Victorian Railways "AE" Type CarriagesComrails Logo

Victorian Railways "AE" Type Carriages

AE type - 1 to 42, 51, 52

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1 to 5 AE 6 to 10 AE 11 to 15 AE 16 to 20 AE
21 to 25 AE 26 to 30 AE 31 to 35 AE 36 to 40 AE
41 AE 42 AE 51 AE 52 AE

Built between 1906 and 1923 at Newport Workshops. A total of 42 cars in the group, 10 of which were used for V&SAR Joint Stock. Number 1 thru 4 were Victorian Railways, 5 thru 10 V&SAR Joint Stock, 11 thru 38 Victorian Railways and 39 thru 42 V&SAR Joint Stock. Each car weight 35 tons when built, but was increased to 36 tons 10 cwt when steel anti-telescoping reinforcement were applied.

Passenger capacity was 48 people in 8 compartments, 6 feet 10 inch long, comprising 1 ladies, 5 non-smoking and 2 smoking. Ladies and smoking compartments were at opposite end of a 55 feet 7¼ inch long by 2 feet 3 inch wide corridor. Two swing doors were originally provided to separate the ladies and smoking compartments from the 5 central non-smoking. Lavatory and washroom facilities are provided at the end of the coach, being 3 feet 11-5/8 inch and 3 feet 10-5/8 inch respectively. Provision of a recess for the sliding end door accounts for the shorter length of the washroom.

Ventilation was by a hand operated opening in the clerestory section of the roof, while the two windows in each compartment (originally in two sections), were of a single lift type and the seats are provided with folding arm rests.

During preparation to fit automatic couplers, the underframes were strengthened and special anti-telescoping verticle R.S. Joints were fitted to each end.

In 1936 the V&SAR Joint Stock cars were painted Hawthorn green with black stripes edged in gilt The Overland in chrome letters and mounted on two chromed bars affixed centrally on the letter boards. These cars reverted to Victorian Railways red-brown from 1943 because of problems keeping the cars clean.

Four of the Victorian Railways cars were rebuilt with Stones electro-mechanical air conditioning equipment (36 AE, 3 AE, 12 AE and 1 AE). New weight after fitting was 44 tons 11 cwt. These cars were all converted to BE's between 1960 and 1965.

One V&SAR Joint Stock car was destroyed at Callington in 1929.

See also: Kiewa, Moyne, Taggerty.

Statistics

Length71 feet
Bogie Centres53 feet 10 inch
Overall height13 feet 8¼ inch
Overall width9 feet 6 inch
Length over buffing plates74 feet 1¼ inch
Length when auto couplers fitted74 feet 4¼ inch
Wheelbase10 feet (fully equalized bogies)


31.3.1986 50BES spencer street Geelong train

AE 1 -- BE 50 -- BES 50

28.8.1906Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
27.3.1937Rebuilt with Stones electro-mechanical air conditioning.
8.1960Fitted with Spirit of Progress bogies.
18.12.1962Converted to "50 BE".
7.10.1982Converted to "50 BES". The interior was also upgraded at this time.
11.1986Underwent overhaul/repaint at Bendigo North Workshops.
24.12.1991Withdrawn and allocated to Australian Railway Historical Society Museum/SLSPG.

AE 2

28.8.1906Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
15.12.1983Off Register.
5.1986In posession of Australian Railway Historical Society Victorian Division.
18.10.1986In service Steamrail.
late 1980sFully restored by Bendigo Workshops for form part of the V/LINE Heritage Train.

AE 3 -- BE 51 -- AE 51

30.10.1906Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
3.1937Fitted with automatic couplers.
28.1.1938Rebuilt with Stones electro-mechanical air conditioning.
8.1960Fitted with Spirit of Progress bogies.
6.12.1962Converted to "51 BE".
4.10.1981Still in service V/LINE.
12.1982Recoded "51 AE". Interior upgraded
24.12.1991Withdrawn and stripped of airconditioning, electrical equipment and bogies.

AE 4

First class compartment seating car for use on The Overland.

30.10.1906Issued to service
after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
29.3.1984Off register.
28.8.1984Sold to a buyer from Main Ridge.

AE 5

First class compartment seating car for use on The Overland.

24.10.1907Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
27.12.1929Destroyed in Callington accident.

AE 6

First class compartment seating car for use on The Overland.

24.10.1907Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
16.10.1974Condemned.
4.1971,Port Augusta - remains of SAR passenger carriage 550

AE 7 -- 550 -- R 2604

First class compartment seating car for use on The Overland.

24.10.1907Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
22.2.1952Transferred to the South Australian Railways and renumbered "550". Painted in primrose and hawthorn, and lettered first class.
1963Sold to Commonwealth Railways, but never user.
1976At Port Augusta in poor condition, eventually disposed off.
14.9.1977Body removed and underframe converted to "R 2604" - fitted with camp unit "S179" and "S180"[blc]
20.11.1993Written off.

AE 8 -- 551 -- W 144 -- Theatrette car

First class compartment seating car for use on The Overland.

24.10.1907Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
22.2.1952Transferred to the South Australian Railways on and renumbered "551". Painted in primrose and hawthorn, and lettered first class.
1961Sold to Commonwealth Railways and aparently stored awaiting conversion.
23.8.1963Overhaul of bogies.
25.9.1963Converted to Mobile Theatrette Car and classified "W 144".

AE 9

First class compartment seating car for use on The Overland.

30.10.1907Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
16.10.1974Condemned.

AE 10

First class compartment seating car for use on The Overland.

30.10.1907Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
16.10.1974Condemned.
6.4.1976Scrapped V/LINE.

AE 11

15.8.1908Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Herbert and party.
24.8.1971Withdrawn.
20.10.1971Scrapped at Newport Workshop.
31.3.1986 52AE spencer street Geelong train 22<sup>nd</sup> April 1989,Spencer street sitting car 52AE

AE 12 -- BE 52 -- AE 52

28.8.1908Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Herbert and party.
10.4.1935Fitted with automatic couplers.
15.12.1939Rebuilt with Stones electro-mechanical air conditioning.
11.8.1962Converted to "52 BE". Fitted with Spirit of Progress bogies.
4.5.1983Recoded "52 AE". Interior upgraded
1991Fitted with a conductor workstation.
24.12.1991Withdrawn
7.1.1992Allocated to SteamRail. In running condition and painted blue and gold.

AE 13

3.8.1908Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop .
4.10.1981Still in service V/LINE.
22.8.1984Withdrawn.
31.8.1984Sold to a buyer from Heyfield.

AE 14

3.8.1908Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
29.3.1972Withdrawn.
15.6.1972Scrapped at Newport.

AE 15

26.8.1908Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Robertson and party.
18.9.1973Scrapped at Ballarat North Workshops.

AE 16

26.8.1908Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Scott and party.
29.31972Withdrawn.
16.10.1972Scrapped at Newport workshop.

AE 17

15.8.1908Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Scott and party.
28.8.1970Withdrawn.
10.7.1974Scrapped Newport.
23<sup>rd</sup> April 1989,Maldon sitting car 18AE

AE 18

30.6.1909Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
4.10.1981Still in service V/LINE.
14.8.1984Withdrawn.
5.1986In posession of Castlemaine and Maldon Railway.

AE 19

30.6.1909Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
4.10.1981Still in service V/LINE.
23.8.1983Off register.
2.11.1983Sold to a buyer from Taggerty.

AE 20

16.6.1909Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
30.8.1972Scrapped.

AE 21 -- Kiewa

See Kiewa.

AE 22

14.9.1909Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Robertson and party.
13.12.1952Badly damaged by fire in the Dudley Street car siding fire.
17.10.1953Scrapped.

AE 23

14.9.1909Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
10.4.1935Fitted with automatic couplers.
4.10.1981Still in service V/LINE.
2.12.1983Withdrawn.
3.2.1984Sold to a buyer from Whittlesea.
5.1986Report as being in posession of Steamrail Victoria.

AE 24

2.9.1909Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
4.10.1981Still in service V/LINE.
7.10.1983Off Register.
1983Sold to buyer from Rushworth.

AE 25

14.9.1909Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Herbert and Party.
4.10.1981Still in service V/LINE.
18.6.1984Withdrawn.
27.6.1984Sold to buyer from Nambour, Queenskand.

AE 26 -- Moyne

See Moyne.

AE 27

9.11.1910Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Robertson and Party.
29.3.1972Withdrawn.
5.5.1972Scrapped at Ballarat North.

AE 28

14.10.1910Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Herbert and Party.
4.10.1981Still in service V/LINE.
18.6.1984Withdrawn.
10.5.1984Sold to a buyer from Warnambool.

AE 29

9.9.1910Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Gaulton and Party.
29.3.1972Withdrawn.
26.5.1972Scrapped Newport.

AE 30

22.10.1910Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Gaulton and Party.
4.10.1981Still in service V/LINE.
13.5.1985Withdrawn.
18.10.1986In use by Steamrail.
late 1980sTransferred to the V/LINE Heritage train and refurbished.

AE 31

28.10.1910Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Gaulton and Party.
29.3.1972Withdraw.
12.7.1972Underframe was retained (the cedar body removed being burnt as scrap) and converted for steel carrying traffic at Newport.

AE 32

15.9.1910Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
29.3.1972Withdrawn.
16.10.1972Scrapped.

AE 33

9.11.1910Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Smith and Party.
29.3.1972Withdrawn.
15.6.1972Scrapped.

AE 34 -- Taggerty

See Taggerty.

AE 35

19.12.1910Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
-34 AE and 33 BE were burnt to the frame in the crash at Lindenow. New bodies were built over the following 2 years, but by that stage the Victorian Railways wasn't building E cars. They were rebuilt with W car parts, and this is still quite obvious on 33 BE today.
1933Reentered service after rebuild.
29.3.1972Withdrawn.
12.7.1972Scrapped.
Sitting car 36AE after air conditioning had been fitted, circa 1935

AE 36 -- BE 49

12.12.1910Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
23.12.1935Air conditioning installed at Newport, new weight 55 tons. Entered service 23.12.1935 on the Melbourne to Albury line (Sydney Limited). Claimed to be the first air conditioned carriage in the British Empire.
1959repainted blue and gold.
11.1961Converted to "49 BE". Seating was renewed to seat four passengers abreast as is normal in second class corridor cars.
10.7.1976Severly damaged in Laverton derailment.
9.12.1977Withdrawn.
20.5.1978Scrapped.

AE 37 -- HW 1

19.12.1910Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
28.8.1970Withdrawn.
5.5.1971Transferred to bendigo North for conversion to use on the weed spraying train.
15.6.1971Issed to service as "1 HW".
1995transferred to Echica for preservation at the Echuca Loco Shed.

AE 38

19.12.1910Issued to service after being built by the Victorian Railways Newport workshop.
4.10.1981Still in service V/LINE.
2.12.1983Off Register.
14.12.1984Sold "Berrigan NSW".

AE 39

First class compartment seating car for use on The Overland.

14.9.1923Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Sands and Party.
16.10.1974Condemned.
-Underframe and bogies sold to West Coast Railway.
3.2004Offered for Sale by Tender along with a large number of vehicles owned by West Coast Railway.

AE 40

First class compartment seating car for use on The Overland.

31.8.1923Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor McCann and Party.
16.10.1974Condemned.
22.12.1975Sold from Bendigo North Workshops.
12.3.1976Scrapped.

AE 41

First class compartment seating car for use on The Overland.

14.9.1923Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor Sands and Party.
16.10.1974Condemned.

AE 42

First class compartment seating car for use on The Overland.

31.8.1923Issued to service after being built at the Victorian Railways Newport workshop by contractor McCann and Party.
16.10.1974Condemned.
26.3.1976Scrapped.

AE 51

See 3 AE.

AE 52

See 12 AE.