Victorian Railways dining cars

This article is intended as a catalogue of dining and refreshment services and carriages used by the Victorian Railways and successors.

Triple-R's

E type carriages
  • Main article: E type carriage#Dining cars
  • Main article: E type carriage#Buffet & Restaurant cars
Campaspe, Goulburn & Wimmera[1]
In service1908-1990
Number built3
Number preservedAll (Campaspe, Goulburn and Wimmera)
Capacity24 1st class & 18 2nd class diners; Goulburn later 8 sleepers, later 10 sleepers; Medical & Vision Test Car / Wimmera later 3 sleepers
Specifications
Weight49 LT 5 cwt 0 qtr (50.04 t); Goulburn later 49 LT 8 cwt 0 qtr (50.19 t); Wimmera/Medical & Vision Test Car later 46 LT 9 cwt 0 qtr (47.20 t)

In 1908 three Dining cars entered service, Goulburn, Campaspe and Wimmera, intended for use on the express trains to both Adelaide and Albury (Sydney). All three cars had ornate metal ceilings and high backed leather chairs. In each car the kitchen was fitted with an ice chest, a pintsch-gas stove, a sink and a workbench, and was capped with an open buffet at either end. This was centrally situated between two saloons, one seating 24 first class and the other 18 second class passengers. A corridor on one side of the carriages allowed passengers and staff to walk between the two ends of the car.

All three cars had their underframes removed and replaced in 1923; the frame from Goulburn was used to build Sleeping car Acheron, the frame from Campaspe for Buchan, and the frame from Wimmera for Angas. It is not clear why this occurred.[2]

Goulburn was altered in 1932 for use as standby Commissioners car for "Reso" and "Holiday Train" tours, with the fitting of 8 berths and two showers in old first dining saloon and an office and dining room in 2nd class area. In 1938 a third shower was fitted, but from 1939 to 1945 the car was stored at Ballarat due to World War II. In 1953 it was overhauled for the Royal Train and painted blue and gold. It was fitted with windows at one end in 1986, and repainted in 1988 to the Corporate livery of grey and white as a staff car, until displaced by Mitta Mitta ex BRS228. In 1991 it was taken to Bendigo and fitted with head-end power in lieu of axle generators, and it is currently under the control of Steamrail.

Campaspe had a similar history until 1927 when it was replaced with a steel dining car; at that time it was transferred to Albury Express as a buffet car, then a hospital car from 6 February 1942 for the length of WWII. It was stored at North Melbourne from 1945 to 1952 when it was converted to sleep 16 men in longitudinal upper and lower bunks with a centre aisle, and retaining a small kitchen and tables for those 16 people to feed. It ended up on Breakdown train at Dynon in the 1980s. Eventually it was allocated to Plan R (Seven-O-Seven Operations) Victoria and later transferred to the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre, where it is currently awaiting restoration to operational condition.

Wimmera ran as a Dining car until 1938, when it was converted to the Medical and Vision Test Car. It was withdrawn from service in 1981, but re-entered service in August 1988 painted blue and yellow on Commonwealth Bogies with the name "Wimmera" on side of car. It is currently at the Newport railway museum.

Long W type carriages

Pullman

Adelaide

S type carriages
  • Main article: S type carriage#Dining and Short and Long Buffet cars - RS, VRS
  • Main article: S type carriage#Buffet cars - Standard Gauge - VFR
  • Main article: S type carriage#Mini-Buffet cars - MBS
  • Main article: S type carriage#Vinelander Refreshment cars - MRS
  • Main article: S type carriage#Buffet cars - New Deal - BRS

Overland
  • Main article: V&SAR Overland carriages#Buffet cars - BRJ

Southern Aurora

N type carriages
  • Main article: N type carriage#Buffet cars - BRN

XPT

XBR/XFR

Preservation
  • Buffet modules fitted to 80ABW, 5ABE

References
  1. Bray, Vincent & Gregory, Steel & Special Coaching Stock of Victoria, 2009, ISBN 978-0-9775056-8-5, p.142-144, 162-165, 184-185, 289, 291
  2. Bray, Vincent & Gregory, Steel & Special Coaching Stock of Victoria, 2009, ISBN 978-0-9775056-8-5, p.226, 236, 241

Comrails Victorianrailways.net

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