Sunday 21 July 2001, Canberra

In the previous edition of The Kingston Mail, published last Christmas, we reproduced (with the kind permission of the Mudgee Guardian), a report on a dinner trip operated by the ARHS (ACT Division) from Mudgee to Gulgong and return on the evening of 1 November 2001.

The trip was billed as the RailRoad Restaurant.

Over 150 diners took the journey, including the Mayor of Mudgee, Denis Yeo, and Councillor Mike Sweeney. Councillor Sweeney was quoted as declaring the evening an outstanding success.

The trip was operated while 120 passengers from Canberra and Sydney spent the evening in Mudgee's restaurants and motels.

On three occasions, most recently in April 2000, the Society has operated RailRoad Restaurant trains out of Broken Hill. These have received a similar reception!

The news

We are happy to announce that we will be returning to Mudgee on 18-20 October 2002, and as part of that visit will operate another RailRoad Restaurant train from Mudgee on the night of Saturday, October 19.

On this occasion the train will operate to Kandos, departing at 6.30pm, returning at 10.15pm. If readers would like further information on the Kandos RailRoad Restaurant trip, please contact our office at tours@arhsact.org.au

The RailRoad Restaurant will be operated while our long-distance passengers from Canberra and Sydney spend the night in Mudgee.

The background

Readers who know our local operations will be aware that we have operated evening dinner trips from Canberra for many years.

In fact, our chef David Temple will shortly celebrate his fifteenth anniversary with us. The Society's monthly journal, Federal City Express, records his initial catering on 13 November 1987 as providing "a truly magnificent feast" on the Black Friday jazz train to Michelago, south of Queanbeyan.

Ever since then, David and his dedicated kitchen crew, together with the hospitality crew who serve our diners, have contributed greatly to making it a great evening for literally thousands of passengers on our dinner / dance trains (generally from Canberra to Tarago and return, with a dance car and band), or on our RailRoad Restaurant trains.

The RailRoad Restaurant service generally operates from Canberra to Royalla and return ­ a shorter journey without musical entertainment.

The scenic train journey and the meal are the features.

In this case, people pre-order their choice of entrée, main and dessert from a limited menu when booking.

We have a licensed bar on the train, and the wine list is diverse and reasonably priced. Beers, spirits and soft drinks are also available.

Our April 2002 RailRoad Restaurant meal and service received great praise recently. A review of the trip appeared in the Senior Times supplement to the Canberra Times on 16 April 2002.

Continued from previous column ....

The review was repeated in the 30 April edition of The Chronicle in its Great taste: restaurant of the week section. Its conclusion was:

"The RailRoad Restaurant was a truly wonderful experience. The food was first class, as was the seating. What truly made the night were the polite and courteous waiters."

If you're in Canberra, Queanbeyan or Mudgee, why not join us? Locally, the RailRoad Restaurant operates about once per month from February (Valentines Day) to November. See elsewhere on our website for the dates.