Passenger Coaches

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As with any passenger carrying railway there is a need for suitable carriages for people to travel in. As Western Australia never as such had any 2ft gauge Passenger Carrying railways, the BBR had to build its own Carriages. 

Initially the railway commenced operating with the small industrial locomotives from the "Maylands clay pits" and " Whiteman Brick". Carriages (Small Stock) for the these locomotives to haul were first built on the chassis' from hopper wagons ex Maylands Clay Pits,  "Citra Wagons" and ex gold mine ore hoppers from the Lake View and Star Goldmine in Kalgoorlie.

All "Small Stock" carriages use a "Link & Pin" style coupling. BV1 is the only vehicle fitted with braking equipment being a "Hand Brake operated by the train Guard.

 

Link and Pin.jpg (89942 bytes) Link and Pin Coupling as used on Small Stock.

A very simple style of coupling used quite commonly throughout the world on Narrow Gauge equipment. A loop or link is inserted through the gap in the buffer face and a pin inserted behind the buffer face to retain the link. 

Care needs to be taken when lifting the link to an approaching buffer face when coupling to another vehicle. This is often done using a thin bar or similar to raise the link to a suitable receiving height. The bar is then quickly removed when the link is in place before the buffer faces meet.

On BBR Passenger Trains thick rubber plates were used to provide spacing out of the buffer faces as well as to provide some cushioning effect.

 

C1.jpg (126089 bytes)

C 1

4 Wheel Passenger Carriage - built by W.A.L.R.P.A on Maylands Clay Pit chassis.

Entered service **/*/1983

Currently out of service and derelict in storage yard.

 

 

C2.jpg (114744 bytes) C 2

4 Wheel Passenger Carriage - built by W.A.L.R.P.A on Maylands Clay Pit  chassis.

Entered service **/*/1983

Currently out of service and derelict in storage yard.

 

 

C3.jpg (123677 bytes) C3

4 Wheel Passenger Carriage - built by W.A.L.R.P.A on Maylands Clay Pit chassis.

Entered service **/*/1983

Restored to operational service on a "Citra" chassis, for the BBR's 21st Birthday Celebrations during December 2005

 

C1 C2 & C3 were originally built on chassis' from hopper wagons used at the Maylands clay pits. Although the wheel profiles were not ideal, at the time they were all that was available. After about a year, a new chassis became available. These were chassis' from an articulated tunnelling spoil train used by Citra Constructions. They were located in a scrap yard and 10 chassis' were purchased. The single axle chassis' were cut in half and the halves with an axle, welded together to form a 4 wheel chassis which became known to BBR members as "Citra Wagons". These had much better wheel profiles and rubber suspension. The “C” wagons were mounted onto the new chassis' by the simple expedient of removing the hopper wagon axle boxes and attaching the wagon, chassis and all, on top of the new chassis and fitting new couplers. This improved the ride and raised the height of the vehicles relative to the platforms.

Once the railways “Large Stock” came into regular use, the C wagons fell out of use, and over a period of time the bodies were removed from the chassis' and they were then used as workshop bogies.

Recently two of the "Citra" chassis' have been used as flat wagons for collecting discarded old sleepers from around the line where their low height was an advantage for easy loading. These have subsequently been joined with a “Well" frame to carry the railway’s mini-excavator, which has been acquired to mechanise sleeper handling.

A third "Citra" chassis was re-united with its C wagon body for use at the railway’s anniversary dinner as a representative of the railway’s original stock. It is still in service in this form.

The three above mentioned Citra wagons, as such, still see use on the mainline.

The remaining two "Citra" chassis are still in use at the depot at Mussel Pool as workshop bogies.

 

C4.jpg (39500 bytes)

C4

4 Wheel Passenger Carriage - built by BBR on ex L,V&S ore hopper Chassis (Malcolm Moore built).

Only in service for about 4 years and later scrapped.

Unlike the other C wagons - entry/exit of C4 was only possible from the platform side.

 

 

C4 was a later addition to the “C” wagon set. 

This vehicle was originally built as a flat wagon using the chassis of one of the L,V+S side dump ore cars, and was used during construction of the railway. Once ballasting was required, the flat car deck was removed and stored, and a Jones coupler fitted at one end for use as a match wagon between link and pin coupler stock and equipment fitted with Jones couplers.

After this work was finished, the flat wagon body was eventually refitted and sides and seats added to generally match the other “C” wagons. As the “C” wagons fell into disuse, the chassis from C4 was re-united with one of the LV+S hopper bodies, and ran in this form for a couple of Enthusiast’s Days. This chassis has now been lengthened and used to rail mount the railway’s large diesel air compressor "Blowhard".

 

BV1.jpg (18973 bytes)

BV 1

4 Wheel Passenger Brake Carriage - built by BBR on ex L,V&S ore hopper Chassis (Malcolm Moore built). Fitted with handbrake wheel in guard compartment. Completed mid 1983

 Entered service 04/8/1984 - Still in use

 

 

ALV 11 12.jpg (36871 bytes) ALV 11 & 12

4 Wheel Passenger Carriage - built by BBR on ex L,V&S ore hopper Chassis (Malcolm Moore built). 

Entered service **/*/1985? - Still in use

 

 

sml stock.jpg (53130 bytes)

 

This Picture shows the entire small stock train being hauled by Planet #1 ( in its original form) on a day when "Rally Australia" was held at Whiteman Park.

Consist - Planet #1, ALV 11 & 12, C 1, 2, 3 & 4 and BV1 at the rear

SmlstockGR M 061990.jpg (85657 bytes) Similar to the picture above but from the opposite end with 0-4-0T "Golden Ridge" and Maylands as the motive power in June 1990

Consist -  BV1, C 1, 2, 3 & 4 and ALV 11 & 12 at the rear

 

On arrival of much larger locomotives and the realisation that the railway could not continue to sustain operations using the earlier "Small Stock" equipment, it was decided that there was a need to produce full size passenger carriages ("Large Stock"). 

These have been built using ex WAGR 30 ft - QBB, R and V class freight wagons which have had the bogies "Cut and Shut " and the axles shortened. 

All "Large Stock" carriages are fitted with Vacuum operated brakes and a hand/parking brake. The Drawgear used is ex WAGR "Jones" style drag hook coupling.

AQ4745.jpg (122760 bytes)

 

AQ 4745 is a BBR built 2nd Class Carriage

Built on former WAGR - QBB 4745 chassis, this carriage is fully fitted with window glazing and is concertina fitted at one end. Entered service 21/9/1986

AQ1788.jpg (77112 bytes)

 

AQ 1788 is a BBR built 2nd Class Carriage

Built on former WAGR - QBB 1788 chassis, this carriage is mostly in original construction condition with no glazing of the windows. It has rebuilt doors and a concertina fitted at both ends. Entered service 21/9/1986

 

AQB2970.jpg (104102 bytes)

 

AQB 2970 is a BBR built 1st Class Brake Carriage

Built on former WAGR - QBB 2970 chassis, this carriage is fitted with a Guards Compartment, Brake Instrument, Brake Wheel and a Concertina at the non "Brake" end. Entered service 21/9/1986

AQ Coaches.jpg (66718 bytes)

 

The first 3 Large Stock carriages built by BBR are seen here together in original paint scheme, with Gemco - PW27 "Wyndham" on the lead.
AV3273.jpg (112385 bytes)

 

AV 3273 is a BBR built Buffet/Party Carriage

Built using former WAGR - V 3251 chassis and body, this carriage is fitted with tables and seats, a Bar servery area and a Brake Instrument. Entered service 17/9/1989

AR1638.jpg (123170 bytes)

 

AR 1638 is a BBR built Open Passenger Carriage with Roof 

Built on former WAGR - R 1638 chassis this carriage is of open plan arrangement and has no fixed seating. It was designed and built with wheelchair access. Fitted with "Roll Up" windows. It is fitted with concertinas at both ends. Entered service **/**/19**

R 3644.jpg (111049 bytes)

 

R 3644 is a ex WAGR 2 door R Open Goods Wagon.

It has been fitted with Bus seats for passenger seating and has had the "Drop" side doors modified for access. Entered service **/**/19**

RP 1783.jpg (101968 bytes)

 

RP 1783 is a ex WAGR 2 door R Open Goods Wagon.

It has been fitted with a Roof, Bus seats for passenger seating and has had the "Drop" side doors modified for access. One end has been modified, ready for fitting of a Concertina for through train access. Entered service **/**/19**

RP 4461.jpg (118001 bytes)

 

RP 4461 is a ex WAGR 4 door R Open Goods Wagon.

It has been fitted with a Roof, Bus seats for passenger seating and has had the "Drop" side doors modified for access. Reputed to be the only remaining example of a WAGR 4 Door R wagon. Entered service **/**/19**

Concertina1.jpg (99165 bytes) Concertina2.jpg (96566 bytes) BBR Concertinas were designed and built by founding BBR member K. Watson for use on BBR passenger carriages.

These Concertinas introduced in 1996, allow through passage from one carriage to the next on BBR trains where in use.

Concertina3.jpg (108729 bytes)
 

 

In September 2004 the BBR was offered the locomotive and coaches originally used on the 610mm (2ft) gauge Harvey Fruit Bowl/Big Orange railway at Tilden Orchard Harvey. These carriages are in use on the BBR on a long term loan agreement, that they be kept in working order. BBR is grateful to the Brajkovich Family for their kind donation. Click here for more info on Harvey Equipment

ADL 101, 102 & 103

Toast Rack style carriages built in Harvey using wheels built by Connellan of Queensland.

Arrived at the Mussel Pool depot on 26/06/06

Entered service 20/10/2006

 

MSCoacharr240609.jpg (126097 bytes)  
 

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