Constructed 1954–59 | Number built 21 | |
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Fleet numbers 100 to 106, 250 to 260, 280 to 282 Capacity 250 class: 56 (some reduced to 52)100 class: 72280 class 20 tonnes (20 long tons; 22 short tons) Operator(s) | ||
The Bluebird Railcars are a self-propelled railcar built at the Islington Railway Workshops for the South Australian Railways between 1954 and 1959.
History
The Bluebird Railcars were built to provide modern air-conditioned services on the country passenger rail system where the patronage did not warrant the use of locomotive hauled passenger trains, and to replace the ageing fleet of Brill railcars introduced in 1924.
21 Bluebirds were manufactured by the South Australian Railways' Islington Railway Workshops. The fleet consisted of 11 second class passenger power cars (250 class), 3 baggage power cars (280 class) and 7 first class passenger trailer cars (100 class). They were first introduced in October 1954 with the last unit entering service on 12 November 1959. The 100 and 250 class were named after birds; the 280 class were not named and only carried road numbers. They operated services on the broad gauge network from Adelaide to Burra, Gladstone, Moonta, Morgan, Mount Gambier, Nuriootpa and Victor Harbor. Three matching powered vans were also constructed.
The Bluebirds were initially powered by two Cummins NHHS-600 engines. These were replaced in the early 1960s by Cummins NHHRS engines and in the mid-1970s by Cummins NT 855s. A General Motors 3-71 provided auxiliary power, this was replaced by a Deutz unit.
In March 1978 all were included in the transfer of the South Australian Railways to Australian National. By 1985, 10 had been fitted with standard gauge bogies for use on services to Port Pirie, Whyalla and Broken Hill. In December 1989, the 100 class trailers began to be used as sitting carriages on the Indian Pacific and The Overland. They were also converted for use as crew carriages on Trans-Australian Railway services. The last were withdrawn in January 1993 and placed in store at Mile End and later Islington Railway Workshops. In May 1995, 257 was donated to the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide.
In 1997 15 Bluebirds were sold to Bluebird Rail. In May 1998 Bluebird Rail commenced operating the Barossa Wine Train from Adelaide to Tanunda via the Barossa Valley line with three refurbished Bluebirds (102, 251 and 252). This ceased in April 2003 with the railcars stored at the National Railway Museum.
In 1998 another four Bluebirds (106, 107, 254 and 255) were refurbished and hired to V/Line for Gippsland line services to Warragul and Traralgon. Following numerous failures whilst being trialled on the Gippsland line, the railcars were returned in June 1999. One (103) was sold to Northern Rivers Railroad for use on its Murwillumbah line charter train.
In 2003 some returned to Victoria for a proposed service to Mildura, however this again did not commence.