IN 2014 the NSW Government announced plans to purchase new carriages to replace ageing intercity and regional trains.

This new class of train was given the name of Mariyung and was slated to take over from what we knew as XPTs and Explorers.

In the meanwhile, the short distance T Set trains on the Sydney suburban circuits known as Tangaras would be upgraded to fill the gap on the regional and intercity lines – Sydney to Newcastle, Lithgow and Kiama services.

To be fair, these upgraded Tangaras were basically comfortable for trips of less than two hours, so fitted the bill quite well as improved modes of transportation.

But then the issues happened.

Delivery of the Korean-made Mariyung was expected by September 2017.

This then blew out to April 2018, then December 2018, then April 2019 and the first trains were delivered in December 2019.

However, these new high-tech trains didn’t need the services of a guard, so the rail unions refused to operate them after they finally were delivered, many years late.

They were then put into storage until the many safety issues claimed by the unions were attended to.

Finally, the transport unions signed an agreement with the NSW Government in August 2023 to effect modifications to the design of these Mariyung trains for the additional cost of many millions of dollars.

This then allowed testing to take place for their electrical systems amongst other issues.

According to a post from NSW TrainLink North on X (formerly Twitter) last week, the first Mariyung is expected to hit railway lines this week.

The greatest disappointment in my life was when my parents told me that Santa Claus was not real.

Not yet experiencing the magnificent Mariyung train now may be the second worst reality that I have experienced.

It may even have eclipsed my despondency from the Santa situation.

By John BLACKBOURN