AUSTRALIA: Pichi Richi Railway will launch the Commissioner’s Explorer on 22 August 2026, offering 50 guests a premium heritage journey from Quorn through South Australia’s Pichi Richi Pass.

Steam locomotive NM25 hauling a Pichi Richi Railway passenger train out of Quorn
NM25 hauls the Pichi Richi Railway’s Afghan Express out of Quorn in 2020; illustrative and not the Commissioner’s Explorer event. Photo: Redhen334 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0.

A 50-seat afternoon journey from Quorn

Pichi Richi Railway has scheduled the special experience to depart Quorn at 1:00 pm and return at approximately 4:30 pm. Tickets are priced at $215 per person.

Passengers will travel aboard one of three restored Commissioner’s carriages — Flinders, Sturt or Light — originally designed to allow senior railway officials to inspect regional lines in comfort. The operator’s carriage collection includes Light and Flinders among its preserved South Australian Railways vehicles.

The train will run from Quorn to Tickle Belly Hill. After arrival, guests will be served an Australian-themed afternoon tea before making the return journey. Volunteers will provide commentary about the Commissioner’s Train, the railway and the history of the Pichi Richi Pass along the way.

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YX141 adds a 19th-century locomotive to the trip

Heritage locomotive YX141 will haul the special service. According to the railway’s locomotive history, the engine was built by James Martin & Co. and entered service as Y141 on 15 December 1892. It returned to service as a rebuilt Yx-class locomotive in 1923 and was acquired by the preservation society in 1983.

The combination of a 19th-century locomotive and carriages once reserved for railway officials gives the trip a specific historical focus, while the stop at Tickle Belly Hill adds a hospitality element to the afternoon programme.

Bookings are due to open online

The event announcement said bookings would open soon through the railway’s website and Facebook page. Prospective passengers were also invited to register their interest with the Flinders Ranges Tourist Information Centre to secure a seat.

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