The Tea and Sugar train
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (368922)
Rockingham, Australia
May 6, 2025 7:32pm CST
The world’s longest straight stretch of railway line forms part of the nearly 1700 kms of Trans-Australian Railway which links the east and west coasts of Australia. The 478 km straight section crosses the Nullarbor Plain.
During the seven years of construction, workers got their supplies from trains coming either from the east or the west. These became known as the Tea and Sugar trains. By 1917, the train carried a butcher and its own sheep for slaughter. By 1955, an infant health and mothercare car had been added but by 1976, air-conditioning and rolling supermarket cars were much-appreciated additions.
From time to time, banking and post office facilities were available and at Christmas, a special car brought gifts for the children in the tiny settlements along the length of the Trans-Australian Railway.
Edit: I should perhaps make it clear that there no special tea and sugar trains now although the trains still stop at some of the settlements across the Nullarbor.
15 people like this
13 responses
@snowy22315 (201245)
• United States
7 May
I never heard of it, but makes sense you would have one. Even Siberia has their own train
5 people like this
@allknowing (153729)
• India
7 May
That was a thoughtful way to cater to the needs of the workers. Hats off!
Talking about straight length there was this 200 km length parallel to the sea. I took this train from San Jose to Oxnard in the US.
4 people like this
@allknowing (153729)
• India
7 May
@JudyEv I have done a lot of I woudl say coal train travels years ago
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (165465)
• United States
7 May
I'm glad they didn't forget about the kids along the way. 
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (165465)
• United States
7 May
@JudyEv It's easy to forget about people when they're so isolated. I know we felt isolated on the farm and we were only 5 miles from the closest city when I was growing up. Our closest neighbors were two miles away.
Dad and my older brothers and sisters talked about walking four miles one way to the little country school every day, no matter what the temp or what type of day it was. Their teacher lived in a little room behind the school but everyone else had to ride a horse, ride a bike or walk to get to classes. (Mom grew up in a city so didn't have to walk very far to go somewhere until after she married dad.)
2 people like this
@JudyEv (368922)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 May
@DaddyEvil My brother and sister (twins 8 years older than me) were four miles from the school. My sister rode a pony and my brother a bike. By the time I was going to school we had a school bus.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (81785)
• United States
7 May
That’s so cool. You know how I love history, and I have a fond affection for trains as well.
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@RasmaSandra (92790)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
7 May
I would have loved taking a journey on one of those trains,
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@sathviksouvik (22150)
•
7 May
very interesting it seems the train is carrying a city with it
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@LindaOHio (210502)
• United States
8 May
Very interesting. We always traveled by train and bus when I was growing up as we didn't have a car until I was around 18.
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@Beestring (15376)
• Hong Kong
7 May
Good to know the workers were well taken care of.
1 person likes this
