The Governor-General's carriage is one of the most luxurious railway carriages in Australia. It represents the work of the most skilled artisans employed in the New South Wales Government railways in the early 1900s, especially in the work of local timbers. The carriage was built at the Eveleigh Railway Carriage Workshops, Sydney, in 1901 for the use of the newly appointed Governor-General of Australia, the Earl of Hopetoun, John Adrian Louis Hope Hopetoun (1860-1908). It is one of five special cars 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.
The Governor-General's carriage reflects the importance of the role of the British monarch in the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia at the point of Federation and also in the social order and customs of the period. It was built and used in the halcyon days of rail travel in New South Wales before the popularity of commercial airways.
The carriage is internally divided into three sleeping suites, a dining room, galley and attendants' quarters and observation room which provided an unrestricted view of the surrounding countryside. It is furnished with a number lounge chairs, a bookcase, writing cabinet and cellarette in polished oak. The master bedroom and two auxiliary bedrooms are fitted with brass bedsteads, mirrored dressing tables, built-in wardrobes, fans, heaters, and ensuite toilet and shower facilities. The dining room features a carved oak sideboard with matching dinner wagon, six dining chairs and table. The interior decoration includes 311 individually hand-carved timber panels of polished English oak and Australian cedar depicting botanical specimens of New South Wales and fluted pilasters. There are etched glass panels featuring Australian flora, fine carpets, gold-tinted velvets, silk drapes, the best Morocco leather and upholstery as well as hundreds of gold-plated items such as coat hooks and light switch covers. The ornate ceilings are cream-coloured stamped zinc panels by Wunderlich in Louis XVI style inset with the royal coat of arms.
The carriage was just completed in time for the Royal visit of the Duke (later King George V) and the Duchess of Cornwall and York during their visit to Australia in May to July 1901 for the opening of the first federal parliament in Melbourne. The Duke commented that "the train was the most comfortable one he had ever travelled in during his life". The carriage was renowned for its whisper-smooth ride. It was subsequently used by a number of royal visitors and in 1954 carried the first reigning monarch to visit Australia, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The carriage was last used by royalty in 1964 after which it was displayed at various commemorative occasions including N.S.W.G.R. Centenary Exhibition in 1955 and the 125th Anniversary of New South Wales railways in 1980. In 1992 the State Rail Authority officially handed over the carriage to the Museum in a special ceremony on board the carriage at Sydney's Regent Street Station (Mortuary Station).
Margaret Simpson
References
Belbin, P. and Burke, D., "Full Steam Across the Mountains", Methuen, Australia, 1982, pp. 86-87.
"Sydney Morning Herald", 18 May 1901, pp. 9-10; 20 May 1901, pp. 7-8; 24 May 1901, p.7; 25 May 1901, p.9; 27 May 1901, pp. 7-8.
The carriage was designed in the office of the Mechanical Engineer of the New South Wales Department of Railways.
The Governor-General's carriage is one of five special cars 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. First to be built was the New South Wales Governor's carriage in 1891 which is now on display in the Transport exhibition of the Museum. It was followed by this carriage in 1901, a replacement Governor's carriage built in 1911, the Railway Commissioners' carriage built in 1919 and the Premier's carriage built in 1920.
The Governor-General's carriage is a unique item of rolling stock designed and built especially for vice-regal railway travel within New South Wales. An order for the carriage was placed with the Railway Workshops at Eveleigh in 1900 for a vehicle similar in appointment and capacity to the cars used on Royal trains in Britain. The carriage had its first run on 17 May 1901. No expense was spared and the final cost amounted to 6,475 pounds.
The carriage was used during a number of Royal tours from 1901 to 1964.
In 1900 the impending era of Federation and the appointment of the first Governor-General of Australia, the Earl of Hopetoun, John Adrian Louis Hope Hopetoun (1860-1908), by Queen Victoria on 13 July 1900 led the New South Wales railway administrators to decide to build a carriage especially for the new Governor-General. The carriage was just completed in time for the Royal visit of the Duke (later King George V) and the Duchess of Cornwall and York in May to July 1901 for the opening of the first federal parliament in Melbourne. The Duke commented that "the train was the most comfortable one he had ever travelled in during his life". The carriage was renowned for its whisper-smooth ride.
The Royal train for the Duke's visit was composed of nine carriages including the railway commissioners' car, Governor's car, and several support cars. Safety measures undertaken for the rail journey included a trial run. During the actual tour a pilot train ensured the safety of the track by travelling 30 minutes ahead of the Royal train while a spare engine travelled behind, with no other traffic allowed to travel in between. All railway gates on the line were closed and oncoming trains diverted.
Crowds lined the stations and railway tracks to catch a passing glimpse of the Royal train but in complete contrast to today's Royal visitors the blinds in the carriage were pulled down while passing through stations to maintain the Duke and Duchess' privacy. Members of the press travelling on the Royal train were asked not to use their cameras and to have notebooks discreetly hidden.
In 1920 the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), while visiting Australia on HMS Renown, used the carriage to travel from Sydney to Canberra. It was on this occasion that the bedsteads in the staterooms were gold-plated.
The next time the carriage was used by Royalty was in 1927 when the Duke (later King George VI) and Duchess of York were in Australia for the opening of the first session of the Commonwealth parliament in Canberra. For this visit the carriage was redecorated in a blue motif, with blue Wilton-pile carpets, blinds of blue silk and dining chairs of blue leather. The re-upholstery was by Beard Watson Ltd. Two glistening 36-class locomotives hauled the train from Sydney to Katoomba on 31 March 1927 after which the Royal couple was driven to the Jenolan Caves. They rejoined the train at Mt Victoria the following day and returned to Sydney.
The carriage continued to be used in 1934 for Prince Henry (later the Duke of Gloucester) when he travelled from Albury to Wagga Wagga while attending the Victorian Centenary Celebrations and between 1945 and 1947 when the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester made several journeys while the Duke served as Governor-General.
In 1954 the carriage was used by the first reigning monarch to visit Australia, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. As their rail journeys comprised several short trips from Sydney to Newcastle, Bulli to Sydney and Lithgow to Katoomba, no overnight accommodation was required. Consequently, the carriage was modified for the visit in that all the interior furnishings in the two-bed stateroom were removed and it was refitted as a sitting room. A small electric refrigerator was added in the galley and thee air-conditioners were installed in the carriage. The Royal train on this occasion was hauled by two Alco diesel-electric locomotives painted in royal blue with a chrome and yellow band.
The carriage was last used by royalty in 1964 for Princess Marina after which time the Commonwealth Railways' standard gauge Special Service Car SSA 260 was used, built as part of the Indian Pacific order.
After it was no longer used as a Royal car the carriage was displayed at various commemorative occasions including the N.S.W.G.R. Centenary Exhibition in September 1955 and the 125th Anniversary of railways in 1980. In 1992 Ross Sayers, Chief Executive of the State Rail Authority, officially handed over the carriage to the Museum in a special ceremony on board the carriage at Sydney's Regent Street Station (Mortuary Station).
zoom image
Production Notes include information about the design, manufacture and marketing of an object. Production notes
This text content licensed under CC BY-NC.
This text content licensed under CC BY-SA.
