onto a short intermodal consist in preparation for a run from the Islington freight terminal in Adelaide to Crystal Brook for the shooting of a corporate video. - 26 April 1995

The fledgling National Rail Corporation - although it had already been around for almost 5 years - finally decided it needed a corporate image.

Former Australian National Loco DL41 was the first to be repainted and on 26 April 1995 worked a short consist from Adelaide to Crystal Brook and back for the shooting of a corporate video. It is seen at the Islington freight terminal before heading north for the day.

Unfortunately only a few locos got to carry this striking livery before a blander version was introduced, but that's another story.

8112, still in complete National Rail livery (except the replaced aircon unit), sits at Morandoo.

C508 at the RTS workshop at South Dynon.

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In 2002, C508 in National Rail Livery is captured on duties near the Loco Provisioning Centre at Dynon.

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National Rail liveried 8124 leads an empty coal train through Cringila, crossing sister unit 8117 (out of shot) with a loaded train.

Former National Rail unit NR20 (Goninan built/ GE powered) still sporting its NRC diamonds on the front, but Pacific National branding on the side, leads two classmates near Jindalee, New South wales, with a Perth to Sydney intermodal service - 16 December 2006.

Port Pirie yard, November 2000

BL32 leads X39 & A78 towards Melbourne from Tocumwal at Dysart