Commonwealth Railways
Standard Gauge
Class operators: Commonwealth Railways
Condition: Good
Provenance: Commonwealth Railways
Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust
Built by: Wegmann, Kassell, Germany
Number in class: 3
Entered service: 15th November 1952
Withdrawn: November 1980
Entered the museum: 23rd January 1996
Length (over coupling points): 75’ 2’’ (22.9 metres)
The introduction of two luxury train sets on the Commonwealth Railways in 1952 resulted in a marked increase in passenger travel on the Trans-Australian Railway (4 foot 8½ inch gauge – 1435mm). Each fully air-conditioned set was constructed by Messrs. Wegmann and Company, of Kassel in West Germany, and consisted of a round-end first-class sleeper-observation car, two first class sleeping cars, lounge car, dining car, second-class sleeper-lounge car, two second class sleeping cars and a combination brake and power van.
The gathering place for first class passengers was the lounge car. AFA93 is divided into three sections – smoking room, music room and ladies reading room. The panelling throughout was cut from the matched roots of elm trees, and scenes of various castles in the area in which the carriage was constructed are inlaid in various woods on the walls. The seats were upholstered in moquette, except for the smoking saloon which featured red leather. Externally the carriages had maroon sides banded with silver below the window line, a white roof and a black skirt below floor level. The letters C.R. on either side of an Australian coat of arms were attached to every carriage.
In 1964 AFA93 was transferred to narrow gauge (3 foot 6 inch gauge – 1067mm) for use on the Ghan until services ceased in 1980. Australian National then stored the carriage until it was donated to the Railway Museum in late 1995, arriving on site at the museum on 23rd February 1996.
During 2001 it was fully restored and painted in Commonwealth Railways livery.