Heritage Carriages
Heritage Carriages – 1897
These two carriages are from the former Set 21 and are designated : CBA 850 HLF 854
Set 21 was built by Ritchie Brothers of Auburn in 1897. The cars entered service with gas lighting and varnished exteriors. They were converted to electric lighting during August 1930. Set 21 was painted either during the 1920s or when the set received electric lighting.
In March 1941 they were converted to a first class car with centre lavatory and a second class car with Guards accommodation and centre lavatory. At this time, they would have been painted in Tuscan Red and Russet.
At some time during the late 1950s or early 1960s the carriages were modernised to their present form. They would then have been painted into the Indian Red colour scheme. In 1969, one car was altered to provide composite accommodation for both first and second class seating.
Following the final withdrawal of all of these old-style carriages from the Illawarra Line early in 1977, Set 21 was purchased by the Rail Transport Museum. During the mid 1990s they were transferred to BHP Port Kembla on loan for their internal excursion services until this service ceased in 2006. They have been in under cover storage at Bluescope Steel ever since then until their transfer on loan to Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway (OTHR) in May 2010.
HLF854 & CBA850 reunited at Oberon Station ©Peter Culley
For more details on the history of “American Cars” see – OTHR carriage history
The reference to Set 21 can be found on pages 39-42 of Coaching Stock of New South Wales Volume 2.
Carriage HS36
“Coaching Stock of the NSW Railways, Volume 1″ from Eveleigh Press HS36 Built as AJ1 in March 1891, became AJ36 in 1892 converted to HS36 December 1935 and used on branch service until retired. Listed on the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage Website
Under construction 18th July 2024
End Platform Car LFA1958
LFA 1958 is one of the relatively few surviving examples of the “American” style end-platform cars of the early twentieth century which were a common form of railway passenger vehicle on the NSW railway system. It illustrates the adoption of American design and construction techniques by the NSW Railways in the late nineteenth century and demonstrates the use of late nineteenth century features of carriage construction in its materials and design, particularly the use of timber for carriage underframes, into the early years of the twentieth century. It has performed as part of the early and mid-twentieth century suburban railway services in NSW and has strong period aesthetic qualities. The alterations to the car demonstrates how the railways adapted carriages in line with technological and commercial conditions. This car spent its operating life in carriage-set No. 10 together with other similar vehicles.
From – Heritage Data Form Rolling Stock S170 Register
Under construction 18th July 2024