South Australian Railways Bluebird railcar


The Bluebird railcars were a class of self-propelled diesel-hydraulic railcar built by the South Australian Railways' Islington Railway Workshops 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.
In December 1948, tenders were called for 30 sets of engines, gearboxes, electrical assemblies and compressors. The contract for the engines was awarded to Cummins while the contract for the eight-speed gearboxes was awarded to Cotal of France. All of the engines had been received by May 1952, but problems with the gearboxes meant the first did not arrive until January 1954. Cotal subsequently ceased trading in April 1954 with only six gearboxes having been delivered, so an alternative source was found.
Twenty-one Bluebirds were manufactured by the South Australian Railways' Islington Railway Workshops. The fleet consisted of 11 second-class passenger power cars, three baggage power cars and seven first-class passenger trailer cars. They were first introduced in October 1954; the last unit entered service on 12 November 1959. Their excellent ride, quietness and airconditioning set a new standard in Australian railcars.
The 100 and 250 class were named after birds; the unnamed 280 class baggage cars only carried road numbers. They operated services on the broad-gauge network from Adelaide to Burra, Gladstone, Moonta, Morgan, Mount Gambier, Nuriootpa, South Australia, Port Pirie, Tailem Bend, Terowie and Victor Harbor.
Each Bluebird was powered initially by a pair of Cummins NHHS-600 engines, which were replaced between 1959 and 1965 by Cummins NHHRS engines and again by Cummins NT 855 engines between 1975 and 1977. Auxiliary power was provided by a General Motors 3-71 engine, later replaced by a Deutz unit. In 1971–72, cars 101, 105, 106, 250-253 and 257-259 were fitted with buffet facilities.
In March 1978 all Bluebirds were included in the transfer of the assets of South Australian Railways to Australian National. In 1986, a new computer system required the class leaders to be renumbered as the last member of the class: hence 100 became 107, 250 became 261 and 280 became 283.
By 1985, ten Bluebirds had been fitted with standard-gauge bogies for use on services to Port Pirie, Whyalla and Broken Hill. One was fitted with 20 poker machines, operating tours to Broken Hill from April 1988 to February 1993.
In 1989, shortly before all South Australian country passenger services were withdrawn, the 100 class trailers began to be used as sitting carriages on the Indian Pacific and The Overland. Some 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, no. 257 was donated to the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide.
In 1997, 15 of the railcars were sold to Bluebird Rail Operations, a business of C.O.C. Limited. In May 1998 Bluebird Rail Operations commenced operating the Barossa Wine Train from Adelaide to Tanunda via the Barossa Valley line with three refurbished Bluebirds. The venture ceased in April 2000, after which the railcars were stored at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide.
In 1998 another four were refurbished and hired to V/Line for Gippsland line services from Melbourne to Warragul and Traralgon. Following mechanical failures while being trialled on the Gippsland line, the railcars were returned in June 1999. One was sold to the Northern Rivers Railroad for use on its Murwillumbah line charter train.
In 2003 four returned to Victoria for a proposed service from Melbourne to Mildura, which did not materialise.

Disposition of the railcars

The following table shows the disposition of Bluebird railcars in 2012. To expand it, click in the header cell titled "Notes".
Key:In ServiceWithdrawnPreservedScrapped

NumberOriginal nameIn serviceWithdrawnScrappedCurrent ownerCurrent identityNotes
250QuailRenumbered 261 in 1986. Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Converted to crew car FDAY 4 for FreightLink. Destroyed in a bridge washaway Katherine on 27 December 2011, scrapped.
251LowanBarossa Wine TrainWithdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Returned to service in 1998 for Barossa Wine Train and renamed Chardonnay. Stored at Islington Railway Workshops since 2003.
252Blue WrenBarossa Wine TrainFitted with a buffet in 1972, seating reduced to 52. Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Returned to service in 1998 for Barossa Wine Train and renamed Merlot. Stored at Islington Railway Workshops since 2003.
253PelicanSCT LogisticsPDAY 1Fitted with a buffet in 1972, seating reduced to 52. Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Converted to crew car for SCT Logistics.
254BrolgaCFCL AustraliaCDBY 254Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Renumbered 801 and leased to V/Line 1998-1999. Converted to crew car for CFCLA in 2007.
255CurlewCFCL AustraliaCDBY 255Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Renumbered 802 and leased to V/Line 1998-1999. Converted to crew car for CFCLA in 2007.
256KookaburraFreightLinkFDAY 5Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Converted to crew car for FreightLink in 2003.
257KestrelNational Railway MuseumFitted with a buffet in 1972, seating reduced to 52. Withdrawn 1995 and gifted to the National Railway Museum. Restored to operational condition 2012.
258GoshawkSCT LogisticsPDAY 3Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Converted to crew car for SCT Logistics in 2005.
259PenguinRail Technical ServicesFitted with a buffet in 1972, seating reduced to 52. Converted to locomotive hauled car BM 259 in 1990. Withdrawn 1995 and sold to International Development Services. Sold in 1998 to West Coast Railway. Sold to Rail Technical Services in 2004. Stored.
260CorellaSCT LogisticsPDAY 2Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Converted to crew car for SCT Logistics in 2005.
280Renumbered 283 1986
281
282
100MopokeCFCL AustraliaRZDY 100Renumbered 107 1986. Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Renumbered 811 and leased to V/Line 1998-1999. Renumbered back to 100 and named Cabernet for Barossa Wine Train in 2001. Sold to CFCLA in 2002. Converted to crew car for Pacific National in 2006.
101GrebeFreightLinkFDAY 1Converted to locomotive hauled car BR 101 in 1990. Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Sold to FreightLink 2003 and converted to crew car in 2004.
102PloverCFCL AustraliaConverted to locomotive hauled car BR 102 in 1990. Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Renamed Shiraz for Barossa Wine Train in 2001. Sold to CFCLA in 2003. Stored.
103IbisPacific NationalRZDY 103fitted with 20 poker machines, operating tours to Broken Hill from April 1988 to February 1993. Sold to Northern Rivers Railroad 1999. Sold to Pacific National and converted to crew car in 2006.
104AvocetFreightLinkFDAY 2Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Sold to FreightLink and converted to crew car in 2003.
105SnipeFreightLinkFDAY 3Converted to locomotive hauled car BR 105 in 1990. Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Sold to FreightLink and converted to crew car in 2003.
106BitternCFCL AustraliaRZDY 106Converted to locomotive hauled car BR 106 in 1990. Withdrawn 1995 and sold to Bluebird Rail Operations. Sold to Great Northern Rail Services in 2001. Sold to CFCLA in 2002. Converted to crew car for Pacific National in 2006.