Victorian and South Australian Railways
Broad Gauge
Class operators: South Australian Railways/Victorian and South Australian Railways
Condition: Excellent
Entered service: January 1887
Entered the museum: 27.6.1991
Number in class: 3
Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust
Provenance: V & SAR, SAR
Withdrawn: 1966
This small carriage was originally built as Post Office Van O18 for use on the Intercolonial Express that ran nightly between Adelaide and Melbourne. It was jointly owned by the Victorian and South Australian Railways, and was first used in January 1887.
When new Post Office vans were constructed for the Express in 1908 it become the exclusive property of the South Australian Railways who renumber it 258. Having little use for a mail van, it was converted in 1916 to Officers Inspection car Murray. When the new Commissioner’s car was named Murray in 1934, the old Murray was given the name Willochra, a name that had previously been used on, at that time, a recently condemned sleeping car.
After being condemned in 1966, it was used for accommodation on a farm at Jabuk and eventually ended up at Old Tailem Town Historic Village, in Tailem Bend. In June 1991 it was moved to the Museum.