Collections at the National Railway Museum

Below is a list of freight wagons that are housed at the National Railway Museum.

Ballast Wagon BAS615

Bogie Flat Wagon FNT7850

Bogie Match Wagon AMW4015

Bogie Steel Vans M7346, M7038 and MG39

Bogie Well Wagon WL8200

Bogie Refrigerator Car RBP9003

Cattle Van Cf26

Covered Van DA4346

Covered Van V260

Explosives Van

Flat Car FB8500

Fuel Tank TC8463

Hopper Wagon Hfn5108

Louvred Van DWf4724

Open Wagon AOWF58

Open Wagon G363

Open Wagon OB32

Open Wagon Y5017 (restored as NGAS373) & Y5019

Open Wagon YY4913

Open Wagon YY4947

Sheep Van Sf160

Steel Hopper Wagon Z3236

Steel Louvred Van V1990

Steel Open Wagon OF439

Steel Open Wagon Y3582

Tank Car TV4872

Tank Wagon TSB691

Wagon ON929

Water Tank Wagon 5506

Wooden Van N251

 

 

 

Ballast Wagon BAS615

Commonwealth Railways

Standard Gauge

Class operators: Commonwealth Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: 11.3.1916

Entered the museum: 6.3.2001.

Length (over coupling points): 20’ 6’’

Load Weight: 50 tons

Number in class: 125

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: Commonwealth Railways

Tare Weight: 6 tons 15 cwt

One of 125 Ballast Wagons used on the standard gauge Trans-Australia railway of the Commonwealth Railways. In 1965 it was sold to BHP for use on its operation at Proper Bay, including the Coffin Bay tramway, near Port Lincoln South Australia.

Around 1999 it was sold as scrap to Lukins of Port Lincoln. Museum member Nic Doncaster saved it from being scrapped, in 2000, by purchasing it and donating it to the museum. It arrived on site on 6.3.2001.

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Bogie Flat Wagon FNT7850

South Australian Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: 1942

Entered the museum: 1989

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Withdrawn: 1989

Narrow gauge flat wagon built by the South Australian Railways at the Islington Workshops during 1942. It was obtained by the museum in 1989.

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Bogie Match Wagon AMW4015

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: 1916

Entered the museum: 3/5/1995.

Number in class: 3

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Withdrawn: 1995

Bogie match wagon built by Gray Brothers, Port Adelaide in 1916. It was converted to use with Accident Crane No. 3.

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Bogie Steel Vans M7346, M7038 and MG39

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Entered service: 1925

Number in class: 500

A total of 500 M vans were built during Commissioner Webb’s rehabilitation scheme of South Australian Railways in the mid-1920s. They were used for general freight on the broad gauge system of the South Australian Railways.

The museum has M vans No.7436, 7038 and MG39 (ex M7497).

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Bogie Well Wagon WL8200

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Entered service: 1931

Entered the museum: 22nd December 1988

Number in class: 2

In 1874 the South Australian Railways had begun the construction of narrow (3’ 6’’) gauge lines throughout the colony. There subsequently arose the necessity of transporting narrow-gauge locomotives and rolling stock over the broad-gauge to and from the workshops in Adelaide. Plans were drawn up for an Engine Carriage Bogie Truck, and the vehicle, which was given the number 19, was created by the Adelaide Locomotive Works in 1884. Of traditional Well Wagon pattern it was unusual in that, instead of normal bogies, the driving wheels and portions of the frames from two of the original locomotives were used. It is possible that they came from Nos.2 and 3, however no records have been found to support or disprove this supposition.

When classification letters were allocated to rolling stock in 1888, No.19 was classified WL. At some time during its career it also acquired the nickname The Crocodile, which eventually gained official recognition. It found considerable employment, the conversion to broad-gauge of the old Western System during the 1920s notwithstanding. In 1931 Islington Works manufactured a similar vehicle, this time equipped with conventional bogies, which became WL.8200, and 19 was renumbered 8202. However, with the conversion to broad-gauge of the South Eastern System in the 1950s and the standardisation of the Port Pirie to Broken Hill line in the late 1960s, both vehicles were used less and less. No.8202 was condemned on 2nd May 1977 and broken up, one bogie going to the Mile End Railway Museum and the other to SteamRanger.

No.8200 survived complete and was used to transport several locomotives to the Museum before being placed in the collection on 22nd December 1988.

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Bogie Refrigerator Car RBP9003

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: 7/10/1933

Entered the museum: 31st March 2004

Length (over coupling points): 38’ 10’’ (11.84m)

Load Weight: 33 tons (33,000kg)

Number in class: 44

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways/Australian National

Tare Weight: 19t 12c (19,609kg)

Withdrawn: 20 May 1980

RB-class bogie refrigerator car No. 9003 was built at South Australian Railways’ Islington Workshops in 1933. It was transferred to the Barmera - Adelaide milk traffic on 6 July 1937. Fitting of high speed bogies on 2 October 1967 resulted in it being reclassed RRP9003, and it was later reclassed RBP9003 on 19th November 1971 when passenger car bogies were fitted (wagons 9002 - 9028 were built as RB-class, 9029 - 9044 as RBP-class).

Wagons 9002 - 9004 were built with a single door each side, but were later rebuilt with two. Under South Australian Railways ownership, they were painted Aluminium and Royal Blue, and equipped with SME brake gear for use behind 250-class railcars.

No. 9003 became Australian National Railway property during the sale the South Australian Railways’ country operations to the Commonwealth. On 28 February 1980 it was reclassified ARPY 9003 and condemned on 20 May 1980.

SteamRanger (Australian Railway Historical Society SA Division) obtained the vehicle on 12 November 1986 and it was transferred to the National Railway Museum on 31 March 2004.

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Cattle Van Cf26

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways; Australian National Railways

Provenance: South Australian Railways; Australian National

Condition: Good

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Entered service: January 1954

Entered the museum: 26th January 1983

Number in class: 100

Tare Weight: 7 tons 15 cwt (7762 kilograms)

Load Weight: 9 head

Length (over coupling points): 20’ 10’’ (6.35m)

Like the Sf-class, the Cf-class was a 4-wheel version of larger bogie vans built in 1929. As with sheep the need arose for vehicles in which smaller numbers of animals could be shipped, and the first Cf van was placed in service in October 1953. The 100 vans of this class were unusual in that all wooden components were produced by the Islington Workshops while the steel underframes were manufactured by the Perry Engineering Co., Mile End. All passed into Australian National ownership in March 1978.

No.26 was condemned on 23rd November 1982 and passed to the Mile End Railway Museum on 24th January 1983. It was forwarded to the museum 5th June 1987.

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Covered Van DA4346

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: May 1923

Entered the museum: 28th May 1987

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Number in class: 71

Length (over coupling points): 23’ 2’’ (7.06m)

Tare Weight: 10 tons 3 cwt (10,152 kilograms)

Load Weight: 12 tons (12,000 kilograms)

The 71 vans in this class were built by various builders between 1900 and 1923, and were used for the carriage of goods of non-perishable nature but requiring ventilation. Originally classed A, they were reclassed DA during the 1920s.

No. 4346 was the second last of the series, in May 1923, by the Perry Engineering Co., Mile End. In 1964 it was sent to Gillman Yard for use as a tool van, replacing N.251, until written off. It was placed in the museum on 28th May 1987.

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Covered Van V260

Commonwealth Railways

Standard Gauge

Class operators: Commonwealth Railways

Condition: Excellent

Entered service: October 1914

Entered the museum: 24th May 1988.

Length (over coupling points): 37’ 6’’

Load Weight: 35 tons

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: Commonwealth Railways

Tare Weight: 17 tons 15 cwt 3 q

Withdrawn: 1988

This van was built by Gray Bros. of Port Adelaide as an R-class Flat Wagon, and would have probably been used to carry rail for the construction of the Transcontinental Railway. A year or so later it was rebuilt as a G-class Open Wagon, and ran as such until 1940 when it was again rebuilt; this time to a VZ-class Covered Van. Some time thereafter the Z was dropped and it ran as V.260 until reclassified ABGY by Australian National about 1980. It was donated to the Museum; being delivered on 24th May 1988.

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Explosives Van

South Australian Railways

2’ Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways/South Australian Department of Chemistry

Condition: Excellent

Entered service: 1906

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Withdrawn: 14th December 1964

Entered the museum: 1975

The South Australian Department of Chemistry opened an explosives magazine near Dry Creek, just north of Adelaide, in 1904. Originally horses and drays carried the explosives in magazines overland from Broad Creek. However, the construction of a 2 foot (609mm) Tramway in January 1906 brought this to an end.

This vehicle is one of a number that were pulled by horses on the Tramway from Dry Creek to a jetty at Broad Creek. This jetty was used for the loading of ketches in the North Arm of the Port Adelaide River, east of Torrens Island.

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Flat Car FB8500

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Condition: Very good

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Entered service: 1927

Entered the museum: 28th June 1988

Length (over coupling points): 46’ (14.02m)

Tare Weight: 16 tonne (16,000kg)

The FB-class flat cars were built in the 1920s under the direction of Commissioner Webb for carrying general freight. They were recoded AFFA in the 1970s.

The museum has FB No.8500.

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Fuel Tank TC8463

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Museum

Entered service: 1926

Entered the museum: 1995

South Australian Railways 4 wheel fuel tanker built by the Victorian Railways at the Newport Workshops in 1926. It was transferred to the South Australian railways in 1961.

It was obtained by the Museum in 1995.

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Hopper Wagon Hfn5108

South Australian Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: December 1912

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Withdrawn: 1989

Length (over coupling points): 17’ 9’’ (5.41m)

Tare Weight: 5 tons 3 cwt (5152kg)

Load Weight: 11 tons (11,000kg)

Originally classed Z, this wagon is one of 25 built by James Martin & Co. of Gawler between September and December 1912. It is a smaller version of the broad-gauge Z-class wagon, and was used for the carriage of coal and ballast. No. 5108 was used on the Peterborough Division and finally on the Gladstone-Wilmington branch. Acquired by the museum, it was on loan to the Pichi Richi Railway during 1989.

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Louvred Van DWf4724

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways; Australian National Railways

Provenance: South Australian Railways; Australian National

Condition: Good

Entered service: January 1945

Entered the museum: 24th July 1986

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Number in class: 550

Length (over coupling points): 22’ 10’’ (6.96m)

Tare Weight: 9 tons 12 cwt (9609 kilograms)

Load Weight: 15 tons (15,000 kilograms)

The practice of the South Australian Railways of building 4-wheel versions of larger bogie cars, and vice versa, extended to many types. When this occurred the 4-wheel version was given the same classification as the bogie wagon but with the suffix ‘f’ added. The DW-class was a bogie Louvred Van and the DWf its 4-wheel counterpart. Built to carry produce which needed ventilation but not refrigeration, 550 were built by the Islington Workshops between December 1944 and February 1955.

No. 4724 was one of the first batch of 50 and was placed in service in January 1945. Most of the class survived to be taken into Australian National ownership in 1978 but, thereafter, they were condemned in large numbers. 4724 placed in the Mile End Railway Museum on 24th July 1986. It was sent to the museum on 5th June 1987.

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Open Wagon AOWF58

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Entered service: 1944

Entered the museum: 1995

AOWF No. 58 is a timber bogie open wagon that was built by the South Australian Railways at the Islington Workshops. It was originally built as OW 5840.

AOWF 58 was obtained by the museum in 1995.

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Open Wagon G363

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Reasonable

Entered service: April 1902

Entered the museum: 16.09.1970

Length (over coupling points): 20’ 10’’ (6.35 metres)

Number in class: 47

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Withdrawn: 1969

This is the match-wagon for the crane No. 2327. Built at the Islington Workshops in April 1902, it is one of 47 36’’ sided steel open wagons built between 1894 and 1903. Used to carry 11 tons of general freight they were soon eclipsed by the larger Y-class which were introduced in 1909. Most were converted to F-class flat wagons in 1932, and the remainder used for departmental purposes.

No. 363 assumed its role as match-wagon in 1932, was written off in 1969, and placed in the Mile End Railway Museum on 10th September 1970. It was moved to the Port Dock Museum on 18th June 1987.

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Open Wagon OB32

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Entered service: 1925

Entered the museum: 1988

OB No. 32 is a bogie steel open wagon built by the American Car Company, USA, in the 1920s for the South Australian Railways.

OB32 was obtained by the museum in 1988.

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Open Wagon Y5017 (restored as NGAS373) & Y5019

South Australian Railways & Commonwealth Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways, Commonwealth Railways

Condition: Excellent

Entered service: November 1912

Entered the museum: 11th November 1988

Length (over coupling points): 17’ 9’’

Load Weight: 12 tons

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Tare Weight: 5 tons 5 cwt

Withdrawn: 1988

General freight was carried over the narrow-gauge rails of the South Australian Railways in large numbers of small 4-wheel wooden open wagons. Wagons 5017 and 5019 belong to this type and were built at the Islington Workshops in November 1912.

Known as the Y-class these wagons were the final development of this type of wagon on the 3’ 6’’ gauge. Built for the Northern System, later the Peterborough Division, they were finally isolated on the Gladstone - Wilmington line with the opening of the standard-gauge line between Port Pirie and Broken Hill in January 1970.

5019 was placed in the Mile End Railway Museum on 24th July 1986, but 5017 came under Australian National ownership on 1st March 1978 and was not obtained by the museum until 1988.

They were sent to the museum on 5th June 1987 and 11th November 1988 respectively.

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Open Wagon YY4913

South Australian Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: 1915

Entered the museum: 1988

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Withdrawn: 1988

A four-wheel steel open wagon used extensively on the South Australian Railways narrow-gauge system.

The museum has No. 4913 built by the South Australia Railways at the Islington Workshops in 1915.

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Open Wagon YY4947

South Australian Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: 1913

Entered the museum: 1988

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Withdrawn: 1988

A four-wheel steel open wagon used extensively on the South Australian Railways narrow-gauge system.

The Museum has No .4947 built by Gray Brothers of Port Adelaide, South Australia in 1915.

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Sheep Van Sf160

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways; Australian National Railways

Provenance: South Australian Railways; Australian National

Condition: Good

Entered service: December 1952

Entered the museum: 24th January 1983

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Number in class: 180

Tare Weight: 9 tons 6 cwt (9304 kilograms)

Load Weight: 80 sheep

Length (over coupling points): 20’ 10’’ (6.35m)

This class of van is a 4-wheel version of the S-class bogie sheep vans which had been introduced in 1930. The 180 Sf-class were built between 1938 and 1953 at the Islington Workshops, and with a capacity of 80 sheep, provided the means by which farmers could ship smaller numbers of sheep - 40 per deck.

The museum’s vehicle, No.160, was placed in service in December 1952, taken into Australian National stock in March 1978, and condemned on 23rd November 1982. It was placed in the Mile End Railway Museum on 24th January and sent to the museum on 5th June 1987.

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Steel Hopper Wagon Z3236

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways; State Transport Authority

Provenance: South Australian Railways; State Transport Authority

Condition: Very Good

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Entered service November: 1916

Entered the museum: 30th April 1983

Number in class: 93

Tare Weight: 9 tons 5 cwt (9254 kilograms)

Load Weight: 16 tons (16,000 kilograms)

Length (over coupling points): 24’ 4’’ (7.417m)

Hopper wagons were used to carry bulk commodities such as grain, coal or iron ore, which was usually loaded from overhead conveyors or bins and unloaded through doors in the bottom of the wagon into bins or silos. Today’s hoppers are large vehicles carrying up to 100 tons (100,000kg) but, in 1913, when the Z-class were introduced, 16 tons (16,000kg) was an average load. Ninety-three were built between 1913 and 1916 and were primarily used for the carriage of coal. In later years they were used as ballast wagons, and this is how 3236 finished its days working for the State Transport Authority. After being held in storage at the Penfield sidings for some time it was acquired by the Mile End Railway Museum on 30th April 1983, and eventually moved to the museum on 5th June 1987.

Built by James Martin & Co. of Gawler in 1916, No. 3236 is the only representative of the large number of goods wagons built by this company to be placed in the museum.

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Steel Louvred Van V1990

South Australian Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: October 1899

Entered the museum: 23rd September 1988.

Length (over coupling points): 19’ 10’’ (6.05m)

Load Weight: 6 tons (6000kg)

Number in class: 60

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Tare Weight: 6 tons 13 cwt (6660kg)

Withdrawn: 10th October 1979

At a time when covered freight vans had wholly wooden bodies and passenger cars had wooden framed bodies (although almost invariably on the South Australian Railways with protective steel sheathing panels), the narrow ‘V’ class louvre cars were unusual in having steel bodies, including louvres and doors. Concurrently with the construction of the first narrow gauge ‘W’ vans, similar but larger ‘A’ vans (later classified ‘DA’) were constructed. Utilising the same principles of construction for bodies, louvres and doors, the broad gauge ‘A’ vans were big brothers to the narrow gauge ‘V’ vans and the initial vehicles of both classes were described as being for the ‘carriage of dead rabbits’.

Constructed to five separate orders, nine vans were constructed at Islington Workshops during 1899 and 1900, to be followed by 11 and 10 in two orders from Islington between 1906 and 1908. J. Martin and Co. Gawler, built a further 15 in 1911 and the final 15 followed in 1923 from the Perry Engineering Co., Gawler, giving a total of 60 vans. The first nine vans were placed in service on the northern and south-east narrow gauge systems, while in June 1916 the first ‘W’ van was transferred to the Eyre Peninsula lines. In 1921, the 45 vans then in service were distributed - 36 to the northern lines, eight in the south-east and one on Eyre Peninsula. By 1946 a total of 41 were in service on the Peterborough Division. With the broadening of the south-east lines, the 10 vans there were transferred to Port Lincoln in November 1952. During 1953 four Peterborough vans were fitted with internal padding for explosives traffic and classified ‘EFN’, later being reclassified ‘MFN’ when used as ordinary covered vans.

No. 1990 was one of the first ordered and was placed in service in October 1899 on the northern lines, where it spent all its working life. With the standardisation of the Port Pirie to Broken Hill line in 1970 and the isolation of the Quorn and Wilmington lines, V1990 was located on the Wilmington line. An early alteration was in 1905 when axles of larger capacity were provided and the pay load increased from the low figure of 4 tons to 6 tons, this still being less than the tare weight. In July 1917 air brakes were fitted to V 1990.

After being in service nearly 80 years, V1990 was written off on 10th October 1979, after purchase by the Museum. It was transferred to the Museum on 23rd September 1988.

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Steel Open Wagon OF439

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways; Australian National Railways

Provenance:  South Australian Railways

Issued: 16/8/1951

Condition: Fair

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

OF-class Steel Open Wagon No. 439 was issued to the South Australian Railways in 1951. In 1965 it was designated OF no. 198, which it kept until it was condemned in 1986.

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Steel Open Wagon Y3582

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Condition: Very good

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Entered service: November 1913

Number in class: 1262

Tare Weight: 8 tons 9 cwt (8457kg)

Load Weight: 17 tons (17,000kg)

Length (over coupling points): 22’ 10’’ (6.96m)

The most numerous of all wagon types is the open wagon and in South Australia, until comparatively recent times, it outnumbered the combined totals of all other types. The Y-class became the standard broad-gauge open wagon on the South Australian Railways in the years before the Webb rehabilitation, 1262 having been built by various builders between 1909 and 1923. In later years the class became much diminished by rebuilding to other types and conversion to narrow-gauge, and the remainder were largely displaced by the OF-class introduced in the early 1950s.

No.3582 was built by Gray Bros. of Port Adelaide in 1913. It was acquired from Australian National by the Mile End Railway Museum on 24th July 1986 and moved to the museum on 5th June 1987.

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Tank Car TV4872

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Entered service: 1929

Entered the museum: 24th October 1989

Used by Mobil Oil (formerly Vacuum Oil) for carriage of petroleum products to various depots on the broad gauge SAR network.

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Tank Wagon TSB691

Commonwealth Railways

Standard Gauge

Class operators: Commonwealth Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: 1915

Entered the museum: 26.10.1993.

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: Commonwealth Railways

Withdrawn: Unknown

Used to transport water for domestic and railway purposes on the standard gauge Trans-Australia railway of the Commonwealth Railways. Water capacity 18,000 litres.

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Wagon ON929

Silverton Tramway Company

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: Silverton Tramway Company

Length (over coupling points): 7.9m

Condition: Good (after basic restoration)

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Tare Weight: 9.5t

Load Weight: 31.0t

Provenance: Silverton Tramway Company

Withdrawn: 1.1970

This narrow gauge bogie ore wagon is one of hundreds built and operated by the Silverton Tramway Co Ltd. Many of the 1920s built ON wagons were rebuilt and strengthened in the mid-1950s. The ONs were used to convey lead/zinc ore concentrate from the mines at Broken Hill to Port Pirie. This traffic was progressively converted into larger, more modern wagons, using the standard gauge railway, culminating in ON929 being placed out of use in January 1970.

It is an example (the only one) of a typical wagon used to convey ore via narrow gauge between Broken Hill and Port Pirie for more than 50 years. It would have been hauled by many of the locomotives on display at the museum, of the Silverton Tramway Co Ltd.

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Water Tank Wagon 5506

South Australian Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: July 1914

Entered the museum: 1.9.1977

Length (over coupling points): 17’ 9’’ (5.41 metres)

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Withdrawn: 13th April 1977

Drought is not an uncommon occurrence in South Australia and, in times past, it often became necessary for the Railways to transport water to badly affected areas. This required the building and maintaining of a large fleet of water tank cars to be held for such emergencies - Peterborough alone was once home for 120 such vehicles, which ranged in capacity from 1,200 to 3,000 gallons. However, exceptional circumstances sometimes required additional tanks and Temporary Travelling Tanks were sometimes fitted to the underframes of existing wagons. No. 5506 is in this category having been built as a Y-class open wagon, by J. S. Bagshaw & Co., in July 1914. The 2,000 gallon tank was fitted in March 1923.

Originally used on the Peterborough Division, No.5506 was sent to the South-East in January 1945, returning to Peterborough in January 1958. With the building of the standard-gauge line it was isolated on the Gladstone-Wilmington branch, where it remained until condemned on 13th April 1977. On 1st September of the same year it was placed in the Mile End Railway Museum, being transferred to the museum on 23rd September 1988.

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Wooden Van N251

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Entered service: October 1901

Condition: Good

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Number in class: 10

Length (over coupling points): 19’ 3’’ (5.87m)

This is an excellent example of a wooden outside trussed covered van, a type once common on our railways. Placed in service on 29th October 1901 it was the last of a series of 10 built at the Islington Workshops. Its low stock number can be attributed to the programme of ‘Wagon Renewal’ (newly constructed wagons taking the numbers of recently scrapped older vehicles) which was then a common practice.

At some time during its career it was sent to Gillman Yard, Port Adelaide for use as a tool van, thus surviving the remainder of the class. On its replacement with DA-class van No.4346 in 1964 it was offered to the Mile End Railway Museum and, along with P-class 2-4-0T locomotive No.117, became the first exhibit placed on site on 18th June 1964. It was transferred to the Museum on 8th December 1988.

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Below is a list of maintenance vehicles that are housed at the National Railway Museum.

Accident Crane No. 3

Ganger's 3 wheel Pump Trike

Ganger's 4 wheel Pump Car

Ganger's Motor Pump Car - unnumbered

Ganger's Trolley - CC165

Ganger's Trolley - F40

Ganger's Trolley - F147

Ganger's Trolley - F171

Ganger's Trolley - M

Ganger's Trolley - M183

Ganger's Trolley - S50

Ganger's Trolley - SD101

Ganger's Trolley - T123

Ganger's Trolley - unpowered

Matisa Tamper RP73/72

Motorised Inspection Car 4

Toyota Land Cruiser Hi-Rail

Travelling Crane No. 2327

Truck Placer TP135

 

 

 

 

Accident Crane No. 3

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: 1925

Entered the museum: 3/5/1995.

Number in class: 1

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways / Australian National

Withdrawn: 1995

60 ton lift steam crane used on SAR. Broad gauge system.

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Ganger's 3 wheel Pump Trike

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

The 3 wheel pump trikes, with a capacity of two, were used as a means of transport by track gangs. It was their job to inspect, repair and maintain sections of track, and these vehicles were common to both the South Australian and Commonwealth Railways operations.

All the hand operated inspection vehicles were phased out by the introduction of motor powered models. Some were also fitted with motors.

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Ganger's 4 wheel Pump Car

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Entered the museum: 1966

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

The 4 wheel pump cars were used as a means of transport by track gangs. It was their job to inspect, repair and maintain sections of track, and these vehicles were common to both the South Australian and Commonwealth Railways operations.

The 4 wheel pump cars were all known locally as Kalamazoos (a particular manufacturer in the USA), and four men were needed to lift them off the track when a train approached.

All the hand operated inspection vehicles were phased out by the introduction of motor powered models. Some were also fitted with motors.

Unit B179 is a No.1 Harvey Handcar, manufactured by the Buda Foundry USA. It was obtained by the museum in 1966.

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Ganger's Motor Pump Car - unnumbered

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: South Australian Railways

These were built for use as motor quadricycles, for both broad and narrow-gauge use. Most of these units had Villiers motors fitted with a few examples, including this unit, having motors built at the Islington Workshops of the South Australian Railways. The storage trolley was used to hold the tools used by staff repairing the line and communications wires. Most people consider this type of car to be very dangerous as it was easy to incorrectly set the wheels and cause the unit to derail at high speed.

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Ganger's Trolley - CC165

Australian National Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: Commonwealth Railways/Australian National Railways

Condition: Good

Provenance: Commonwealth Railways & Australian National

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

This unit was a narrow gauge M19 that was converted to a ‘CC’ class quad.

Australian National relabelled a lot of cars a ‘CC’ as part of the referencing system they used. This unit in all likeliness would have been ‘N165’ in keeping with the Commonwealth Railways system of identification

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Ganger's Trolley - F40

Australian National Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways/Australian National Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: South Australian Railways / Australian National

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

This is an example of a broad gauge ‘ST2’ class unit. It was used by Australian National.

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Ganger's Trolley F147

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

This is an example of a broad gauge ‘ST2’ class unit that is unmodified. It was used by the South Australian Railways.

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Ganger's Trolley - F171

South Australian Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: South Australian Railways

This is an example of a narrow gauge ‘ST2’ class unit. It was used by the South Australia Railways.

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Ganger's Trolley - M

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Provenance: South Australian Railways

This unit is an example of a broad gauge Ganger’s trolley without a roof. It belongs to the History Trust of South Australia.

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Ganger's Trolley - M183

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

This unit is an example of a broad gauge Ganger’s trolley with a roof.

On occasions a trailer was used for tools and other items when the men were engaged on major repair works.

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Ganger's Trolley - S50

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

This is an example of a broad gauge ‘S’ class unit. It was used by the South Australian Railways.

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Ganger's Trolley - SD101

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: South Australian Railways

This is an example of a broad gauge ‘SD’ class unit. Its condition is excellent and it is complete.

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Ganger's Trolley - T123

South Australian Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Entered the museum: 15 February 1971

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Withdrawn: 1971

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

This unit is an example of a narrow gauge Ganger’s trolley, powered with a petrol engine. Because of distances involved they were widely used throughout the system, superseding the back breaking, hand powered earlier models.

On occasion a trailer was used for tools and other items when the men were engaged on major repair works.

This trolley entered the Museum on 15 February 1971.

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Ganger's Trolley - unpowered

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: South Australian Railways

These are examples of the unpowered broad gauge trolley that could be towed behind a powered unit.

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Matisa Tamper RP73/72

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators                                                   South Australian Railways

Condition                                                             Excellent

Entered service September                                1950

Entered the museum                                          23.7.1976

Length (over coupling points)                            15’ 0’’ (4.57m)

Number in class                                                  3

Ownership                                                          History Trust of South Australia

Provenance                                                        South Australian Railways

Withdrawn                                                          March 1976

Early in 1949 the South Australian Railways became interested in automatic tamping machines, which compact the stone ballast under the sleepers of the track automatically by vibration with horizontal compression through tamping tools. At this stage the Commonwealth Railways had placed an order for one standard-gauge tamper and the Victorian Railways had ordered two broad-gauge tampers.

In mid-1949 an order was placed upon the Matisa Equipment Co., London, (agents for Materiel Industriel SA, Lausanne, Switzerland) for a broad-gauge tamper which was constructed in England and placed in service in September 1950. Compared with the manual methods then in use for compacting ballast, considerable savings in manpower were envisaged. This tamper had a diesel engine for propulsion of the unit and for powering the air compressor which supplied air for the vertical reciprocation of the 16 tamping tools, while the vibratory and packing movements of the tamping tools were by means of chain drives. The tamper was fitted with a Leyland diesel engine of approximately 70 horsepower capacity and had four forward and four reverse speeds up to a maximum speed of 25 mph (40.23km/h)

Two further similar tampers were ordered in April 1950 and placed in service early in 1952. The first tamper was known as Gang Tamper No. 1 and No. RP796, while the other two tampers were Gang Tamper No. 2 (No. RP797) and Gang Tamper No. 3 (No. RP798). No. RP797 was later converted to 3’6’’ gauge and used on the Port Lincoln Division.

After nearly 20 years of service, mainly on main lines north and south of Adelaide, No. RP796 was retired in June 1970 but was reinstated in October 1972 and renumbered RP73/72 (after some repairs) for tamping rail joints only in the metropolitan area (as opposed to its former use for tamping of main line running track). It was finally retired in March 1976.

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Motorised Inspection Car 4

Commonwealth Railways

Standard Gauge

Class operators: Commonwealth Railways

Condition: Excellent

Entered service: 1941

Entered the museum: 1980

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Withdrawn: 1978

Basically a 1941 Maple Leaf Chevrolet, MIC 4 was used as a Commonwealth Railways standard gauge inspection and pay car.

Fitted with steel railway wheels it ran initially on the lines from Port Augusta to Woomera and Cook and was equipped with a hydraulic turntable for reversing.

Originally donated to Steamtown Peterborough in 1978, it was in turn donated to the museum in 1980.

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Toyota Land Cruiser Hi-Rail

Genesee and Wyoming Australia

Standard Gauge

Class operators: Australian National Railways/Genesee and Wyoming Australia

Built by: Toyota Motor Corporation/Aries Rail

Condition: Very Good

Entered service: 1996 / 1997

Withdrawn: December 2016

Entered the museum: 07.12.2016

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

A hi-rail vehicle is basically a road vehicle that can operate on rail track and road. Hi-rail is an amalgam of the words Highway and Railway.

Hi-rail vehicles are converted road vehicles, which retain their normal road wheels, but are fitted with additional flanged steel wheels for running on rails. Propulsion is transferred to the head of the rail through the conventional road tyres with the rail wheels used to guide the vehicle along the track. The rail wheels can be lowered or raised by hydraulics, to suit the method needed.

This particular vehicle was built by the Toyota Motor Corporation in its Honsha plant, Japan in 1996 and exported to Australia. Upon entering Australia the vehicle was purchased by Australian National Railways and was converted to a hi-rail, and was used for track inspections.

With the sale of Australian National Railways in 1997, ownership of this vehicle was transferred to Genesee & Wyoming Australia. Between 2001 and 2004 this vehicle was used for inspections during the construction of the Alice Springs to Darwin railway. Between 2004 and 2016 this vehicle was used around Genesee & Wyoming Australia’s broad and standard gauge tracks in South Australia.

In December 2016 this vehicle was retired by Genesee & Wyoming Australia and generously donated to the NRM.

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Travelling Crane No. 2327

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: 1881

Entered the museum: 16.09.1970

Number in class: 2

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Withdrawn: 1970

Travelling cranes were usually manually operated cranes which could be used for lifting light loads around goods yards.

Number 2327 is one of two cranes which were built by Cowans, Sheldon, England, and placed in service by the South Australian Railways in 1882 as Crane Number 3 (Adelaide). Number 2326 became Crane Number 3 (Port Adelaide). The numbers 2326 and 2327 were given circa 1903.

In 1932 each crane was equipped with a match wagon - G-class 4-wheel steel open wagon No.1101 being added to No.2326 and G363 being added to 2327. Number 2327 is a 5-ton crane.

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Truck Placer TP135

The South Australian Railways introduced Truck Placers from around 1965/66. They were primarily used to replace local railway horses engaged with shunting at busy country locations.

A Truck Placer is small tractor that has hydraulically fitted railway wheels which can be raised or lowered, to enable it to be used on rail tracks, as well as on the road.

Fitted with a coupling at one end, the Truck Placer could couple to railway wagons and simply relocate and/or position them ready to be attached to a passing freight train. Similarly they could position incoming railway wagons detached from freight trains. This saved a great deal of train running time.

The NRM Truck Placer was used at Keith and Tintinara, where it was busy shunting livestock, fuel tank, grain and fertiliser wagons.

It was donated to the NRM by Roger Size, from Karoonda. It was subsequently fully restored and painted in 2021, and named Nugget - the name of the last railway horse in service at Kapunda.

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Below is a list of passenger stock items that are housed at the National Railway Museum.

Bogie Composite Brake Van 7553

Brake Van 4074

Brake Van AVAP 396 (8394)

Cafeteria Car C1

Car 3

Centenary Baggage No. 376

Commissioner's Car - Murray

Dining Car DA52

Dogbox 294

First Class Sleeping Car AR33

Lounge Car AFA93

Pullman Dining Car - Adelaide

Second Class Car No. 144

Second Class Sitting Car BE42

Sleeping Car 112 - Baroota

Sleeping Car Allambi

Sleeping Car Onkaparinga

Steel Car No. 606

Suburban End and Centre Loading Car No. 446

Vice Regal Car

 

 

 

Bogie Composite Brake Van 7553

South Australian Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways/Australian National Railways

Condition: Excellent

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways/Australian National Railways

Built by: S.A.R. Islington Workshops

Number in class: 4, plus 1 for BHP Whyalla

Entered service September: 1938

Withdrawn: 9th December 1987

Entered the museum: 10th May 1988

Length (over coupling points): 36’ 6’’ (11.12 metres)

Tare Weight: 11 tons 1 cwt 2 q (11,226 kilograms)

The necessity of providing passenger accommodation on goods trains over lines which were not normally worked by passenger trains was appreciated quite early by the South Australian Railways and, in the 1880s, the first of many goods brake vans with passenger compartments were built. This practice ceased only in 1960s when the motor car provided a more convenient mode of transport in sparsely populated areas.

The 7550-class brake vans were the final development of this type of vehicle on the narrow-gauge Peterborough Division, four being built at the Islington Workshops in 1938. Besides the guard, comfortable accommodation was provided for nine passengers and the cars were regularly attached to goods trains to Broken Hill, Terowie, Quorn, Wilmington and Port Pirie.

No. 7553 was last used on the Wilmington line. Acquired by Australian National in March 1978 it saw little subsequent service and was laid aside. It was obtained by the Museum on 9th December 1987 and placed at the museum on 10th May 1988.

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Brake Van 4074

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: 29.5.1919

Entered the museum: 1.4.1995

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Provenance: South Australian Railways

4074 was built in 1919 by the South Australian Railways as a composite brake van with accommodation for 20 second class passengers. It was one of 62 similar brake vans that were used at the rear of goods trains.

Passenger compartments are located either end of the vehicle, with two bench seats in each compartment. Entry into each compartment is by an outward opening side-loading door, with no access to the goods area located between the passenger compartments. Luggage racks are provided above each seat.

The goods area is divided evenly by a central guard’s compartment fitted with an observation lookout. The brake van was never fitted with a toilet or washroom.

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Brake Van AVAP 396 (8394)

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways/Australian National Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: 1971

Number in class: 94

Entered the museum: 1995

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways (AN)

Withdrawn: 19th November 1994

The ‘AVAP’ brake vans were steel goods brake vans built by the South Australian Railways as 8300 type brake vans, numbered from 8300 to 8394. The first brake van (8300) entered service in February 1947 and the last (8394) entered service December 1971.

The first order of 14 brake vans was built in 1947, being all steel with wooden doors. Two goods compartments are located either side of the central guard’s compartment, fitted with seat, desk, toilet and observation viewing ports. To one side of the guard’s compartment is a small passenger compartment.

In 1961 the South Australian Railways commenced building the remainder of the class numbered 8314 to 8394. The design was modified slightly, producing a narrower vehicle that could run in Victoria. The brake vans lack end communication doors, preventing their use on passenger trains. Brake vans 8364 to 8374 and 8393 to 8394 were built for standard gauge, with the rest being issued on broad gauge.

Brake Van AVAP396 was built as number ‘8394’ but was recoded ‘AVAY396’ in 1983 to meet the new Australian wide classification of freight vehicles. It was later recoded ‘AVAP’ despite no modifications being made.

From the mid-1980s it was allocated to the CME at Port Pirie until being written off on 19 November 1994.

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Cafeteria Car C1

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways; Australian National Railways

Condition: Good (not operational)

Entered service: 1947

Entered the museum: 28/6/1988

Number in class: 1

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Withdrawn: 1984

Built by the South Australian Railways at the Islington Works in 1947, the broad gauge Cafeteria Car was the first of a new generation of passenger vehicles introduced to the State. It spent most of its life on the ‘East West Express’ between Adelaide and Port Pirie enabling the elimination of the traditional refreshment stops. After a few years on hire to the Victorian Railways, it was withdrawn in 1984 and stored until purchased by the museum in very poor condition. A major refurbishment, costing many thousands of dollars, restored it to its authentic 1940s decor.

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Car 3

South Australian Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Entered service: December 1877

Entered the museum: 25.9.1969

Length (over coupling points): 28’ 9’’ (8.763m)

Number in class: 8

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Seating capacity: 32

Withdrawn: 1966

Of particular historic interest is the tiny four-wheeled carriage Number 3, which was built in December 1877, as the first of a series of four-wheel carriages for the then new narrow-gauge lines in the north of the State. Built at the Adelaide Locomotive Shops, Number 3 is only 28’ 9’’ (8.763m) long with axle centres a mere 11’ 6’’ (3.51m) apart. It only weighed 5 tons 15 cwt (5762kg) but was rated to carry 32 second class passengers on hard longitudinal seats. Other cars in the series that followed were numbered 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12 and 13.

Number 3 was issued new to the Port Pirie section of the narrow gauge line, and spent all its working life on the northern sections. After conversion to a departmental van, it was to be stationed for a long period at Quorn, and also used on the Great Northern line to Oodnadatta.

The bogie coaches came fairly soon afterwards, and short vehicles like this one were relegated to a secondary place on the main line. Thus it is not surprising to learn that by 1892 it was no longer purely a passenger car, but had also been provided with accommodation for Enginemen. By 1895 the records show that Number 3 had been equipped with sleeping accommodation but it is not known whether this was an additional modification, or whether it was part of the original change that allowed the carriage to take off-duty Enginemen.

In September 1911 the carriage was finally taken off the passenger list, leaving only four still in passenger service. However, the type was to live on for a while, for one of these remaining four was still to be in service well into the 1920s, as were a number of short brake vans for passenger trains. This was not to be the end of Number 3´s active life, though, as it was then converted for use as an employees’ sleeping van, and was reissued as Number 4884 in the goods rolling stock series. In this role it was to continue to see service until 1966, when at the grand old age of 89, it was finally withdrawn from all service.

This exhibit is the oldest in the Museum, and qualifies as the oldest carriage preserved in South Australia. The car has been beautifully restored by Museum Volunteers to its original layout.

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Centenary Baggage No. 376

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Entered service: 29.8.1913

Entered the museum: 19.10.1978

Length (over coupling points): 55’ 5’’ (16.89 metres)

Number in class: 4

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Seating capacity: 43 2nd class passengers

Withdrawn: 29th May 1978

Contract CME. N8/1911 of the South Australian Railways covered the construction of 15 suburban passenger cars for use on the South Terrace line to Glenelg.

Numbered 364 to 378 inclusive, the cars comprised five 1st class saloon cars, five 2nd class saloon cars, one 1st class baggage car and four 2nd class baggage cars, of which 376 was one. The underframes and bogies were constructed at Islington Workshops, and the bodies by A. Pengelley & Company, the 15 cars being placed in service between November 1912 and September 1913.

These 15 cars were a repeat order of 10 similar cars (No. 260 to 269 inclusive, placed in service in 1908 and 1909 on the Glenelg line), which it was stated were to be uniform in appearance with passenger cars taken over from the Glenelg Railway Company. The company cars were shorter in length but had the familiar clerestory roof, end loading steps to suit the ground level platforms and centre buffer couplers. The South Australian Railways cars had these features and incorporated hinged flaps over the end steps to suit high level platforms. No. 376 entered service on 29 August 1913.

The structure gauge of the Glenelg line permitted passenger cars of greater width than the remainder of the System and No.376 and the other cars had a body width of 10’ 6’’ (3.2 metres), with a maximum width over extremities of 10’ 10’’ (3.3 metres).

The Glenelg line cars were the basis for the numerous end and centre-loading suburban cars of which 130 (including baggage cars) were constructed. Of generally similar appearance to the Glenelg cars, the end and centre-loading cars were longer because of the centre vestibule, and their narrower body width, 10’ 0’’ (3.04 metres) gave them greater route availability. However, none of them were constructed originally with ground loading steps, and the standard screw couplings and buffers were fitted.

As issued, No.376 had seating for 56 second class passengers and in common with the other Glenelg cars was altered in 1927 when a lavatory was fitted for country working and standard screw couplings and buffers provided. Seating capacity was reduced to 52. Further alterations took place to No.376 in December 1935, when in a programme to improve the Glenelg cars for country running, high backed seats with baggage racks, automatic couplers and steel step down end steps were provided. The green and cream colour scheme for these cars followed the 1936 Centenary Train. The alterations reduced the seating capacity of No.376 to 43 2nd class passengers, while during 1952 the seating was advised as 19 first class passengers and 24 second class passengers, reverting to all second class again in May 1967.

While saloon Glenelg cars ran to all points where locomotive-hauled passenger trains worked on broad gauge (both suburban and country), the baggage cars such as No.376 generally worked suburban and nearer country tracks (e.g. Victor Harbor and Angaston). However, for a number of years in their later life, Glenelg baggage cars were used in a regular Adelaide-Loxton service, while No.376 was one of the last Glenelg cars in service on Murray Bridge-Tailem Bend local trains until damaged by fire during September 1977, being condemned on 29th May 1978.

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Commissioner's Car - Murray

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways/Australian National Railways/State Transport Authority

Condition: Good

Built by: S.A.R. Islington Workshops

Entered service: 1st October 1934

Withdrawn: 11th June 1997

Entered the museum: 11th June 1997

Number in class: 1

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Provenance: South Australian Railways

In May 1933, the South Australian Government authorized the expenditure of $15,000 for the construction of a new inspection car for the Railways Commissioner.

The Murray car was the last timber bodied car built at Islington Works and when introduced on 1.10.1934 was claimed to be the most up-to-date car of its kind in the Commonwealth. The frame work is Tasmanian Blackwood and the internal panels are sliced Queensland Walnut. The car rides on two six-wheeled bogies imported from the U.S.A and weighs 52 tons. Sleeping accommodation is provided for 10 persons.

When introduced, the actual cost had risen to $19,954. This additional cost was incurred by providing a fairly high grade of equipment, fitting up and finish to make ‘Murray’ suitable for use by HRH the Duke of Gloucester on his visit to Australia in 1934. Murray was also included in the Royal train for HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, when he travelled from Murray Bridge to Adelaide in March 1974. A passenger brake van (No. 391) was also fitted with a generator to provide auxiliary power for Murray In the last days of steam, engine 621 was the Commissioner’s Engine and used to haul Murray.

The car is fitted with a speed indicator. In 1972, Murray was altered to operate on standard-gauge for inspection trips between Peterborough, Port Pirie and Broken Hill. When the Murray car is attached to any train, the observation end must be trailing whenever practicable. When the observation end is not trailing, the curtains must be drawn round such end and secured.

It was retained by the South Australian State Transport Authority when the South Australian Railways were sold to the Commonwealth Government, and store in the Adelaide Rail Yards north car sheds. In 1987 it was transferred to Australian National, entering Islington on 10.9.1987 to be upgraded. This did not happen and it was transferred to Port Augusta in 1991 for storage. Following an application by the History Trust of South Australia, in 1997, it was transferred to Islington for conversion to broad-gauge in preparation for returning to South Australian Government control.

On 11.06.97 it was delivered to the Museum.

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Dining Car DA52

Commonwealth Railways

Standard Gauge

Class operators: Commonwealth Railways

Condition: Good (after restoration)

Provenance: Commonwealth Railways

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Built by: C.R. Port Augusta Workshops

Number in class: 1

Entered service: 21st July 1930

Withdrawn: 31st March 1981

Entered the museum: 20th December 1995

Length (over coupling points): 76’ 7’’ (21.81 metres)

Seating capacity: 48

Dining on the Commonwealth Railways Trans-Australian was a luxury event. It featured the best menu and full silver service as the train carried its passengers between Port Pirie and Kalgoorlie. To meet this high standard, the Workshops at Port Augusta constructed dining car DA52, which entered service on 21st July 1930.

By all Australian standards of the time, it was an impressive vehicle. It measured 76 foot 7 inch (23.42 m) in length, 10 foot 6 inch (3.19 m) in width and was 14 foot 6 inch (4.41 m) high. The Commonwealth Railways were at that time constructing the largest wooden passenger carriages in Australia. Its exterior was painted in a livery of chocolate and cream with a mustard roof.

The interior featured ornate timber panelling made from Queensland Black Bean and expensive fittings. Monogrammed china, polished silver and flower arrangements adorned each of the 12 twelve tables that seated a total of 48 passengers.

To make dining more comfortable in the hot desert summers, the carriage was fitted with full Carrier refrigerated air-conditioning in 1939.

In 1954 it was fully overhauled, fitted for head end power, and painted in maroon. At that time modern lighting and equipment replaced the original fittings. With the advent of more modern rolling stock in the 1960s and 1970s, the car was relegated to less important use, eventually being allocated for departmental use on the standard gauge accident train in 1981, until being placed in storage in 1987.

In 1995 it was donated by Australian National to the Railway Museum, arriving on broad gauge bogies on 20th December 1995.

During 2001 it was fully restored and painted in Commonwealth Railways livery.

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Dogbox 294

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: 21/12/1910

Entered the museum: 7/11/1966

Length (over coupling points): 47’ 2’’ (14.38 metres)

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Seating capacity: 50

Withdrawn: 1966

For many years the typical broad-gauge carriages of the South Australian Railways were modelled on the compartment-type British carriage, with side doors to every compartment. These cars, which were very similar to cars that also ran in New South Wales and other states, were originally designed for the suburban services. However, in 1898 a variation was provided when the first lavatory-equipped car on the South Australian Railways was built.

These lavatory-equipped cars were popularly known as dogbox carriages, and consisted of a series of compartments with a pair of toilets between each pair of compartments. The earliest examples had prominent roof water tanks, but later carriages had the tanks built into the coaches themselves. These cars always had six compartments, but the width of the compartment varied according to the class. Consequently, the first class coaches were longer than the composites or the second class coaches.

About 100 dogboxes were built between 1898 and 1922, and even until the end of the 1950s they were to be seen on country trains. Apart from the fact that most of the cars underwent class changes during their lives, there were only three major alterations to the type. In the 1940s most carriages had their screw couplings replaced by the then standard auto-coupling, and about the same time a number lost their gas lights in favour of electricity (although some retained gas lights for the whole of their lives.)

The second major change occurred during the Second World War when a number of the older cars had their lavatories removed and the seats rearranged to make them suitable for suburban service. At the same time certain cars had baggage compartments provided in the centre. The third and most drastic change occurred between 1950 and 1953 when 23 cars were rebuilt for country service as centre-aisle cars with ‘improved’ seating and with one end vestibule. Known as the 900 class, these cars were unpopular because of their narrow aisles and perpendicular seats.

294 was issued to traffic as a second class carriage, but was altered to a composite in December 1920, and then back to second class in 1929. It was fitted with gas lighting in 1936 and auto-couplers in 1940. In 1956 the car was taken out of passenger service and sent to Tailem Bend for further service as a crew car on the Accident Train.

As a second class car, 294 seated 54 passengers, but during its brief spell as a composite the number was reduced to 50 (14 first class and 36 second class.)

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First Class Sleeping Car AR33

Commonwealth Railways

Standard Gauge

Class operators: Commonwealth Railways

Condition: Good (after basic restoration)

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: Commonwealth Railways

Built by: CR Port Augusta Workshops

Entered service: 28th April 1920

Entered the museum: 29th November 1995

AR33 was built in 1920 by the Commonwealth Railways for use on its standard gauge 4’ 8½" (1435mm) Port Augusta to Kalgoorlie service. It was the first of a new larger style of wooden carriage that featured a turtle back roof, roomy interior and a chocolate and cream livery.

It remained basically unaltered until 1953 when it was given a major rebuild, fitted with air conditioning and painted maroon.

In 1966 it was fitted with narrow gauge (1067mm) bogies and transferred to Marree. After being on the last narrow gauge Ghan in 1980, it was converted back to standard gauge and allocated to the breakdown train at Alice Springs.

By 1990 it had become surplus to requirements and was placed in storage at Port Pirie, where unfortunately it was heavily vandalised. In 1995 it was offered to the Museum, being delivered by road on 29th November 1995.

During 2001 it was fully restored and painted in Commonwealth Railways livery.

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Lounge Car AFA93

Commonwealth Railways

Standard Gauge

Class operators: Commonwealth Railways

Condition: Good

Provenance: Commonwealth Railways

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Built by: Wegmann, Kassell, Germany

Number in class: 3

Entered service: 15th November 1952

Withdrawn: November 1980

Entered the museum: 23rd January 1996

Length (over coupling points): 75’ 2’’ (22.9 metres)

The introduction of two luxury train sets on the Commonwealth Railways in 1952 resulted in a marked increase in passenger travel on the Trans-Australian Railway (4 foot 8½ inch gauge - 1435mm). Each fully air-conditioned set was constructed by Messrs. Wegmann and Company, of Kassel in West Germany, and consisted of a round-end first-class sleeper-observation car, two first class sleeping cars, lounge car, dining car, second-class sleeper-lounge car, two second class sleeping cars and a combination brake and power van.

The gathering place for first class passengers was the lounge car. AFA93 is divided into three sections - smoking room, music room and ladies reading room. The panelling throughout was cut from the matched roots of elm trees, and scenes of various castles in the area in which the carriage was constructed are inlaid in various woods on the walls. The seats were upholstered in moquette, except for the smoking saloon which featured red leather. Externally the carriages had maroon sides banded with silver below the window line, a white roof and a black skirt below floor level. The letters C.R. on either side of an Australian coat of arms were attached to every carriage.

In 1964 AFA93 was transferred to narrow gauge (3 foot 6 inch gauge - 1067mm) for use on the Ghan until services ceased in 1980. Australian National then stored the carriage until it was donated to the Railway Museum in late 1995, arriving on site at the museum on 23rd February 1996.

During 2001 it was fully restored and painted in Commonwealth Railways livery.

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Pullman Dining Car - Adelaide

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways; State Transport Authority

Condition: Excellent

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Number in class: 1

Entered service: 19th May 1928

Withdrawn: 6th September 1988.

Entered the museum: 6th September 1988

Length (over coupling points): 82’ 4’’ (25.1 metres)

Tare Weight: 76 tons (76,000 kilograms)

George Pullman must be one the best known names in railway history, for it was he who developed the sleeping car and dining car to a point where they became the epitome of luxury travel. His Pullman Palace Car Company, founded in Chicago in 1867, provided luxury cars for American railroads and the rest of the world.

His first sleeping car, the Pioneer, was built for the Chicago & Alton Railroad in 1864 and its immediate success led to the setting up of the company.

His first dining car, the President, was built in 1867 for the Great Western Railway of Canada. Known as the Hotel Car, it was a sleeping car equipped with a kitchen and pantry, and portable tables which were set up for meals. The first complete dining car, the Delmonico was built for the Chicago & Alton Railroad in 1868.

Dining Car ‘Adelaide’ was ordered from the Pullman Company, along with the sleeping cars ‘Mt Lofty’ and ‘Macedon’ in 1926, for use on the Melbourne Express, and is a typical example of North American carriage building practices of the time. At 75 tons (75,000kg) it was found to be too heavy. Its inclusion in the train consist (then limited to 11 E-cars over the Mt Lofty Ranges) excluded the use of two standard cars and therefore proved uneconomical. It nevertheless saw service from time to time, and became a favourite on enthusiasts’ trains in the 1960s and 1970s.

When Australian National took over South Australia’s country services in 1978, ‘Adelaide’ remained under the ownership of the State Transport Authority who leased it to the museum. It was placed in the museum on the 6th September 1988.

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Second Class Car No. 144

South Australian Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Class Builders: Adelaide Locomotive Workshops, S.A.R. Islington Workshops

Built by: S.A.R Islington Workshops

Number in class: 7

Number series: 7, 9, 126 - 128, 132, 144

Entered service: 22nd December 1894

Withdrawn: 19th March 1971

Entered the museum: 8th November 1982

Length (over coupling points): 38’ 10’’ (11.84m)

Bogie centres: 24’ 1’’ (7.34 metres)

Height: 10’ 5’’ (3.18 metres)

Width: 7’ 6’’ (2.29 metres)

Tare Weigh: 12 tons 8 cwt (12,406 kilograms)

Seating capacity: 44

No. 144 is one of the many narrow-gauge passenger cars of the South Australian Railways with 31’ 6’’ (9.6m) long bodies nicknamed Short Toms. Although the narrow-gauge passenger cars ran in country areas for journeys occupying many hours duration, amenities provided were few. The original standard layout of these cars was access from each end of the cars with a solid partition dividing the car into two unequal areas. The larger compartments had another internal partition with a door to provide a smaller compartment in the centre of the car for ladies. For composite cars, the smaller area was the first class area.

Amenities in the form of water and lavatories were provided in narrow gauge cars from 1885 (and ultimately almost all of the Short Toms were fitted), but construction continued for some time of cars without these features.

No. 144 was originally scheduled to be built as a second class car to the standard layout without lavatories and with the solid internal partition and central ladies compartment. A direction in February 1894 stated it was to be second class ‘opened throughout from end to end’, - i.e. it was built as it was known with no internal partitions and longitudinal seats.

Constructed at Islington Workshops and issued on 18th December 1894 to the Western System of the narrow-gauge lines, No. 144 was built to replace No.10 passenger car when the latter was converted to an ambulance van and forwarded to Palmerston (Darwin) in 1890 in a programme providing ambulance vans on broad and narrow gauges.

Spending all of its life on the northern narrow-gauge lines, No.144 had few alterations but was fitted with electric lights in July 1909 and air brakes at Quorn in August 1911. In the 1950s No.144 was used as a trailer for school children behind the Model 75 rail car between Booleroo Centre and Wilmington and as the car was detached and attached at Booleroo Centre every school day, a handbrake was fitted to it during 1958 while an internal partition was also provided.

Condemned on the 19th March 1971 after the standardisation of the Port Pirie to Broken Hill line, No.144 was purchased by the South Australian Division of the Australian Railways Historical Society and made available for use on the Pichi Richi Railway. It was transferred to the Mile End Museum in 1982.

The car was extensively refurbished by the museum in early 1988, before spending several months on loan to Pichi Richi Railway at Quorn.

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Second Class Sitting Car BE42

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: V & SAR

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Built by: S.A.R Islington Workshops

Entered service: 29th October 1923

Condemned: 16th October 1974

Entered the museum: 16th April 1975

Length (over coupling points): 73’ 8’’ (22.45m)

Bogie centres: 53’ 10’’ (16.4 metres)

Height: 13’ 8’’ (4.17 metres)

Width: 9’ 6’’ (2.9 metres)

Seating capacity: 72

In the early 1900s a rolling stock programme was agreed upon between the Victorian and South Australian Railways to provide more modern and considerably larger passenger cars for use on the express trains between Adelaide and Melbourne, to replace the original jointly owned cars placed in service between 1886 and 1890.

Between 1906 and 1923 a total of 44 vehicles of matching design were constructed at both Newport and Islington Workshops. The complement comprised 14 first class sleeping cars, 10 first class sitting cars, 10 second class sitting cars, 6 brake vans, 2 mail sorting vans and 2 mail baggage vans. After the initial construction between 1906 and 1908 of 4 sleeping cars, 6 each first and second class sitting cars, 4 brake vans and the mail sorting and baggage vans, the 1907/1908 South Australian Railways Report stated, ‘The new express train, as a whole, so far as accommodation is concerned, forms one of the best in the Commonwealth, and is probably equal to any other train in the world’.

Sleeping cars and first class sitting cars were constructed at Newport Workshops, Victoria, as well as the mail sorting and baggage vans, while the second class sitting cars and brake vans were constructed at Islington Workshops, South Australia (except that the first two jointly owned brake vans were constructed at Newport and exchanged with two constructed at Islington, these latter two became Victorian vehicles).

Whilst the sleeping cars were not numbered or classified, but named after rivers in Victoria and South Australia, the first and second class sitting cars and the brake vans were classified and numbered with similar vehicles which the Victorian Railways built for internal use in Victoria. The mail van classifications also followed the Victorian Railways’ principles. During 1910, the Victorian classification system was simplified and these latter classifications were carried by joint stock vehicles until they were condemned. The original and later classifications were:

First class sitting cars – ‘AVE’ then ‘AE’

Second class sitting cars – ‘BVE’ then ‘BE’

Brake vans – ‘DVE’ then ‘CE’

Mail baggage vans – ‘EEB’ then ‘D’

Mail sorting vans – ‘EES’ then ‘DS’ (later ‘D’ when mail sorting en route ceased)

Alterations to the passenger carrying cars were few during their life, although the cars built between 1906 and 1908 originally had gas lighting while all cars and vans had underframe alterations for the fitting of automatic couplers in the mid-1930s. Also, for the 1936 Centenary of South Australia, the joint stock vehicles were painted green and yellow with black horizontal lining, this colour scheme being maintained until construction of the air-conditioned cars in 1949. The title ‘The Overland’ in chrome plate letters was affixed to the letter board on each side of the passenger carrying cars when the green colour scheme was introduced.

BE42 is one of the later second class cars and was issued to traffic from Islington Workshops on 29th October 1923. It is one of two jointly owned passenger carrying cars which had steel protection panels affixed over the original tongue and groove timber exterior sheathing (the ‘Onkaparinga’ was the other car and the ‘CE´s’ and ‘D’ vans had partial sheathing).

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Sleeping Car 112 - Baroota

South Australian Railways

Narrow Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Built by: S.A.R. Islington Workshops

Number in class: 4

Number series: 109 - 112

Entered service: 28th May 1900

Condemned: 25th March 1966

Entered the museum: 25th March 1971

Length (over coupling points): 46’ 7’’ (14.2m)

Seating capacity: 14 sleeping or 18 day passengers

Tare Weight: 21 tons (21,000 kilograms)

The carriages of the South Australian Railways were renowned for their longevity, if for nothing else. Thus, it is not surprising that some of them were 70 years old when the main line to Broken Hill was finally converted in 1970 from narrow to standard gauge, causing the wholesale condemnation of large numbers of narrow gauge carriages.

Most of these carriages followed the same body pattern - short, mansard type roofs over balcony style bodies. After the first few years when four wheelers were built, almost all had standard four wheel bogies. However, in 1888 it was proposed to build a series of six vehicles with six-wheeled bogies. The first three, 109, 110 and 111 were built as sleeping cars and issued to traffic in 1889 and 1890, but it was to be ten years before the other three saw the light of day. The next to be built was 112 in 1900, and this was completed as a sleeping car, while the last two cars, 113 and 114, were built as sitting up cars.

112 varied from the earlier sleeping cars in the arrangement of the sleeping berths. In the earlier cars a longitudinal seat formed the lower berth, but in 112 two seats facing one another pulled down to form a lower berth in Pullman style. Eighteen first class passengers were carried in sleeping berths.

On 29th July 1907, Number 112, emerged from Islington in the guise of an observation car fitted with Stone´s electric light. She now carried either 14 sleeping or 18 day passengers, the end compartment having had its fixed seats removed and a table and four movable chairs fitted in their place. Also, the toilet, which had been in this compartment, was relocated in the adjoining compartment.

In 1913 a speed indicator clock and fan were fitted in this small saloon, and it is believed that the car was thereafter used as a Departmental car for the most part. On 6th June 1917, Number 112 was officially named Baroota.

For the remainder of its life Baroota was to retain its layout as an observation car, but having been replaced on the main line by the three new sleeping cars, Alberga, Nilpena and Coonatto, it was to see service in later years only as a standby sleeper or on special trains.

These twelve-wheel vehicles were to be the only such carriages to be built for use on the narrow gauge lines of South Australia, and spent all their lives on the Peterborough to Broken Hill main line.

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Sleeping Car Allambi

Victorian and South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: Victorian and South Australian Railways/VLine/Victorian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Entered service: 9.12.1949

Entered the museum: 28.11.2008

Number in class: 10

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Seating capacity: 20

Provenance: V & SAR, VR, VLine

Built by: South Australian Railways, Islington, SA

Withdrawn: 1998

One of ten roomette Joint Stock sleeping cars used on The Overland service between Adelaide and Melbourne. This type of rolling stock was built progressively from 1949 to replace the wooden carriages. Each of the carriages was fully designed and constructed by the South Australian Railways. Exteriors were finished in maroon, with a fluted stainless steel panel on each side of the cars running above and below the window level. The roof and bogies were painted black.

This particular vehicle is one of a batch of four sleeping cars sold to the Victorian Railways in 1972, for use on ‘The Vinelander’ service between Melbourne and Mildura, after new more modern sleeping cars were constructed and given the same names. When ‘The Vinelander’ service ceased operation on the 12th September 1993, all four sleeping carriages where placed in long term storage.

Early in 2008, the museum became aware that the carriage might be surplus to future railway requirements. Contact was made with VicTrack who gave the museum a favourable response about making it available for the museum’s collection. VicTrack recommended to the Victorian Minister of Transport that the carriages be made available to the NRM for display. The State of Victoria donated the car, with the museum paying for its transportation from Melbourne to Adelaide. It arrived at the museum by road on 28th November 2008.

Much of the significance of each of the cars lies in its preservation in near original condition as a rare example of operating, design and construction practices no longer practiced in house by current rail passenger operators. There have been no major alterations to the appearance of the cars other than routine maintenance that has involved mechanical repairs, soft furnishing upgrades and repainting.

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Sleeping Car Onkaparinga

Victorian and South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways/Victorian and South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: South Australian Railways/Victorian & South Australian Railways

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Built by: Victorian Railways Newport Workshop, Victoria

Number in class: 14

Entered service: 16th June 1911

Condemned: 19th October 1972

Entered the museum: 6th June 1988

Length (over coupling points): 75’ (22.86 metres)

Fourteen sleeping cars were built between 1906 and 1923 at the Victorian Railways Newport Workshops for use on the nightly express between Adelaide and Melbourne.

The first four cars were named Lodden, Glenelg, Finniss and Torrens, after rivers in the states of Victoria and South Australia. In 1911 Onkaparinga and Barwon were built, followed by Baderloo, Dargo, Pekina and Tambo in 1919. The last four cars, named Angas, Coliban, Acheron and Inman entered service in 1923.

Internal layout comprised nine compartments, each with two fold up lateral sleeping berths, a folding wash basin and cloth hanging cupboards. A small smoking saloon at one end of the car was known as the Gentlemen’s lounge, and had four loose, leather covered, cane arm chairs and a fixed seat for three. Two compartments at the opposite end of the coach were reserved for ladies.

Finished in style, the carved panelling, pressed metal ceiling, frosted glass and lamp pendants were all ornately decorated. A stylised waratah pattern was repeated throughout the design. Externally a row of bevelled mirrors, with an engraved star burst pattern, was placed above each window. The paint work was a red brown with elaborate outlining.

By 1936, the train had been named The Overland, so it was decided to paint the carriages dark green with a chrome ‘The Overland’ fitted above the centre windows. From 1943 repainting in standard Victorian Railways red began. Construction of modern steel rolling stock began in 1949 and resulted in the eventual withdrawal of the wooden carriages from The Overland. Onkaparinga was condemned in 1969 and sold with bogies, but missing most internal metal fittings to Marbury School, Aldgate. In 1988 it was donated to the Railway Museum.

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Steel Car No. 606

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways; Australian National Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Built by: S.A.R Islington Workshops

Class: 600

Number in class: 8

Number series: 600 - 607

Entered service: 12th October 1937

Withdrawn: 13th October 1981

Entered the museum: 11th January 2001

Length (over coupling points): 71’ 9’’ (21.87m)

Seating capacity: 64

During the 1930s, the South Australian Railways began an extensive program of upgrading passenger accommodation. Part of this program involved the construction of ‘all steel’ first and second class passenger carriages. The first of these new carriages entered service in 1936, painted in the new South Australian Railways colours of green and gold and classified as 500 and 600 class ‘main line corridor passenger cars’. Built completely at the Islington Workshops, each car measured 21.87m (71’ 9’’.) long and 2.89m (9’ 6’’) wide, with a height of 4.025m (13’ 2’’) above the rail.

The 4 first class cars were numbered 500-503 and had seating accommodation for 42 passengers in 7 compartments. The 8 second class cars were numbered 600-608 and accommodated 64 passengers in 8 compartments. Toilets and vestibules were located at each end, with all compartments leading off a full length side corridor. The interior of each car was fitted out with polished timber panelling and chrome fittings. First class compartments were also fitted with mirrors and arm rests between each seat. Each compartment had a single external window and twin wooden sliding doors fitted with large etched glass panels. All windows were originally designed to drop down into the body of the car, but later, due to maintenance problems, these were replaced by half drop windows.

Car 606 was withdrawn from service in 1981 and sold to SteamRanger. It eventually became surplus to requirements and was sold to the museum in late 2000, arriving on site on 11.1.2001. The car has been returned to its original South Australian Railway livery.

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Suburban End and Centre Loading Car No. 446

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Entered service: 1919

Entered the museum: 1995

Number in class: 103

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Withdrawn: 1976

Between 1908 and 1924 the South Australian Railways ordered 103 centre and end-loading carriages, and 27 end-loading baggage cars, for use on its suburban steam hauled services. The body design was loosely based on carriages that had been imported from America by the Holdfast Bay Railway Co., in 1880.

Car 446 was built by J. S. Bagshaw and Sons and entered service on 16th June 1919. It was altered little during its life, except for auto-couplers and through gangways being fitted in 1936.

It was allocated to SteamRanger in 1978. After a number of years out of service, the History Trust of South Australia transferred it to the museum in 1995.

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Vice Regal Car

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Ownership: History Trust of South Australia

Number in class: 1

Built by: S.A.R. Islington Workshops

Entered service: 2nd April 1940

Withdrawn: 28th July 1988

Entered the museum: 28th July 1988

Constructed at Islington Workshops, the Vice Regal car was built to accommodate the Governor and members of the Royal Family when travelling on the South Australian Railways broad gauge network.

The car features separate bedrooms for the Governor and his wife separated by a common bathroom, a compartment for the Aide-de-camp, a dining saloon and kitchen area, and rounded end that acts as a lounge and observation area. It also noted for being the first air-conditioned car in service for the South Australian Railways.

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Below is a list of railcars that are housed at the National Railway Museum.

Bluebird Railcar No. 257

Brill Railcar No. 8

Brill Railcar No.41

Budd Railcar CB1

Jumbo Railcar Power Car 2006

Jumbo Railcar Trailer Car 2112

Redhen Railcar 321

Redhen Railcar 400

 

 

 

 

Bluebird Railcar No. 257

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Diesel

Class operators: South Australian Railways; Australian National Railways

Condition: Excellent

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways; Australian National

Built by: S.A.R. Islington Workshops

Number in class: 12

Model: 250

Entered service: 13th February 1957

Withdrawn: 1995

Entered the museum: 3rd May 1995

Total Weight: 60 tons (60,000 kilograms)

Engine type: 2 x Cummins NT-855-R2 6-cylinder diesel

Auxiliary Power: 1 x GM series 3-71 3-cylinder diesel

Fuel capacity: 250 gallons (1137 litres)

Maximum Speed: 70 mph (112 km/h)

Length (over coupling points): 78’ 3’’ (23.85 metres)

Seating capacity: 52 passengers

The first of the Bluebird railcars commenced regular service on the Morgan line in October 1954. A regular service to Moonta began in September 1955 and a month later a Bluebird replaced the regular engine-hauled train to Mount Gambier.

As additional cars were constructed, their sphere of operation was extended to Port Pirie in 1958, and Terowie and Gladstone in 1959. They also operated to Tailem Bend and Victor Harbor. Unfortunately they were not able to arrest the slow decline in country passenger numbers. Services to Morgan were the first to cease in 1965, followed by Moonta in 1969, Tailem Bend in 1981, Gladstone in 1982 and Victor Harbor in 1984.

After the regular Mount Gambier and Broken Hill services were withdrawn on 31st December 1990 the only remaining operation was an intermittent special to Broken Hill which ceased on the 31st.

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Brill Railcar No. 8

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Diesel

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Good

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Built by: Brill Car Co, USA

Number in class: 12

Model: 55 class

Entered service: 9th June 1924

Withdrawn: 1968

Entered the museum: 22nd October 1968

Length (over coupling points): 43’ 5’’ (13.23 metres)

Seating capacity: 43

Tare Weight: Petrol: 12 tons 17 cwt (12,863 kilograms) - Diesel: 14 tons 9 cwt (14,457 kilograms)

Early in his career with the South Australian Railways, Commissioner Webb decreed that small country passenger trains should be replaced by passenger motors. The idea was not new; there had been the Caldwell Vale railcar that operated between Goolwa and Victor Harbor and a small railcar at Port Lincoln but the scale of the replacement was new.

Mr Webb did not just order one railcar as had been done before, but he initially ordered a fleet of 12 from the Indiana firm of Service Motors. These petrol railcars came direct from the maker’s order book in which they were listed as ‘Model 55’, the name by which they have been known ever since - to distinguish them from the later Model 75 (see Railcar 41). The earlier railcars were not forgotten in the numbering sequence, and the first of these cars was given the road number 4, the remainder of the class going to 15. 

The first car to be delivered was painted in a special colour scheme of royal blue and lemon yellow. Others came in the more general colour scheme of lined chocolate. The maiden trip was to Willunga, during which run the car was stopped on the steep grade between Hallett Cove and Reynella, and then restarted to demonstrate to the notable passengers the efficiency of the railcar. 

During the 1930s the original 68 horsepower petrol engines were all removed and replaced by Gardiner 102 horsepower diesel engines, except for No. 7, which was given a Deutz 110 horsepower air-cooled diesel engine. 

The cars were all built for the broad-gauge, but for a time Cars 4 and 10 were active on the narrow-gauge lines in the South East. During this period they were re-numbered 112 and 111 respectively. Generally, the class saw service on most broad-gauge branches, but were not popular because of their very rough riding. They were later relegated to suburban service, and their last years of service were spent providing the shuttle between Glanville and Semaphore, with occasional trips to the city. 

For this service they invariably operated in pairs, using the small automatic couplers with which they had been fitted in 1934. Previously, they had been equipped with small tramway-type link and pin couplers. 

There can be no doubt that the introduction of these small railcars paved the way for an immense change in the style of railway branch line operations in South Australia, and may even be said to have been the only way that some lines were able to be kept open for as long as they were. Their introduction marked the end of the country branch steam passenger train, and the beginning of a line of railcars that was to culminate in the luxurious air-conditioned Bluebird some 30 years later.

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Brill Railcar No. 41

South Australian Railways

Broad Gauge

Diesel

Class operators: South Australian Railways

Condition: Excellent

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Built by: S.A.R. Islington Workshops

Number in class: 39

Model: 75

Entered service: 1928

Withdrawn: 1971

Entered the museum: 9th March 1973

Length (over coupling points): 58’ 6’’ (17.83 metres)

Total Weight: 27 tons (27,000 kilograms)

Engine type: Cummins diesel

Seating capacity: 34

Following the introduction of the Model 55 railcars, Mr. Webb decided to introduce a fleet of the larger Brill Model 75 railcars to take over passenger services on the branch lines where lightly-loaded steam-hauled passenger trains were proving to be quite uneconomic.

The first car, Number 30, was built by the Brill Company in America, but the balance were all built to American plans by the South Australian Railways at Islington. Ultimately, the number series of the cars ranged from 30 to 59 on the broad gauge, with two number 44’s having been built, with the first being sold to the Victorian Railways; and 100 to 106 and 487 on the narrow gauge. A series of trailer cars was also built, being numbered in the 200 series on the broad gauge and in the 300 series on the narrow-gauge.

These rail cars and trailers were used mainly as intended on the branch lines, but were occasionally used on some main line services such as those to Port Pirie, and also on some off-peak suburban services. Regrettably, these cars were renowned for their rough riding qualities.

As built, these railcars seated 61, had petrol engines and a series of small windows similar to those of the 55-class. By the end of their lives, most had seen many changes. Six, including 41, were greatly changed in 1940 by the introduction of high-back semi-compartment type seating, which reduced the number of passengers to 34, and the replacement of the small windows by large main line type windows. These cars were promptly nicknamed the "Milk Bar Cars" because of the high-back seating.

All the railcars lost their petrol engines after 1957. Most received Gardiner 198 horsepower diesel engines in their stead, but 41 was one of three to be fitted with Cummins diesel engines. At the same time these railcars were fitted with remote control equipment to allow multiple unit operation.

During the 1960s the cars were clearly near the end of their economic lives, and there were some plans made to replace them. However, instead of this happening, there were large-scale closures of country branch lines. This resulted in a need for fewer railcars and the more modern Bluebird air-conditioned cars were able to cope on their own. The last model 75 working was on the 13th October 1971, when 46 and Trailer 216 returned to Adelaide from Victor Harbor.

The preservation of 41 is thanks to the generosity of Mr. Graham Bettany who, in January 1973, gave the railcar into the care of the Museum. He had earlier purchased it from the South Australian Railways.

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Budd Railcar CB1

Australian National Railways

Standard Gauge

Class operators: Commonwealth Railways/Australian National Railways

Condition: Very good

Provenance: Commonwealth Railways & Australian National

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Built by: The Budd Co., Philadelphia, Penn, USA

Number in class: 3

Model: RDC-1

Entered service: 6th March 1951

Withdrawn: 31st December 1990

Entered the museum: 7th August 1996

Length (over coupling points): 85’ (25.908 metres)

Total Weight: 49.25 tons (50,038 kilograms)

Engine type: GM 110 x 2 - 2 stroke

Cylinders: 6

Bore & stroke: 5" x 5.6" (127mm x 142mm)

Horsepower: 275hp x 2 (205 kW x 2)

Wheel Arrangement: 1A-A1

Gear Ratio: 2.08:1

Tractive Effort (starting): 8,000 lbs (35.5 kW)

Tractive Effort (continuous): 2,000 lbs at 85 mph (8.9 kW)

Fuel capacity: 210 gallons (950 litres)

Maximum Speed: 85 mph (136.7 km/h)

As part of its post war rehabilitation programme the Commonwealth Railways upgraded its short haul passenger services by introducing railcars on the runs between Port Pirie, Port Augusta, and Tarcoola. A contract for the delivery of three air-conditioned railcars was let to the Budd Company, Philadelphia, U.S.A. in October 1950. The railcars arrived in March 1951. They were the standard Budd RDC-1 design, and featured stainless steel bodies and air-conditioning. There were two compartments, with seating for 49 in one and 41 in the other. After entering service buffet facilities were fitted and seating improvements made, reducing the capacity to 70 passengers.

Regular passenger services were introduced from May 1951 when the cars operated between Port Pirie Junction and Pimba. In 1952 the service was extended from Pimba along the military stores siding to the Woomera township. From July 1952 the cars made regular runs to Tarcoola, however this journey involved long stretches of unfenced track and damage was often caused through running down stock and kangaroos. The Budd car service to Tarcoola was discontinued on 25th January 1961, although the service was retained between Port Augusta and Woomera.

Completion of the new standard gauge line to Marree made it possible for Budd cars to work over that line, at first to Brachina, and ultimately to Marree.

Following the opening of the Port Augusta to Whyalla line, Budd rail cars were also introduced on that service.

Alterations in passenger traffic resulted in the cars being removed from service in 1976 and placed in storage until refurbished in 1985 for a new service between Adelaide and Whyalla. The Iron Triangle Limited ran its first regular trip on 21st April 1986. The Iron Triangle Limited was withdrawn from service on 31st December 1990.

Railcar CB1 was donated to the museum by Australian National in 1996.

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Jumbo Railcar Power Car 2006

Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure

Broad Gauge

Class operators: State Transport Authority/TransAdelaide/Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure

Model: 2000 Class

Built by: Comeng

Number in class: 12

Number series: 2001 to 2012

Height: 4.27m

Length (over coupling points): 25.5m

Width: 3.18m

Engine type: 2x turbocharged Cummins six cylinder underfloor diesel engines

Horsepower: 390 kW (520 horsepower) per engine

Total Weight: 68 tonnes (67 long tons; 75 short tons)

Entered service: 17th November 1980

Maximum Speed: 140 km/h (87 mph) (conservative) but limited to 90 km/h (56 mph) in service

Provenance: DPTI

Seating capacity: 64

Withdrawn: August 2015

Condemned: August 2015

Entered the museum: 10th July 2016

Condition: Excellent

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

The 2000 - 2100 class are diesel hydraulic railcars and trailer cars that were built for the then State Transport Authority (STA) by Comeng, for use on the Adelaide metropolitan rail network. The 2000- 2100 class railcars were the first modern suburban railcars in South Australia, and the second in Australia to feature air conditioning, semi-automatic side doors and a PA address system. They were also the last diesel hydraulic type railcars built for a railway operating in South Australia.

The stainless steel body shell of the 2000 - 2100 class railcars was based on the American Budd SPV-2000, Metroliner and Amfleet car designs. The body shells were built by Comeng, in Granville New South Wales, and were railed to their Adelaide plant at Dry Creek for fitting out internally, except for prototype cars 2001 and 2101 which were completed in New South Wales.

The first power car (2001) entered service on the 22nd February 1980 and the last power car (2012) entered service on the 18th August 1981.

The class was dubbed ‘Supertrains’ by the media and the general public, but most railway staff and railway enthusiasts were quick to give them their more iconic nickname ‘Jumbos’. The 2000 - 2100 class railcars earnt this nickname due to their unique raised driving cab, which was very similar in principle to a Boeing 747 Jumbo aircraft.

The 12 2000 class power cars were originally built with two V12 MAN turbocharged diesel engines. These original diesel engines proved to be poor performers and were replaced by two Cummins turbocharged six cylinder diesel engines. The railcars were usually operated a two-car set (power car-trailer car) or three-car set (trailer car-power car-trailer car) configurations.

In the mid to late 2000s two 2000 class power cars (2003 and 2006) were refurbished internally and mechanically. From 2010 onwards a large percentage of the 2000 class power cars received the new Adelaide Metro Livery. In February 2014 the 2000 and 2100 railcars were no longer permitted to operate on the Belair and Seaford lines due to electrification of that part of the system. They were formally retired in August 2015. Two power cars and two trailers were preserved, with the remainder of the fleet being scrapped in June 2016.

2000 class power car 2006 entered service on the 17th November 1980 and was withdrawn from service in 2015. During 2007 power car 2006 was refurbished inside and out, and was one of two power cars to be so treated. In June 2016 the Department for Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) kindly donated cars 2006 and 2112 to the Museum.

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Jumbo Railcar Trailer Car 2112

Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure

Broad Gauge

Class operators: State Transport Authority/TransAdelaide/Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure

Model: 2100 Class

Built by: Comeng

Number in class: 18

Number series: 2101 to 2118

Height: 4.27m

Length (over coupling points): 25.5m

Width: 3.18m

Total Weight: 42 tonnes (39 to 41 long tons; 44 to 46 short tons) empty

Entered service: 17th November 1980

Maximum Speed: 140 km/h (87 mph) (conservative) but limited to 90 km/h (56 mph) in service

Provenance: DPTI

Seating capacity: Passenger seating capacity: 98 (90 in 2112)

Withdrawn: August 2015

Condemned: August 2015

Entered the museum: 10th July 2016

Condition: Excellent

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

The 2000 - 2100 class are diesel hydraulic railcars and trailers that were built for the then State Transport Authority (STA) by Comeng, for use on the Adelaide metropolitan rail network. The 2000- 2100 class railcars were the first modern suburban railcars in South Australia and the second in Australia to feature air conditioning, semi-automatic side doors and a PA address system. They were also the last diesel hydraulic railcars built for a railway operating in South Australia.

The stainless steel body shell of the 2000 - 2100 class railcars was based on the American Budd SPV-2000, Metroliner and Amfleet car designs. The body shells were built by Comeng, in Granville New South Wales, and were railed to the Adelaide plant at Dry Creek for fitting out internally, except for cars 2001 and 2101 which were completed in New South Wales. The first two trailer cars 2101 and 2102 entered service on the 22nd of February 1980, with the last trailer car 2118 entering service on the 18th of August 1981.

The class was dubbed ‘Supertrains’ by the media and the general public but most railway staff and railway enthusiasts were quick to give them their more iconic nickname ‘Jumbos’. The 2000 - 2100 class railcars earnt this nickname due to their unique raised driving cab, which was very similar in principle to a Boeing 747 Jumbo aircraft.

The 18 2100 class trailer cars have to be operated with a power car, as they are not fitted with diesel motors or any source of electrical power. They were usually operated in two-car set (power car-trailer car) or three-car set (trailer car-power car-trailer car) configurations.

In the mid to late 2000s three 2100 class trailer cars (2103, 2112 and 2116) were refurbished internally and mechanically. From 2010 onwards a large percentage of the 2100 class trailer cars received the new Adelaide Metro Livery.

In February 2014 the 2000 and 2100 class railcars were no longer permitted to operate on the Belair and Seaford lines due to clearances as a result of the electrification of the Seaford line. The 2000-2100 class railcars were retired in August 2015 and were sent to scrap in June 2016, with two power cars and two trailers being preserved.

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Redhen Railcar 321

State Transport Authority

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways/State Transport Authority/TransAdelaide

Condition: Excellent

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways

Built by: S.A.R. Islington Workshops

Model: 300 Class

Number in class: 74

Entered service: 12th April 1957

Withdrawn: 15th December 1996

Entered the museum: 15th December 1996

Length (over coupling points): 65’ 8’’ (20 metres)

Total Weight: 40 tons 2 cwt (40,741 kilograms)

Engine type: 2x GM (Detroit) series 6/71 diesel model 6086

Cylinders: 6x inline

Horsepower: 219 horsepower (163 kW)

Maximum Speed: 55 mph (88 km/h)

Seating capacity: 91

Fuel capacity: 250 gallons (1137 litres)

In 1954 the Islington Workshops of the South Australian Railways, were commissioned to construct diesel railcars for use on the Adelaide suburban service. Two designs were chosen, the 300 class, with a driving station at one end and the 400 class, which had a driving station at each end.

The body of each car consisted of a fabricated steel framework to which a steel skin was welded. Original livery was satin maroon body, silver roof and black bogies, though this was later changed to standard suburban red. Fabricated bogies manufactured by the Islington Workshops were used, though some cars did receive converted bogies that had previously been under Overland carriages.

Each compartment in the passenger saloon was fitted with cold cathode fluorescent tubes and low voltage emergency lighting above fixed tubular steel framed seating. Until 1961 vinyl was used for seat covering, with the main colours being cherry red and Flanders blue, but green, brown and grey sometimes appeared. From 1968, to match the green side walls, a special blue-green upholstery was used.

Interior walls were lined with plastic laminate in blue linen, tan linen or plain green. Flooring was either red linoleum or blue-yellow chequer board vinyl tiles.

Traction power was provided by two six-cylinder diesel engines of the lay-over type. A hydraulic torque converter and gearbox connected the drive shaft to each bogie.

A total of 74 units of the 300 class, and 37 of the 400 class were constructed between 1955 and 1971. Nicknamed Red Hens by the public, this type of railcar exclusively ran the Adelaide suburban service until the late 1970s when new railcars were purchased. Withdrawal of cars commenced in the mid-1980s with the last units remaining in service until late 1996.

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Redhen Railcar 400

State Transport Authority

Broad Gauge

Class operators: South Australian Railways/State Transport Authority/TransAdelaide

Condition: Excellent

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: South Australian Railways/State Transport Authority/TransAdelaide

Built by: S.A.R. Islington Workshops

Model: 400 Class

Number in class: 37

Entered service: 17th September 1959

Withdrawn: 15th December 1996

Entered the museum: 15th December 1996

Length (over coupling points): 65 foot 8 inches (20 metres)

Total Weight: 41 tons 17 cwt (42,519 kilograms)

Engine type: 2x GM (Detroit) series 6/71 diesel model 6086

Cylinders: 6x inline

Horsepower: 219 horsepower (163 kW)

Fuel capacity: 250 gallons (1137 litres)

Seating capacity: 80

Maximum Speed: 55 mph (88 km/h)

In 1954 the Islington Workshops of the South Australian Railways constructed diesel railcars for use on the Adelaide suburban service. Two designs were chosen, the 300 class, with a driving station at one end and the 400 class, which had a driving station at each end. The body of each car consisted of a fabricated steel framework to which a steel skin was welded. Original livery was satin maroon body, silver roof and black bogies, though this was later changed to standard suburban red.

Fabricated bogies manufactured by the Islington Workshops were used, though some cars did receive converted bogies that had previously been under Overland carriages.

Each compartment in the passenger saloon was fitted with cold cathode fluorescent tubes and low voltage emergency lighting above fixed tubular steel framed seating. Until 1961 vinyl was used for seat covering, with the main colours being cherry red and Flanders blue, but green, brown and grey sometimes appeared. From 1968, to match the green side walls, a special blue-green upholstery was used.

Interior walls were lined with plastic laminate in blue linen, tan linen or plain green. Flooring was either red linoleum or blue-yellow chequer board vinyl tiles.

Traction power was provided by two six-cylinder diesel engines of the lay-over type. A hydraulic torque converter and gearbox connected the drive shaft to each bogie.

A total of 74 units of the 300 class, and 37 of the 400 class were constructed between 1955 and 1971. Nicknamed Red Hens by the public, this type of railcar exclusively ran the Adelaide suburban service until the late 1970s when new railcars were purchased. Withdrawal of cars commenced in the mid-1980s with the last units remaining in service until late 1996.

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