Newcastle Flyer Newcastle Flyer The Newcastle Flyer was an Australian passenger express train that operated from November 1929 until April 1988 connecting New South Wales' two largest cities, Sydney and Newcastle. On 1 May 1889 the first trains began running between Sydney and Newcastle. However, it was not until November 1929, with the pending completion of the Pacific Highway, that a premier express service was introduced. Two trains named the "Inter City Express" and the "Northern Commercial Limited" were introduced taking 2 hours 45 minutes to cover the 168 kilometres. These were hauled by a selected group of 32 class locomotives. The
State Dockyard, Newcastle dock was scrapped in 1977. In 2007 the outline of the painted "STATE DOCKYARD" sign on southern roof of the former dockyard building could still be viewed from above. As of 2014, the surviving State Dockyard built ships are "Cape Don", a lighthouse tender built in 1962 for the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service which is now a museum ship at Balls Head Bay, Waverton. The ferries "Lady Herron", "Freshwater", "Queenscliff", "Narrabeen" and "Collaroy" continue to operate for Harbour City Ferries, while former Sydney Harbour ferries "Lady Cutler" and "Lady McKell" operate as cruise boats on Port Phillip. State Dockyard, Newcastle The