Max Thum - Railway

12/06/2026

K76 hauling W3 (hidden) to Flemington Maintenance Centre, as an ex-Blue Mountains V set occupied Platform 2 at Strathfield.

Its 2026, and what seemed normal at the time is now a distant memory.

Sydney, NSW | October 2022

07/06/2026

E233-3000 Set-U221 arrives at a snowy Odawara Station, bound for Tokyo (service 1866E).

Odawara, Japan | February 2026

22/05/2026

P14-B80 takes another 3 car Comeng towards McIntyre Sidings.

Sunshine, Victoria | May 2026

20/05/2026

17/05/2026

Arriving in Hiroshima.

Hello Kitty Shinkansen — 500 Series V2 makes its final service today, retiring from operational duty after nearly a decade in its iconic Sanrio wrap.

Introduced in 2018, V2 has spent years running the Sanyo Shinkansen corridor between Osaka and Hakata (Fukuoka), becoming a daily splash of pink across western Japan.

The Hello Kitty Shinkansen grew into a major tourism drawcard — myself included — with passengers riding it purely for the novelty and charm of the collaboration.

V2’s retirement follows the earlier withdrawal of V3, with the entire 500 Series Shinkansen fleet scheduled to leave operational service by 2028, closing the chapter on one of Japan’s most distinctive and futuristic “bullet train” designs.

Hiroshima, Japan | February 2026

16/05/2026

V3 arrives in Lithgow, the final stop for this service on the Blue Mountains Line.

Lithgow, NSW | November 2025

13/05/2026

The 500s.

What was a common sight of two 500 series Shinkansen parked alongside each other for a short two-minute period is now rare with the recent timetable change.

The 500 series will be withdrawn from operational service by 2028, ending the unique and distinctive era of the JR West Shinkansen fleet.

Hakata Station is the starting point for most passengers travelling on the Sanyo Shinkansen line to Osaka, then onwards to Tokyo on the Tokaido Shinkansen.

Hakata, Japan | February 2026

10/05/2026

this was kinda a shot more for Y112…

But anyway, this feels much more retro with the two T classes.

Flinders Street, Melbourne | May 2026

06/05/2026

224m late.

XP2009 City of Sydney in full State Rail Authority Candy, powers the down daylight XPT through the sweeping curves of Kilmore East, working the morning service bound for Sydney Central.

Kilmore East, Victoria | May 2026

05/05/2026

Candy. Welp it’s 1980s again.

Donnybrook, Victoria | May 2026