<< Back | Home | Site Map

Brake Van Photo Gallery

220ZL brake van at Mildura 17-12-1978. Note the double-roof, indicating that the body has survived from the late 1800's. Photo: Bruce McLean

594ZL six wheel brake van. Mildura. 28-2-1982. Photo: Bruce McLean

430 ZL six wheel brake van. Mildura 25-2-1978. Photo: Bruce McLean

689 ZL four wheel brake van. Mildura. December 1976. Photo: Bruce McLean

730ZL four-wheel brake van with plywood panels on steel frame body. Mildura. 20-3-1982. Photo: Bruce McLean

1 ZB six wheel brake van. The ZB Classification meant that the brake van had been fitted with three tons of rail "ballast" to improve the riding qualities. A total of twenty vans were modified, the rail being placed along the floor of the van area and a new floor placed over the top. Scrapping of the vans commenced in 1973 with most of the class scrapped by the mid-80's. Mildura. December 1976. Photo: Bruce McLean

8ZB six wheel brake van at Mildura on 2-12-1977. Photo: Bruce McLean

619ZD, a dual coupled brake van with side buffers. ZD vans were converted from ZP vans after 1978. Donald 15-2-1981. Photo: Bruce McLean

296ZL brake van at Mildura marked "Metropolitan Traffic Only". Note the lamp hanging on the bracket. 11-8-1984. Photo: Bruce McLean

3CA bogie brake van suitable for passenger or goods traffic. Mildura. December 1976. Note the steel mesh covering the window in the Guard's compartment. This was a necessity following rock throwing incidents at passing trains. Photo: Bruce McLean

2CA bogie brake van at Mildura. 29-7-1982. Photo: Bruce McLean

40ZLP at Mildura. 29-11-1981. Eighty ZLP brake vans were constructed from 1968. They were available for use on passenger trains but were mainly used on freight trains. Photo: Bruce McLean

Steel-bodied bogie brake van 9ZF at Mildura 12-1-1981. Some members of this class were modified with bunks for travelling crews from 1978. The window on the right is an addition where the bunks are located. The right-hand door has been reduced in size to accommodate the compartment. Photo: Bruce McLean

17ZF has just been released from the workshops after refurbishment and has been adorned with the new V/Line name. This was the first brake van at Mildura to show the new name. 31-8-1983. Photo: Bruce McLean

CP steel-bodied vans were built between 1956-58 and were capable of express running on goods or passenger trains. 34CP was noted at Mildura on 14-6-1981. Photo: Bruce McLean

In the late 1960's nine CP brake vans were converted to Victorian Railways & South Australian Railways joint-stock use and recoded JCP. They were used exclusively between Melbourne and Adelaide until the mid-1980's when they were transferred back to the Victorian Railways and subsequently back to CP classification. 1JCP was noted at Mildura on 15-9-1982.Photo: Bruce McLean

Freshly painted after overhaul, class leader 1CP at Mildura on 9-6-1982. Photo: Bruce McLean

48C at bogie passenger brake van at Mildura on 13-12-1978. This van was a rare visitor to Mildura, being assigned for use on the Redcliffs to Meringur line during the 1978/1979 grain harvest in an attempt to give the guard a better ride on the short-railed branch line. Photo: Bruce McLean

Passenger guards van 3CV at Mildura on 6-11-1977. There were five similar vans numbered 3CV to 7 CV and they were rarely used on Mildura passenger trains, the larger and heavier CE vans being used. Photo: Bruce McLean

1ZMF Mildura 13-3-1981. 1ZMF made its first appearance in Mildura on 15-1-1981. It was built at Newport Workshops and released into traffic in December 1980, being the first of ten of this type. It featured a reinforced fibreglass cabin. The cabin shape included a verandah at the handbrake end of the wagon. The opposite end platform had gas and electrical fittings for heating and lighting. The unusual design was inspired by the fact that planning had been underway for the removal of guards vans from trains. If this eventuated, the cabin could be removed and the underframe utilised for other traffic. Photo: Bruce McLean

Passenger brake van 35CE at Mildura on 13-3-1981. 35CE was regularly rostered on "The Vinelander". It was built in 1924 and in 1963, altered to VHE1 and converted to run on the new standard gauge line connecting Melbourne with Sydney. It was altered back to broad gauge and 35CE in 1969. Photo: Bruce McLean

Brake van 33CE was painted in the new tangerine and silver color scheme for use on "The Vinelander" at a time when nearly all CE class brake vans had been withdrawn from service. The continued use of large vans on "The Vinelander" would have been to meet passenger luggage requirements.18-9-1982. Photo: Bruce McLean

17CW is being shunted to Mildura carriage shed by a first series T Class locomotive. This was the second-last occasion that a CW van was scheduled to Mildura in normal passenger traffic on "The Vinelander". CW vans were being withdrawn with the introduction of new ACN cars which included provision for a guard's compartment. 21-6-1982. Photo: Bruce McLean

A rare visitor to Mildura was 1CV brake van. This van was built in 1898 and was brought to Mildura for use as a dance car on a special excursion train from Mildura to Cowangie and return for the Ouyen Rovers Football Club. 10-7-1982. Photo: Bruce McLean

In the transition period between the withdrawal of wooden-bodied brake vans on "The Vinelander" and the introduction of ACZ combined saloon/van carriages, a number of brake vans were hired from South Australia including CD1 seen here at Geelong on 27-1-1985. Photo: Bruce McLean

Eight guards vans have been attached to a goods train departing Mildura on 6-9-1986 - the last day of guards vans trailing on the Mildura line following the introduction of two man crewing. Photo: Bruce McLean

The last guards van to depart from Mildura was 1VVDY (formerly 1ZF) on 21-10-1986. Photo: Bruce McLean

1VVDY was noted in storage at Tottenham after leaving Mildura, in company with a long line of other vans withdrawn from running following the introduction of two man crews on trains. 12-12-1986. Photo: Bruce McLean