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B2237 Railway carriage, first class, originally third class carriage 16N, later workmans van W363, timber / iron, made by Joseph Wright & Sons of Saltley, Birmingham, England, 1856, used on second railway in New South Wales, the Great Northern Railway between Newcastle and East Maitland, in 1857, re. Click to enlarge.
  • Image 1 of 6, B2237 Railway carriage, first class, originally third class carriage 16N, later workmans van W363, timber / iron, made by Joseph Wright & Sons of Saltley, Birmingham, England, 1856, used on second railway in New South Wales, the Great Northern Railway between Newcastle and East Maitland, in 1857, re. Click to enlarge
  • Image 2 of 6, B2237 Railway carriage, first class, originally third class carriage 16N, later workmans van W363, timber / iron, made by Joseph Wright & Sons of Saltley, Birmingham, England, 1856, used on second railway in New South Wales, the Great Northern Railway between Newcastle and East Maitland, in 1857, re. Click to enlarge
  • Image 3 of 6, B2237 Railway carriage, first class, originally third class carriage 16N, later workmans van W363, timber / iron, made by Joseph Wright & Sons of Saltley, Birmingham, England, 1856, used on second railway in New South Wales, the Great Northern Railway between Newcastle and East Maitland, in 1857, re. Click to enlarge
  • Image 4 of 6, B2237 Railway carriage, first class, originally third class carriage 16N, later workmans van W363, timber / iron, made by Joseph Wright & Sons of Saltley, Birmingham, England, 1856, used on second railway in New South Wales, the Great Northern Railway between Newcastle and East Maitland, in 1857, re. Click to enlarge
  • +2
    Image 5 of 6, B2237 Railway carriage, first class, originally third class carriage 16N, later workmans van W363, timber / iron, made by Joseph Wright & Sons of Saltley, Birmingham, England, 1856, used on second railway in New South Wales, the Great Northern Railway between Newcastle and East Maitland, in 1857, re. Click to enlarge
  • Image 6 of 6, B2237 Railway carriage, first class, originally third class carriage 16N, later workmans van W363, timber / iron, made by Joseph Wright & Sons of Saltley, Birmingham, England, 1856, used on second railway in New South Wales, the Great Northern Railway between Newcastle and East Maitland, in 1857, re. Click to enlarge

Railway carriage used on first railway in New South Wales

This carriage was originally one of 12 third class vehicles ordered for the second railway in New South Wales, established by the Hunter River Railway Company at Newcastle in 1853. Taken over by the Government in 1857, this line became the Great Northern Railway. Carriage rolling stock similar to that used in Sydney was ordered from Joseph Wright and Sons of Birmingham in 1856.

The first class carriage is extremely significant in terms of the history of rolling stock in New South Wales and …

Parts of this object

B2237-2 Screws, for first class railway carriage door, metal, originally third class carriage 16N, later workman’s van W363, timber / iron, made by Joseph Wright & Sons, Saltley, Birmingham, England, 1856, used on second railway in New South Wales, the Great Northern Railway between Newcastle and
Screws for first class railway carriage door
1856

Summary

Object No.

B2237

Object Statement

Railway carriage, first class, originally third class carriage 16N, later workmans van W363, timber / iron, made by Joseph Wright & Sons of Saltley, Birmingham, England, 1856, used on second railway in New South Wales, the Great Northern Railway between Newcastle and East Maitland, in 1857, rebuilt as a first class carriage by apprentices at Apprentice Training College, Public Transport Commission of NSW, Chullora, New South Wales, 1972-1973

Physical Description

This first class carriage was originally built as a third class carriage and was converted into a second class carriage and later into a workman's van. The carriage was rebuilt from the workman's van into the "saloon" configuration of a first class, four-wheel, four-door, 18 window passenger rail vehicle with a seating capacity of 22. It comprises a timber body rebuilt in silver ash, timber roof and underframe with iron wheels, springs and couplings. The frame and wheels are black, the body is varnished timber and the roof is white. Each of the six doors (three on each side) is fitted with brass door handles and grab handles and features the words "First Class" in gold and black block lettering. The number 8 is finished in gold on the side panels closest to the front and rear of the carriage, and the monogram "GSWR", standing for Great Southern and Western Railway, is featured in two places on each side of the carriage. (There is no historical significance to this number, which was chosen at random.) Side chains are not fitted (missing) and the couplings are wrongly welded up. The carriage has no brakes, and footboards run the length of each side. Although the body has been rebuilt, the frame is an original Wright-built frame of 1856, distinguished by the inverted "V" shaped bracket bolted to its side.

The carriage interior does not depict a standard first class carriage of 1855, which comprised three cross compartments, each seating four passengers per side facing each other, with a capacity of 24. Instead the interior has been set out more like a saloon car, with perimeter seating in a large central compartment plus small end compartments, each with one seat. The saloon design featured in the modified Wright-built coupe first class carriage and Picnic Saloon carriages converted in New South Wales in the mid and late 1860s.

The interior features dark green vinyl deep-button upholstery on long perimeter bench seats, plus carpet and wallpaper. A shade or double roof is featured to help keep the carriage cool.

Short URL

https://ma.as/211423

Dimensions

Height

3800 mm

Width

2500 mm

Weight

5200 kg

Source

Credit Line

Gift of Public Transport Commission of NSW, 1976

Acquisition Date

22 September 1976

Cite this Object

Harvard

Railway carriage used on first railway in New South Wales 2023, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, accessed 30 March 2023, <https://ma.as/211423>

Wikipedia

{{cite web |url=https://ma.as/211423 |title=Railway carriage used on first railway in New South Wales |author=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences |access-date=30 March 2023 |publisher=Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia}}

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