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Withdrawn: 19th November 1994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.