The Governor's railway carriage is the oldest of five special cars still surviving today that were built by the New South Wales Department of Railways between 1891 and 1920 for the exclusive use of royalty, governors-general, governors, premiers and the railway commissioners. They represent the work of the most skilled artisans in the Railways at the time, particularly in the use of local timbers. The Governor's carriage particularly illustrates late Victorian Australian decorative arts as applied to the interior of railway carriage design and is significant in relation to the history of the duties and function of the New South Wales Governor.

The Governor's carriage was built at a cost of 3,009 pounds in 1891 at the Carriage Workshops at Eveleigh in Sydney to convey his Excellency the Governor of New South Wales, V.A.G.C. Villiers, the Earl of Jersey and royal visitors by rail. In 1901 the carriage was used by the Duke (later King George V) and Duchess of Cornwall and York for the opening of Federal Parliament in Melbourne. As well as official journeys around New South Wales, the carriage also conveyed the Governor and his party from Sydney, where they resided at Government House in the Botanic Gardens, to the Governor's country residence, "Hillview", at Sutton Forest near Moss Vale. During Sydney's hot summer months the Governor and the Countess of Jersey took up residence at "Hillview" and the Governor would commute once a week to the city for official duties. For this journey the carriage was attached to the rear of the evening business train passing through Mittagong to Moss Vale.

The carriage is divided into the main saloon in the centre, a ladies' boudoir, and a gentlemen's smoking room. The main saloon features polished timbers of silky oak for the walls, myall mouldings, blackwood framing and satin wood ceilings. The room is furnished with a sofa, three large chairs and two small tables of white painted wickerwork. The upholstery and Empire style curtains are in terra cotta silk tapestry. The ladies' boudoir provided a place for the ladies to escape from cigar smoke, port fumes and male company. It accommodates four people sitting up in two easy chairs and a bench seat upholstered in French blue silk. These could be converted into two berths for overnight travel. The gentlemen's smoking room has cypress-panelled walls and silky oak ceilings. It is similarly furnished with six easy chairs upholstered in green morocco leather, which converted into three berths. At the ends of the carriage are individual lavatories for ladies and gentlemen. The windows throughout the carriage are of French plate glass with louvred blinds, the frames of which are cedar and louvres of Huon pine.

The carriage remained in service until 1913 being replaced by a new State car built in 1911. It was placed in storage at Eveleigh and apparently forgotten until 1959 when it was overhauled and subsequently formed part of the "Vintage Train" which officiated at numerous dedications, centenary celebrations and other functions around the State until 1974. In 1987 a seven-year loan agreement for the carriage was negotiated with the Museum and the State Rail Authority and from 1988 the carriage has been on display in the Transport exhibition of the Museum alongside the steam train which often hauled it on the Vintage Train, Locomotive 1243. In 1992 the carriage was formally vested with the Museum.

Margaret Simpson
Assistant Curator, Transport
1993

Oberg, Leon, 'The Story of the Vintage Train' in "Australian Railway Historical Bulletin", Vol. XXIV, No. 456, Oct 1975, pp. 222-238.
'A New State Car' in "Sydney Morning Herald", 5 November 1891.

The carriage was designed in the office of the Mechanical Engineer of the New South Wales Department of Railways.

The Governor's carriage was the first of five special cars still surviving today that were built by the New South Wales Department of Railways between 1891 and 1920 for the exclusive use of royalty, governors-general, governors, premiers and the railway commissioners. Two earlier cars, known as "The Twins" were used for vice-regal travel. They were delivered in 1884 and locally built by Hudson Brothers.

On 5 November 1891, the "Sydney Morning Herald" reported that a new State car had been built under the instructions of the Railway Commissioner, for the use of his Excellency the Governor of New South Wales, V.A.G.C. Villiers, the Earl of Jersey. It had been built in the Eveleigh Carriage Workshops of the New South Wales Department of Railways at a cost of 3,009 pounds had its first run in October 1891.

The new Governor's car served various State Governors for 22 years from Victor Albert George Child Villiers, Earl of Jersey to Fred John Napier Thesigner, Baron Chelmsford. The carriage was not only used for official journeys around New South Wales where it formed a Special Train with The Twins but conveyed the Governor and his party from Sydney, where they resided at Government House in the Botanic Gardens, to the Governor's country residence, "Hillview", at Sutton Forest near Moss Vale. For this journey the carriage was attached to the rear of the evening business train passing through Mittagong to Moss Vale. During the hot summer months the Governor and the Countess of Jersey took up residence at "Hillview". The Governor would go to town once a week for official duties and return to the country the same day. In 1890 a special carriage shed for the car was erected at Moss Vale station.

In the three years he was governor, the Earl of Jersey made numerous railway tours in the carriage and visited many towns throughout New South Wales including Hay, Balranald, Wentworth, Broken Hill, Hillgrove, Newcastle, Armidale, Kiama, Cobar, Bourke and Berry. Often such trips would involve the opening of new railway extensions such at Forbes in 1893.

In 1901 the carriage was used by royalty during the visit to Australia of the Duke (later King George V) and Duchess of Cornwall and York for the opening of federal parliament in Melbourne. It accommodated the Duchess (later Queen Mary) and her party on trips from Sydney to Royal National Park and Katoomba.

The carriage remained in service until 1913 when it was put in storage after being replaced by a new State car built in 1911. Apparently the car saw little or no service after this time and was left, virtually forgotten, in a corner of the paint workshops at Eveleigh until 1959. It was then lifted off its wheels for maintenance, greasing and cleaning prior to being used as part of special train to Canberra for the re-opening of the All Saints Church, the stone from which had been dismantled from a mortuary station at Rookwood Cemetery. The train was hauled by Locomotive 1243, which is now displayed alongside the carriage in the Museum. For almost 20 years the governor's carriage formed part of the "Vintage Train" which officiated at numerous dedications, centenary celebrations and other functions until 1974. In 1987 a seven year loan agreement for the carriage was negotiated between the Museum and the State Rail Authority and from 1988 the carriage has been on display in the Transport exhibition of the Museum alongside the steam train which often hauled it on the Vintage Train, Locomotive 1243. In 1992 the carriage was formally vested with the Museum.

Governor's railway carriage and contents, wood / metal / glass / fabric, New South Wales Department of Railways, Australia, 1891

The outside panels of the carriage are of cedar and the framing is of Tasmanian blackwood. Originally painted in crimson lake and white, lined with gold stripes and the royal coat of arms in the centre, the carriage is now painted brown with cream trim and features the insignia of the New South Wales Government Railways on the side. The carriage has an iron under-frame painted black and is mounted on two, four-wheel bogies. Access is gained through open platforms at each end. Both the carriage roof and floor were especially constructed with two layers to exclude dust and heat and to deaden the sound.

The interior is finished in a selection of mostly native and some imported ornamental timbers including tumanna wood from the New Hebrides which resembles mahogany and purriri from New Zealand.

The carriage is divided into the main saloon in the centre, a ladies' boudoir at one end and a gentlemen's smoking room at the other. The saloon and ladies' boudoir is carpeted in a bordered Axminster square of terra-cotta and French blue while the gentlemen's smoking room has linoleum. The main saloon features polished timbers of silky oak for the walls, myall mouldings, blackwood framing and satin wood for the ceilings. A fixed sofa along one side with spring pouffe cushions could be converted into two berths. The rest of the room is furnished with three large chairs and two small tables of white painted wickerwork. The upholstery and Empire style curtains are in terracotta silk tapestry.

The ladies' boudoir provided a place for the ladies to escape from cigar smoke, port fumes and male company. It accommodates four people sitting up in two easy chairs and a bench seat upholstered in French blue silk. These could be converted into two berths for overnight travel. The gentlemen's smoking room has cypress-panelled walls and silky oak ceilings. It is similarly furnished with six easy chairs upholstered in green morocco leather, which converted into three berths. At the ends of the carriage are individual lavatories for ladies and gentlemen.

The windows throughout the carriage are of French plate glass with louvred blinds, the frames of which are cedar and louvres of Huon pine

The car was originally lit with oil gas but in 1908 was converted to electricity for lighting and fans. Apparently the car was one of the first in New South Wales to be so converted.

Specifications

Builder: New South Wales Department of Railways, Carriage Workshops, Eveleigh
Date of Manufacture: January 1891 to November 1891
Tare: 22 tones 12 cwt.
Designer: Office of the Mechanical Engineer, NSW Department of Railways
Railway code: AC (later AC-1 when used with the Vintage Train)
Brakes: Westinghouse on all wheels
Overall length: 46 ft 2 ins (14.07m)
Overall width: 9 ft 3 ins (2.82 m)
Exterior height: about 13 ft (4 m)



Governor's railway carriage and contents, wood / metal / glass / fabric, New South Wales Department of Railways, Australia, 1891

State Governors carriage consisting of main saloon, ladies boudoir, gentlemens smoking room, main saloon and lavatories. The interior of the carriages are brown in livery with cream colouring trimmings. The carriage is mounted onto two, four wheel bogies and black painted iron unerframe. There is a small platform located at each end with black cast iron fencing. Located on the side of the carriage is a N.S.W. Railways insignia.

Made: New South Wales Department of Railways; Eveleigh Carriage Workshops; 1891

Please see part records for details

93/124/1

1891