Pay car PA281 was one of three identical vehicles constructed by Commonwealth Engineering for the Commonwealth Railways. It entered service on 24th March 1972 on standard gauge bogies and was principally used on the Tea and Sugar service that operated out of Port Augusta across the Trans-Australian Railway line to Kalgoorlie. One of the other pay cars also operated on the Tea and Sugar in rotation with PA281, with the remaining vehicle being operated on the narrow gauge Central Australian Railway between Maree and Alice Springs.
As built, the vehicle provided non-air conditioned accommodation for two people between Port Augusta and Kalgoorlie. It has an open end platform at one end that leads into the customer service area. Externally all three pay cars were painted all over white with black bogies and underframe. Their classification and road numbers were displayed in raised white lettering on the right hand end of the underframe on each side of the vehicles.
In addition to the pay function, pay car PA281 also acted as a mobile agency for the Commonwealth Bank.
Few major changes were made to PA281 until 1986 when it was fitted with a split air-conditioning system, followed in 1988 by hot water being connected to the hand basins and kitchen sink. Modifications were also made to the running gear in 1989.
The withdrawal from service date is uncertain, but it is likely to have occurred in 1995 when the Tea and Sugar service ceased operation. The vehicle’s TIMS rolling stock record shows it last being serviced/repaired on 24th October 1995.
In 1995 the Museum approached Australian National (AN) about selling the pay car. Unfortunately they declined the request and the vehicle remained in the open at Port Augusta, in the Spencer Junction yard. As part of the sale of AN, in 1997, the vehicle’s ownership passed to Australian Southern Railroad (ASR) who initially considered the possibility of returning it to service as a crew car. It remained at Port Augusta until August 2001 when, along with a number of other out of service vehicles that had been subject to vandalism, it was moved to the Islington Workshop for storage.
In February 2006 the Museum purchased the vehicle. It was transferred by road to Port Adelaide on 16th February 2006.
Details
Standard gauge: 1435mm
Condition: Excellent
Entered service: 24.3.1972
Entered the Museum: 16.2.2006
Number in class: 3
Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust
Provenance: Commonwealth Railways and
Australian National Railways ANR
Withdrawn: approximately 1995
1976 Stirling North CR pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, General Print Collection (RF16013.jpg)16.2.2006 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide pay car PA281 – rf#11921 (124-1338-n014-28) 16.2.2006 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide pay car PA281 – rf#11921 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Ron Fluck Negative Collection (CRS 124-1338)21.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia shunt – AN Pay car PA281 (275-373-p1053288) 21.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia shunt – AN Pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)21.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia shunt – AN Pay car PA281 (275-373-p1053287) 21.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia shunt – AN Pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 (275-373-p1053241) 20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 (275-373-p1053240) 20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 (275-373-p1053239) 20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 (275-373-p1053238) 20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 (275-373-p1053237) 20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 (275-373-p1053227) 20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 (275-373-p1053225) 20.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)6.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia railcar Bluebird BWT 251 + Pay car PA281 (275-373-p1053156) 6.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia railcar Bluebird BWT 251 + Pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)6.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia railcar Bluebird BWT 251 + Pay car PA281 (275-373-p1053155) 6.9.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia railcar Bluebird BWT 251 + Pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated (275-373-p1049931) 31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated (275-373-p1049930) 31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated (275-373-p1049929) 31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated (275-373-p1049927) 31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated (275-373-p1049926) 31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated (275-373-p1049925) 31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated (275-373-p1049924) 31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated (275-373-p1049923) 31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated (275-373-p1049922) 31.05.2008 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia AN Pay car PA281 being undercoated – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)26.2.1997 Spencer Junction – Port Augusta – South Australia AN pay car PA281 (275-372-11763-k) 26.2.1997 Spencer Junction – Port Augusta – South Australia AN pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Slide Collection (CRS 275-372)26.2.1997 Spencer Junction – Port Augusta – South Australia AN pay car PA281 (275-372-11760-k) 26.2.1997 Spencer Junction – Port Augusta – South Australia AN pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Slide Collection (CRS 275-372)26.2.1997 Spencer Junction – Port Augusta – South Australia AN pay car PA281 (275-372-11759-k) 26.2.1997 Spencer Junction – Port Augusta – South Australia AN pay car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Slide Collection (CRS 275-372)27.4.1992 Port Augusta – South Australia AN pay car PA281 (275-372-10575-k)16.2.2006 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide pay car PA281 – rf#11922 (124-1338-n016-07) 16.2.2006 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide pay car PA281 – rf#11922 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Ron Fluck Negative Collection (CRS 124-1338)12.7.2014 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia CR loco GM2 + CR pay car PA281 – Fitch Pavilion (275-373-p1119934) 12.7.2014 National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia CR loco GM2 + CR pay car PA281 – Fitch Pavilion – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)12.2.2011 Fitch Pavilion – National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia Tea and Sugar display – AN Pay Car PA281 – loco CR GM2 (275-373-p1092256) 12.2.2011 Fitch Pavilion – National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia Tea and Sugar display – AN Pay Car PA281 – loco CR GM2 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)12.2.2011 Fitch Pavilion – National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia Tea and Sugar display – AN Pay Car PA281 (275-373-p1092255) 12.2.2011 Fitch Pavilion – National Railway Museum – Port Adelaide – South Australia Tea and Sugar display – AN Pay Car PA281 – National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide, Chris Drymalik Digital Camera Photos (CRS 275-373)
