New South Wales Standard suburban carriage stock


The New South Wales Standard suburban carriage stock are a type of electric multiple unit that was operated by the New South Wales Government Railways and its successors between 1926 and 1992. They served on the Sydney suburban network. In the years before their withdrawal, they were nicknamed Red Rattlers.

History

To provide rolling stock for the electrification of Sydney's suburban rail network, steel carriages were ordered.
The initial 50 power cars were built in England by Leeds Forge Company and shipped to Australia in knocked-down condition. They were assembled by Eveleigh Carriage Workshops and Clyde Engineering between April and October 1925. Initially numbered 2213-2262, they entered service being inserted into sets with Bradfield carriages for haulage by steam locomotives until fitted with Metropolitan-Vickers electrical equipment and motors in 1926. At this stage they were renumbered C3101 to C3150.
Between 1926 and 1929, a further 290 power cars, 248 trailer cars and three parcel vans were built in Australia by Clyde Engineering and Walsh Island Dockyard. In 1937, Clyde Engineering built a further 12 power cars, to provide coverage while the 1920s built power cars were overhauled. The reason for the imbalance between motor and trailer cars was the conversion of some American Suburban carriage stock to operate with the new power cars.
NumbersBuilderYears BuiltTotalNotes
C3101-C3150Leeds Forge Company192550Initially entered service as locomotive hauled
carriages 2213-2262
C3151-C3170Clyde Engineering1926-2720
C3171-C3220Walsh Island Dockyard1926-2750
C3221-C3250Clyde Engineering192630
C3251-C3300Walsh Island Dockyard192850
C3301-C3440Clyde Engineering1928-29140
C3441-C3452Clyde Engineering193712
C3901-C3903Clyde Engineering19283Parcel vans
T4301-T4548Walsh Island Dockyard1927-29248T4543-T4548 rebuilt as
driving trailers D4051-D4056 in 1937

In 1937, six trailers were converted to driving trailers. Between 1968 and 1975, some power cars were fitted with two motor air suspended bogies. These were renumbered upwards by 4000, e.g. C3306 became C7306.

Colour Schemes and Overhauls

As built, the standard cars were painted in Tuscan red and russet with yellow pin striping. In the 1940s, that was changed to Tuscan red with buff lining. In 1957, the livery was changed to plain Tuscan red, which many cars retained until their withdrawal. From 1973, the livery became Public Transport Commission blue and white, before that was superseded by Indian red in 1976. The original cream and brown interiors were repainted in two-tone green, but that was not done to all cars. Overhauls of the stock continued up until 1988, with some receiving sliding aluminium Beclawat windows to alleviate rust problems. A few cars also received Airmate pantographs, replacing the original Dorman Long pantographs.

Withdrawal

Withdrawals commenced in the 1970s, 92 remained in service with CityRail in July 1991. The last were withdrawn in 1992. Several have been preserved.

Preservation

Set F1, which is made up of four carriages, is preserved and in operational status. This is as a result of collaboration between Sydney Trains, Transport Heritage NSW, who plan public trips and tours on the train, and Historic Electric Traction. The restored train resumed carrying passengers on June 11, 2016, 14 years since its last such trip. One of the carriages of set F1, power car C3426, led the first electric train to cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge. All four cars were built in 1927.
The Sydney Electric Train Society has two preserved cars. These are motor cars C3104 and C3444.
Historic Electric Traction has multiple Standard cars. These include parcel van C3653, as well as motor and trailers cars.
Due to their width, Transport for NSW limits the speed of these carriages to 80 km/h during normal running and 20 km/h when passing platforms. They are further limited to running in wide gauge track areas only, which includes the whole suburban network, but does not include the Main North or West lines leaving Sydney.