SX carriages

A set of SX carriages being pulled by a heritage steam locomotive, photographed from on board the train.

The SX carriages were a type of passenger carriages constructed by Commonwealth Engineering for the Queensland Railways in 1961/62.

History

The SX carriage stainless steel bodyshells were constructed by Commonwealth Engineering, Granville with the fitout undertaken at Rocklea in 1961/62. They were built to operate suburban services on the Brisbane rail network.[1] They shared many components with the New South Wales U set carriages.[2]

Initially hauled by steam and later diesel locomotives, provision was made for their conversion to electric multiple units once the network was electrified. Sixteen seven-carriage sets were completed. The conversion never occurred and they were gradually replaced from the 1980s as EMUs and SMUs entered service.[1] The last was withdrawn on 2 December 1999.[3]

To allow extra services to be operated during the 1987 America's Cup yacht regatta in Fremantle, 14 were leased to Transperth in October 1986. Initially intended as a short term deal, they would remain in Perth until returned to Queensland in 1991.[4][5] Others were exported to the Auckland Regional Council,[6] Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia and State Railway of Thailand.[1][7]

One set has been retained by Queensland Rail's Heritage Division[8] while others have been preserved including seven at the DownsSteam Tourist Railway & Museum.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Dunn, John (2010). Comeng: A History of Commonwealth Engineering Volume 2: 1955-1966. Kenthurst: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 254–260. ISBN 1877058734.
  2. ↑ "Great Survivors" Railway Digest September 1998 page 21
  3. ↑ "Brisbane Surburban Loco-Hauled Train Finale" Railway Digest January 2000 page 8
  4. ↑ Gray, Bill; May, Andrew (2006). A History of WAGR Passenger Carriages. Perth: Bill Gray. pp. 324–328. ISBN 0-646-45902-3.
  5. ↑ Higham, Geoffrey (2007). Marble Bar to Mandurah: A history of passenger rail services in Western Australia. Bassendean: Rail Heritage WA. p. 233. ISBN 978 0 9803922 0 3.
  6. ↑ Queensland Rail SX Carriages Zig Zag Railway
  7. ↑ Three QR SX sets for State Rail Thailand Queensland Rail Heritage
  8. ↑ Stainless steel (SX) Carriages Queensland's Great Trains
  9. ↑ SX Carriages DownsSteam Tourist Railway & Museum
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