E Type Carriage - Design

Design

Carriages on Victorian long-distance express services at the start of the 20th century were, in comparison to the Pullman cars operated by the New South Wales Government Railways relatively cramped and austere. Chairman of Commissioners Thomas Tait, previously the Transportation Manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway, introduced a carriage design that was 71 feet (22 m) long, and as wide as the loading gauge allowed. Much of their external design was based on typical Canadian carriage design, with a clerestory roof curved at the ends, doors only at the ends of the car, and six-wheel bogies, although their interior design retained the compartment and corridor layout typical of English railway practice.

The cars were built over a steel truss underframe, with wooden bodies constructed with cedar and clerestory roofs to give ventillation and daytime lighting. Nighttime lighting was initially provided with Pintsch gas, and six-wheeled bogies with eight brake blocks each (two outside the outer wheels and two each per centre wheel) under all vehicles. Drop-toilets for both genders were provided in all passenger vehicles except the dining cars, along with staff toilets in the twelve mail vans.

About three decades into their lives, 15 first-class carriages had air-conditioning added, the first (36AE) being out-shopped in December 1935. It was claimed to the first such car in the British Empire, but was beaten by the Canadian Pacific and the New South Wales Government Railways.