VR Sleeping/State Cars
Enterprise and Perseverance were in service 18/02/1890 and 5/06/1890 respectively and were constructed as sleeping cars on the Ararat to Portland line. This service stopped by 1898 and both cars were repurposed.
After the sleeping service was disbanded on the Portland line they served for a short time as sleeping cars on the Melbourne to Albury train. Perseverance was modified and renamed “Inspection” in 1900 It was again internally modified and renamed “Norman” 20/01/1921 being taken off register in 1962. When State Car 1 was scrapped the underframe was placed under Norman. The existing Norman is a hybrid of both cars. In use for many years with the railway commissioners this car would have travelled on every line extant from 1930 till withdrawn from service. It was used for royal tours and many times on the RESO train. It is now used as a display car at the North Williamstown Railway Museum. Enterprise was converted to State Car 1 in 1900. It was scrapped 28/08/1956 Both cars were wooden construction with 64’ long bodies and were 9’ 6.5” wide. They had end platforms which were used for access
ABOVE: ENTERPRISE in as built condition. BELOW: After it was modified to No 1 State. photo date 1931.
ABOVE: Diagram of No1 State car from 1904 diagrams book.
ABOVE & BELOW: No1 State car, this photo was likely taken after its removal from service, just before it was scrapped in 1956
ABOVE & BELOW: No known photos exist of Perserverance but after conversion to Norman there are quite a few photos, these two were taken in 1927
ABOVE: Diagram of Inspection car, after it was converted from Perserverance but before it became Norman (1921). From 1904 diagrams book.
ABOVE: AVON started life as a joint stock sleeper built in 1886, known as a "Mann Boudior car" it was removed from joint stock service in 1908. The car was named AVON in 1911.
ABOVE: No 1 sleeper at Sth Dynon Sep 1985. Built as "Werribee" in 1928. It was equipped with air conditioning and reclassified No 1 sleeper, date unknown. photo courtesy Rob O'Regan.
ABOVE: No 2 sleeper photographed circa1937. Built as "INDI" in 1928. It was classified No 2 sleeper in 1937. PROV photo.
ABOVE: Ovens entered service Aug 1928 when this photo was taken. It was initially used on the Mildura line according to the 1929 Annual Report. In 1938 it was recoded to No 3 sleeper. BELOW: No 3 Sleeper at Sth Dynon, Oct 1984, photo courtesy Rob O'Regan
ABOVE: COLIBAN was a joint stock sleeper built in 1923 at Newport workshops. In 1969 it was removed from joint stock service and reclassified as Sleeper No 7. It regained its original name sometime in the 1970's.
This is the content for Layout P Tag
ABOVE: sleeping car No 4 at Sth Dynon Oct 1984. The car 'Buchan' was built new at Newport Workshops by the butty gang Gaulton and Party. It was placed into service on 31/8/1923. The car had 20 sleeping berths. On the 20/7/1938 the car became Sleeper 4. photo courtesy Rob O'Regan
ABOVE: No 10 sleeper began life in 1907 as "Melbourne" sleeping car. In 1910 it was renamed "Loddon". In 1969 it was removed from joint stock service and reclassified as No 10 sleeper. photo Jan 1983 courtesy Rob O'Regan.
ABOVE: Sleeper No 11 began life as a joint stock sleeper, Allambi, on the Overland, built in 1949 by the SAR. In 1972 it was taken out of joint stock service for the introduction of the Vinelander and classified as Sleeper No 11. photo courtesy Rob O'Regan Sept 1984.
ABOVE: Sleeper No 13 began life as a joint stock sleeper, Weroni, on the Overland, built in Dec 1950 by the SAR. In Dec 1971it was taken out of joint stock service for the introduction of the Vinelander and classified as Sleeper No 13. photo courtesy Rob O'Regan Oct 1984.
ABOVE & BELOW: Sleepers 15 and 16 were reclassified from VAC 1 and VAC 2 and released to service in Feb 1978. In 1984 they were reclassified to SS. photo courtesy Rob O'Regan April 1984.
