New South Wales Standard suburban carriage stock

New South Wales Standard suburban carriage stock
Preserved set F1 at Wolli Creek
Interior
Stock type	Electric Multiple Unit (EMU)
In service	1925–1992
Manufacturer	Leeds Forge Company Clyde Engineering Walsh Island Dockyard
Built at	Leeds Granville Walsh Island
Constructed	1925–1937
Number built	352 motor cars 248 trailer cars
Formation	2-8 carriages
Fleet numbers	C3101-3452 C3901-C3903 T4301-T4548
Operators	New South Wales Government Railways Public Transport Commission State Rail Authority CityRail
Depots	Flemington Hornsby Mortdale Punchbowl
Lines served	All Sydney suburban except Eastern Suburbs
Specifications
Car length	18.75 m (61 ft 6+1⁄4 in)
Width	3,185 mm (10 ft 5+3⁄8 in)
Height	3,920 mm (12 ft 10+3⁄8 in)
Doors	4
Maximum speed	80 km/h (50 mph) (TfNSW limit) 3000 series cars: 80 km/h (50 mph) (designed speed) 7000 series cars: 113 km/h (70 mph) (designed speed) 20 km/h (12 mph) (TfNSW limit through platforms)
Traction system	3000 series cars: 2 x Metropolitan-Vickers MV172 motors per carriage 7000 series cars: 4 x AEI149 motors per carriage Semi automatic electro-pneumatic resistance control, Series wound brushed DC traction motors
Transmission	3000 series cars: 58:18 Gear ratio. Straight cut gears. Wheel diameter 42 inch (1067mm) 7000 series cars: 74:17 Gear ratio. helical gears. Wheel diameter 36 inch (914mm)
Power supply	36vDC
Electric system(s)	1,500 V DC catenary
Current collector(s)	Single-pan diamond pantograph
Braking system(s)	Westinghouse air
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The New South Wales Standard suburban carriage stock are a class of electric multiple units that were 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, a term borrowed from the Melbourne Tait trains.

History

Carriage C3426, now on Red Rattler set F1, leading the first electric train over the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932

To provide rolling stock for the electrification of Sydney's suburban rail network, steel carriages were ordered. ^{[1] [2]}

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 (10) and Clyde Engineering (40) 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. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

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. ^[4] In 1937, Clyde Engineering built a further 12 power cars, to provide coverage while the 1920s built power cars were overhauled. ^[5] 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. ^{[1] [2]}

Numbers	Builder	Years Built	Total	Notes
C3101-C3150	Leeds Forge Company	1925	50	Initially entered service as locomotive hauled carriages 2213-2262
C3151-C3170	Clyde Engineering	1926–1927	20
C3171-C3220	Walsh Island Dockyard	1926-27	50
C3221-C3250	Clyde Engineering	1926	30
C3251-C3300	Walsh Island Dockyard	1928	50
C3301-C3440	Clyde Engineering	1928–1929	140
C3441-C3452	Clyde Engineering	1937	12
C3901-C3903	Clyde Engineering	1928	3	Parcel vans
T4301-T4548	Walsh Island Dockyard	1927–1929	248	T4543-T4548 rebuilt as driving trailers D4051-D4056 in 1937

In 1937, six trailers (T4543-T4548) were converted to driving trailers. ^[2] Between 1968 and 1975, some power cars were converted to 4 motors using traction equipments similar the W sets and U sets and fitted on air suspended bogies. These were renumbered upwards by 4000, e.g. C3306 became C7306. ^[6]

Withdrawals commenced in the 1970s, 92 remained in service with CityRail in July 1991. ^[6] The last were withdrawn in 1992. Several have been preserved. ^{[3] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]}

Colour schemes and overhauls

Power cars and carriages

As built, the standard cars were painted in Tuscan red and russet with yellow pin striping. ^[12] In the 1940s, that was changed to Tuscan red with buff lining. ^[12] In 1957, the livery was changed to plain Tuscan red, which many cars retained until their withdrawal. ^[12] 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. ^{[3] [5] [6]} A few cars also received Airmate pantographs, replacing the original Dorman Long pantographs. ^[12]

Preservation

Sydney's Red Set F1, which is made up of four carriages (C7396, C3218, T4527, C3426), is preserved and in operational condition. 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 11 June 2016, 14 years since its last such trip. ^{[13] [14]} 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. ^[15]

Transport Heritage NSW / Sydney Trains has multiple Standard cars in the care of Historic Electric Traction: ^[16]

• C3102 - Leeds Forge (2 motor) Power Car - Stored at Redfern Carriageworks
• C3218 - Walsh Island (2 motor) Power Car - Operational at Flemington Car Sheds
• C3426 - Clyde Engineering (2 motor) Power Car - Operational at Flemington Car Sheds
• C3653 - Walsh Island (2 motor) Parcel Van (ex C3903, C3553, C3773) - Stored at Redfern Carriageworks
• C7396 - Clyde Engineering (4 motor) Power Car (ex C3396) - Operational at Flemington Car Sheds
• D4052 - Walsh Island Driving Trailer Car (ex T4547, D4673) - Stored at Redfern Carriageworks
• T4527 - Walsh Island Trailer Car - Operational at Flemington Car Sheds

Sydney Electric Train Society has three standard carriages in storage: ^[17]

• C3104 - 1925 Leeds Forge Standard Motor Car - Stored

• C3444 - 1937 Clyde Modified Standard Motor Car - Stored

• T4408 - 1928? Walsh Island Trailer Car - Stored

Walsh Island Trailer Car T4310, owned by Transport Heritage NSW / Sydney Trains, is on static display at NSW Rail Museum, Thirlmere.

T4310 at the NSW Rail Museum at Thirlmere in 2025

The Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum own one standard power car, Clyde Engineering (2 motor) power car C3167, stored at Dorrigo. ^[18]

Due to their width and age, Transport for NSW limits the speed of these carriages to 80 km/h (50 mph) during normal running and 20 km/h (12 mph) when passing platforms. They are further limited to running in wide loading gauge track areas only, which includes the whole suburban network, but does not include the Main North line leaving Sydney.^{[ citation needed ]}

Private ownership

Many cars were sold via contract to Milfren Pty Ltd from 1990 to 1994 to private buyers. ^[19] Usually this would only include the body of the carriage, lacking pantographs and bogies, however there are some exceptions to these.

^{[20] [21] [22] [23] [24]}

Car Number	Builder	Date sold	Original Location	Current Location	Owner	Notes
C3105	Leeds Forge	17/05/1990	Mendooran, NSW	Unknown, possibly still Mendooran	Unknown
C3118	Leeds Forge	03/04/1992	Marulan, NSW	Unknown, possibly still Marulan	Unknown
C3120	Leeds Forge	22/11/1990	Lismore, NSW	Goulburn, NSW	Private	Private sale outside of Milfren
C3121	Leeds Forge	30/11/1992	Molong Holding Yard, NSW	Molong Holding Yard, NSW	Private
C3122	Leeds Forge	21/08/1992	Taren Point, NSW, then Rylstone, NSW.	Mount Frome, NSW	"Jeffery", AirBNB host	Usually ran with a parcel van to fill up a 2 car consist in case of an equipment failure. Painted as "The Giraffe" for Cityrail Zoo Train H22 in March 1991 as part of a brand deal with Taronga Zoo. Restored back into this livery after a period in grey. [25]
C3134	Leeds Forge	13/08/1992	Taren Point, NSW	Unknown	Unknown
C3148	Leeds Forge	06/05/1992	Freemantle, NSW	Unknown	Unknown
C3151	Clyde Engineering	Unknown	Cobargo (Princess Highway), NSW	Cobargo (Princess Highway), NSW	Wattletown Junction Train Stop Cafe [26] [27]
C3176	Walsh Island Dockyard	17/06/1992	Wellington, NSW	Unknown	Unknown
C3183	Walsh Island Dockyard	09/06/1992	Bonnyrigg, NSW	Kurrajong, NSW	Madison's Mountain Retreat [28] [29]	Restored into Cityrail paintscheme as of 2019. Damaged by bushfires as of 2021.
C3151	Walsh Island Dockyard	17/01/1992	Kurrajong, NSW [30]	Kurrajong, NSW	Madison's Mountain Retreat [28] [29]	Restored into Cityrail paintscheme as of 2013. Damaged by bushfires as of 2021. [31]
C3191	Walsh Island Dockyard	04/09/1992	Dubbo, NSW	Unknown	Unknown
C3196	Walsh Island Dockyard	12/03/1992	Nowra, NSW	Unknown	Formerly Barbeques Galore, Nowra
C3198	Walsh Island Dockyard	01/06/1992	Wellington, NSW	Mitchell Highway	A plant nursery
C3200	Walsh Island Dockyard	22/02/1992	Catherine Field, NSW	Unknown	Unknown
C3212	Walsh Island Dockyard	10/02/1993	Minto, NSW	Unknown	Unknown
C3216	Walsh Island Dockyard	13/03/1992	Nowra, NSW	Unknown	Formerly Barbeques Galore, Nowra
C3255	Walsh Island Dockyard	14/07/1990	Dungay, NSW	Dungay, NSW	Red Rattlers Dungay [32]
C3256	Walsh Island Dockyard	28/02/1992	Coolatai, NSW	Yetman, NSW	"Gillian", private owner [33] [34]
C3259	Walsh Island Dockyard	12/07/1990	Lightning Ridge, NSW	Unknown, possibly still at Lightning Ridge	(Possibly) Red Rattler Camp [35]
C3261	Walsh Island Dockyard	14/07/1990	Dungay, NSW	Dungay, NSW	Red Rattlers Dungay	Used as a cafe, still retains original seating
C3266	Walsh Island Dockyard	12/06/1992	Bredbo, NSW	Bredbo, NSW	Paddington Hills Rural Retreat
C3273	Walsh Island Dockyard	21/10/1992	Dungog, NSW	Dungog, NSW	Carriageway [36]	One of 4 carriages, currently used as the restaurant. Formerly wore a special livery for the opening of the Opera House in October 1973.
C3276	Walsh Island Dockyard	11/03/1994	Oberon, NSW	Oberon, NSW	Private	Still retains pantograph, withdrawn in 1978 for use at the Apprentice Training College in Chullora.
C3279	Walsh Island Dockyard	30/09/1985	Cataract Dam, NSW	Scrapped	Scout Association of Australia Caratact Dam	Scrapped in the 1990s.
C3652	Walsh Island Dockyard	Unknown	Molong Holding Yard, NSW	Molong Holding Yard, NSW	Private	Originally car C3283 until 29/07/1991 when converted into wash plant shunter Bugsy. Private sale outside of Milfren
C3284	Walsh Island Dockyard	17/08/1993	Yowah, Qld	Unknown, possibly still at Yowah	Unknown
C3286	Walsh Island Dockyard	11/02/1993	Peats Ridge, NSW	Wellington, NSW	Private
C3287	Walsh Island Dockyard	30/01/1992	Rocklea, NSW	Newbridge (Caloola St), NSW	Private
C3288	Walsh Island Dockyard	11/03/1994	Castlereagh, NSW	Cranebrook, NSW	Private
C3289	Walsh Island Dockyard	19/04/1994	Orange, NSW	Unknown	Unknown
C3290	Walsh Island Dockyard	05/03/1993	Illabo, NSW	Taree, NSW	Geoff Willis	Currently rests on top of a set of Sputnik bogies.
C3334	Clyde Engineering	?	Dungog, NSW	Dungog, NSW	Carriageway
C3384	Clyde Engineering	?	Lake Bathurst (Braidwood Road), NSW	Unknown	Unknown
C3446	Clyde Engineering	?	Windeyer, NSW	Windeyer, NSW	Ba Macks Homestead
C3451	Clyde Engineering	?	Dubbo (Newell Highway), NSW	Unknown	Unknown
C3496	Clyde Engineering	?	Bredbo, NSW	Bredbo, NSW	Paddington Hills Rural Retreat
C3517	Clyde Engineering	?	Cadjangarry (Princess Highway), NSW	Unknown	Unknown
T4353	Walsh Island Dockyard	?	Richmond, NSW	Richmond, NSW	Richmond Valley Motors [37]
T4388	Walsh Island Dockyard	?	Wallaroo, NSW	Wallaroo, NSW	The Last Stop Ambledown Brook [38]
T4458	Walsh Island Dockyard	?	Unknown	112 Wyaldra Lane, Mudgee, NSW	For sale

Abandoned car at Chullora.

See also

• New South Wales Tulloch suburban carriage stock
• New South Wales Sputnik suburban carriage stock
• Rail rolling stock in New South Wales
• Railways in Sydney

References

1. Churchman, Geoffrey (1995). Railway Electrification in Australia & New Zealand. Smithfield: IPL Books. pp. 85, 92.
2. "Sydney's Electric Trains from 1926 to 1960" ARHS Bulletin issue 761 March 2001 pages 90-93
3. C3104 - 1925 Leeds Forge Standard Motor Car Sydney Electric Traction Society
4. History: The old Red Rattlers live on Newcastle Herald 12 September 2014
5. C3444 - 1937 Clyde Modified Motor Car Sydney Electric Traction Society
6. "Rolling Stock" Railway Digest December 1991 page 454
7. C3102 - Leeds 1927 Suburban Motor Car NSW Environment & Heritage
8. C3218 - Walsh Island 1927 Suburban Motor Car NSW Environment & Heritage
9. C3653 - Walsh Island 1927 Suburban Parcels Van NSW Environment & Heritage
10. D4052 - Walsh Island 1927 Suburban Trailer Car NSW Environment & Heritage
11. T4527 - Walsh Island 1927 Suburban Trailer Car NSW Environment & Heritage
12. Sydney's Suburban Standards - The Leeds Forge Cars C3101 - 3150. Roy Howarth, Glenn Ryan. 2010. pp. Pages 16–21, 70, 76, 77.
13. "The Red Set F1 Project – Sydney's Vintage Electric Train". www.schoolpa.com.au. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
14. "Sydney Heritage Red Rattler to run after 14 years". Railpage. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
15. "NSW Rail Museum". NSW Rail Museum. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
16. "Heritage Fleet". www.het.org.au. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
17. "SETS Fleet - Single-Deck Suburban Cars". www.sets.org.au. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
18. "Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum Ltd Web Site". www.dsrm.org.au. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
19. "NOTICE of winding up order.—MILFREN PTY LIMITED (In liquidation), A.C.N. 003 688 766.—On 21st October". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 28 October 1994. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
20. Howarth, Roy; Ryan, Glen (2010). THE LEEDS FORGE CARS C3101 to 3150. 95 Allawah Road Dungowan NSW 2340: Bow River Publishing. pp. 150–151. ISBN   978-0-646-53011-6.
21. Howarth, Roy; Ryan, Glenn (2017). SINGLE DECKERS FROM NEWCASTLE - THE CARS BUILT AT WALSH ISLAND DOCKYARD - VOLUME 2: TEH POWER CARS C3251 - 3300. 95 Allawah Road Dungowan NSW 2340: Bow River Publishing. pp. 181–182. ISBN   978-0-646-95320-5.
22. "Sydney Trains Vlogs: Retired Australian Carriages". Sydney Trains Vlogs. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
23. "Where to find Sydney Red Rattlers?". Railpage. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
24. Howarth, Roy; Ryan, Glenn (2014). SINGLE DECKERS FORM NEWCASTLE - THE CARS BUILT AT WALSH ISLAND DOCKYARD - Volume 1 - The Power Cars C3171 to C3220. Bow River Publishing. ISBN   978-0-646-91348-3.
25. "The Giraffe - Trains for Rent in Mount Frome, New South Wales, Australia". Airbnb. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
26. phillips, dave (6 December 2006), train stop café, cobargo , retrieved 13 January 2023
27. "Wattletown Junction Train Stop Cafe - 57A Princes Highway, Cobargo | Reviews, Phones & Addresses". cobargo-nsw.place-advisor.com. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
28. "On site and local activities - Madisons Mountain Retreat". www.madisonsretreat.com.au. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
29. "Madison's Mountain Retreat, Kurrajong Heights review: Camelids and carriages await". Traveller. 28 April 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
30. island home (1 January 1999), red rattler , retrieved 13 January 2023
31. "Overnight Sleepers: 7 Places To Stay In A Train Carriage In NSW". www.ellaslist.com.au. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
32. "HOME". RRWeddings. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
33. "Ben Cousins on Instagram: "So I suppose I can let the cat out of the bag now. At the beginning of the year, I met Gillian, who purchased C3256 back when it was retired from State Rail. It was shifted up to their farm, an hour out of Inverell. It's been transformed into an art studio. Discussions with a number of people left me with no direct answers so I decided the best course of action was to come up and have a look for myself. Behold, what I believe to be the only air conditioned Red Rattler carriage. Oh, and I'm sleeping here tonight. 😂😂"". Instagram. Retrieved 13 January 2023.^{[ user-generated source ]}
34. "My painting of an old Red Rattler carriage that now lives in northern NSW!". Reddit . 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2024.^{[ user-generated source ]}
35. "Red Rattler Camp, Red Rattler Camp, NSW: 4 Hipcamper Reviews And 12 Photos". Hipcamp. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
36. "Home | Carriageway" . Retrieved 13 January 2023.
37. A quick overview of a red set trailer T4353 red rattler repurposed office Richmond Valley Motors, 10 January 2023, retrieved 14 January 2023
38. "Last Stop Ambledown Brook B&B - Vintage Trains near Canberra". mysite. Retrieved 14 January 2023.