Victorian Railways Z type carriage

Plumbing

The earlier cars in each set had a single tank for 140 gallons of cold water, and small air-intake panels either side of the end-of-carriage diaphragms. Later cars had two, much larger air intakes on one side only of each diaphragm, and tanks for 280 gallons of cold water; and in some cases an additional tank for 20 gallons of hot water.^{[citation needed]}

Electrical Systems

All the broad gauge cars except AZ2, BZ1 and BZ2 were powered via Hypoid motor-generator sets, with a gear ratio of 3.47:1 generating 17 kW. The remaining three cars used an alternative system with a 2:57 gear ratio, driving a separate generator set to provide the same 17 kW. The standard gauge cars were only powered by an external supply of 3-phase 415 VAC at 50 Hz.^[9] When AZ3 and BZ3 operated on standard gauge they could be powered by their Hypoid systems, or if that was disconnected they could also use the head-end power of the train consist. Some cars were fitted with batteries for emergency power supply - 1VBK and 2VBK had 120 V batteries each, and 1VAM had a bank of batteries providing 48 V.^[10]

Air conditioning was built into the roof of the cars, with fresh air ducts either end of the cars and the distribution ducting formed by the ceiling design. Each car was also fitted with a heating system; between the air and in-floor heaters the total load was between 9000 to 10,500W depending on the car.

Sitting cars AZ, BZ & BZS, VBK & VFK

When entering the carriage from a platform, passengers first walk through the vestibule area with swing doors to adjacent carriages through diaphragms. On the opposite side there are three doors; facing the centre of the carriage, the left is for the washroom, the centre to the saloon area and the right to the toilet.^{[citation needed]} The men's washroom includes a power outlet supplying 230vAC. The main saloon compartment was originally divided into two sections, with a partition between. The end adjacent to the men's toilets was for smoking passengers and called the No. 1 End, while the end adjacent to the ladies' toilet was for non-smoking passengers and called the No. 2 End. All seat pairs were 3 ft 8 in (1.12 m) over armrests and could rotate and recline with footrests provided; and reading lights were provided at least on the first class standard gauge cars. The centre aisle is around 1 ft 7+1⁄2 in (0.495 m) wide, and illuminated with fluorescent lights. A public address system is fitted for announcements.^{[citation needed]}

First class carriages were fitted with one pair of seats per window, to give 20 seats in the No. 1/smoking end and 28 in the No. 2/non-smoking end; spacing was a little over 4 ft (1.2 m).

Second class carriages were similar, but with six rows of four seats in the No. 1/smoking end behind three windows, and ten rows of four seats in the No. 2/non-smoking end behind five windows. Total capacity was 64.

The first two cars of each class were fitted with timber veneer panels internally. Cars AZ3 and BZ3 were modified to allow quick conversion to standard gauge if needed, and to match most of the stock on the Sydney run they were fitted with laminex interiors in lieu. Later cars repeated this alteration.^{[citation needed]}

From the mid 1960s the cars on broad gauge had their layouts modified; the first class carriage seats were respaced drastically to give 56 seats - 24 in the No. 1/smoking end and 32 in the No. 2/non-smoking end, with spacing reduced to about 3 ft 10 in (1.17 m). The changes to the second class cars were far more minor, as the change from 64 to 68 seats only required one additional row of seats in line with the smoking/non-smoking partition, which was modified to suit. When these modifications were completed, the tare weight of the cars increased to 48t 14c 1Q 0L. The change occurred later on the standard gauge carriages, some not gaining the extra seats until the mid 1990s when they were returned to broad gauge. Smoking was banned in first class carriages from 1986, and from all trains in Victoria in 1989.^[11]

From the 1980s the cars were gradually converted and upgraded to suit the requirements of the New Deal, and the fleet was renumbered as part of that project to match the new reservations and rolling stock management systems. Cars 1-8AZ took on numbers 251-258; cars VBK1-5 became 262, 260, 261, 259 and 263 respectively; cars 1-7BZ were renumbered 264-270, and cars 1-6VFK changed to 271-276. Most cars were modified and some reclassified during the upgrade process, with 1-8AZ, for example, becoming ACZ. VBK263 spent nearly a year operating on the broad gauge system as AZ263 before its conductor compartment was fitted.

When the six standard gauge VFK cars were converted to broad gauge in the 1990s, they were given the code BZS to indicate that they were ex-Standard Gauge, with 64 seats matching the capacity of a typical BS steel carriage. Cars 271 and 275 were the first to transfer across, in 1990, and the other four were shifted in 1992 in preparation for the replacement of the Melbourne/Sydney Express with an XPT consist. Between 1995-1997 these six cars were refitted internally, with a larger door at one end and seats respaced, to provide sitting for 76 passengers and a parking space for one wheelchair. The new format was called BZN, and the cars were allocated to N sets.

Of the seven BZ carriages, three were sold to West Coast Railway in 1995 for use on their Warrnambool route - 267, 269 and 270. The remaining four - 264, 265, 266 and 268 - were retained by V/Line Passenger. In 1996 BZ265 was converted to the BZN format, matching the changes applied to the six ex-standard gauge carriages; BZ266 followed in 1998.^[12]: 25 In 1999 the other two were modified to a different format, known as BTN. This had been applied to BCZ263 in the previous year, and used the carriage shell with a new interior identical to that of the BN cars, with 88 seats in a 2+3 format and no special functions. When West Coast Railway's stock was sold off in 2004, V/Line re-acquired BZ267, and in 2007 it was also converted to the BZN format. BZ269 and BZ270 were passed to heritage societies, Steamrail Victoria and 707 Operations (with ACZ255) respectively. BZ270 has been repainted in 707's livery of red with silver, but otherwise is largely unchanged since the extra four seats were added. BZ269 was stripped by Steamrail, renumbered BZ6 and named Hobsons Bay, and now operates as a function car with a bar serving drinks, but otherwise a large open space with no seating provided.

ACZ 1st Class & Conductor cars

Quick facts ACZ, BCZ, Manufacturer ...

ACZ, BCZ
ACZ carriage before refurbishment
Interior of a first class ACZ carriage
Manufacturer	Victorian Railways
Built at	Newport Workshops
Family name	Z type
Constructed	1984-1985
Number built	13
Number preserved	2
Capacity	52 1st class passengers and a small guard/conductor's compartment. Some later 48 seats.
Operator	Victorian Railways
Specifications
Car body construction	Steel
Car length	71 ft 6 in (21.79 m) over body, 74 ft 8 in (22.76 m) over coupling points
Width	9 ft 9 in (2.97 m), 10 ft 1+15⁄16 in (3.10 m) over handrails
Height	13 ft 2+11⁄16 in (4.03 m)
Weight	47 LT 2 cwt 0 qtr (47.86 t)
Power supply	Head-end power
Bogies	53 ft (16.15 m) centres
Braking system	Westinghouse
Coupling system	Autocouplers
Track gauge	5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)

Close

Following the introduction of the New Deal from 1981, the Z fleet carriages were modified and upgraded to suit the new timetable requirements. The fleet was mixed with the S type carriage group, and the cars were formed into three, four or five carriage sets for long-distance running. Each set used an ACZ car at what would be the southern/eastern end at Spencer Street Station, in lieu of the earlier practice of vans both ends or shifting the independent guard's van to the opposite end of the train at the end of each run. This allowed much faster turnarounds at termini.

The initial program was to convert and upgrade the pre-existing S and Z type carriage fleets. The cars would be repainted orange externally, and internally the refurbished Z cars would have stone beige laminate fitted where necessary. All cars would have a conductor's cupboard removed. Carpets and upholstery were replaced with similar materials to those used in the N type carriage construction program. Card tables and reading lights were to be provided in AZ cars and removed from BZ cars as applicable. Retention toilets were not fitted due to the cost, but illuminated "toilet occupied" signs were provided at each end of the saloons. The cost to refurbish each Z type carriage at Bendigo Workshops was expected to be around A$57,800.^[13]: 113 Initially this refurbishment program was to retain the AZ carriages in the nominal first class saloon format, and 2AZ, 5AZ and 7AZ were completed to that plan.^[14]: 251

However, it quickly became apparent that the half-century-old, timber bodied CE vans were no longer up to the task of sustained high speed running on long distance services, so the plan had to be adapted.^[15]: 330 As a short-term patch four CD vans were borrowed from South Australia, with a plan from mid 1983 to have conductor compartments added as part of the AZ rebuilds.^[16]: 217 The cars were initially to be reclassed ACZ but retain their numbers. The female lavatory compartment was to be made unisex, and the male compartment replaced with a conductor's office. Marker and side lights were to be fitted only at that end of each carriage.^[14]: 251 The next Newsrail acknowledgement of the ACZ class is in June 1984 and refers to the cars as "1ACZ" and "3ACZ",^[17]: 185 though Vincent records the first ACZ conversion, 3AZ to ACZ253, entering service on 23 February 1984 and 251ACZ ex 1AZ nearer to the end of the conversion program.^[18] ACZ251 was sighted in service, alongside BRS229, by or on 21 June 1984.^[19]: 284

By late August 1984 ACZ255 was in service and ACZ254 was expected to enter service before the end of the year; at that time the eight "Z sets" were marshalled with ACZ251, ACZ253, ACZ255 and one more unidentified, while the other four sets used CD vans borrowed from Australian National Railways.^[20]: 313

Two further cars were transferred from the standard gauge fleet in 1986, to provide ten ACZ-BRS sets to mix with BZ and BS economy sitting cars. A typical regional consist at the time would have been BS-BZ-BRS-ACZ, plus or minus a BS car depending on requirements. The final three standard gauge VBK cars were converted to broad gauge ACZ in 1990-1991, though all had been renumbered to match the New Deal system by 1987.

The modified ACZ cars had the toilets and four seats removed from the east end, and that space was utilised as the new guard's compartment to match that provided in the new ACN cars. This reduced their sitting capacity from 56 to 52 passengers, with the expectation that most luggage would be stored in an attached luggage van of the D series. Periscopes were fitted to allow guards to check signals, but as the guards were phased out the small compartment was handed over to conductors as an office area, and the periscopes were removed.

Introduction of the Sprinter fleet from 1993 rendered some of the regional loco-hauled carriage sets obsolete, so the vehicles were withdrawn and stored, typically at Ballarat or Bendigo workshops; and three (252, 255, 257) were sold to West Coast Railway when that company gained operational accreditation. ACZ252 was the first air-conditioned carriage to be painted in the West Coast Railway corporate livery, entering service in October 1995.^[21] ACZ260 was supposed to be included in the sale but was damaged a few days before the handover; it had been stored at Newport Workshops for 22 years, before rebuilt by V/line in 2017-18 to become a power van for the Albury standard gauge service.

As patronage increased approaching the new millennium they were gradually called back into service, and converted to provide additional Economy seating capacity. BCZ261 was the first to re-enter service in this way, refurbished and painted in the new crimson livery but without internal alterations, in September 1995.^[22] It was followed over the next year by cars BCZ251, 253, 254, 258 and 263; a sighting on Monday 20 November 1995 saw locomotive N452, hauling BCZ258-BCZ251-BCZ261-ACZ263-ACZ259 on the 17:40 train to South Geelong; in that consist, the locomotive and cars 261 and 259 were painted red, while the other three cars remained in orange.^[23] Many of these cars were rotated and attached to the west end of existing sets, rather than reforming their previous consists, to provide a temporary facility for wheelchair storage following passage of the Disability Discrimination Act in 1992. ACZ cars 259 and 262 were retained in service as loose 1st class carriages, for attaching to special consists as required; and ACZ256 was stored at Bendigo pending restoration and conversion to BCZ when the funding for the program ran out, so it was stored indefinitely. It was finally completed and re-entered service in 2000, following damage to some of the Sprinter vehicles and a jump in patronage.

In 2003 cars 251, 253 and 254 were converted to the new BTN format, with 88 seats arranged in 2+3, matching the capacity of the BN sitting carriages; and 256, 258 and 261 were converted to BZN, a modification of the BCZ arrangement with 76 economy seats in lieu of 52 1st class seats. The six cars were paired, then attached to three N type carriage sets. That left ACZ259, ACZ262 and BCZ263 with V/Line Passenger. When West Coast Railway folded in 2004, V/Line re-purchased cars ACZ252 and ACZ257. In 2006-2007, ACZ257, ACZ259 and ACZ262 were reclassed BCZ (to go with BCZ263), though no internal changes were applied at the time, and ACZ252 was converted to BZN252. BCZ262 was converted to the BZN format in or around 2008,^{[citation needed]} and BCZ259 to BTN259 followed in 2013,^{[24][better source needed]} leaving only BCZ257; this vehicle was used to form set Z57 when additional capacity was required on the Geelong line, and in more recent times it has been utilised as a secondary luggage storage area, attached to one of the regular N sets, often rostered to run to Swan Hill where the reduced capacity is manageable, and the increased comfort appreciated.

BZN & BTN conversions

Quick facts BTN, Family name ...

BTN
BTN 254 at Newport Workshops in 2024
Family name	Z type
Constructed	1998-2003
Number built	6
Number preserved	4
Fleet numbers	251, 253, 254 & 263 (ex AZ/ACZ/VBK); 264, 268 (ex BZ)
Capacity	88 Economy passengers
Specifications
Car body construction	Steel
Car length	71 ft 6 in (21.79 m) over body, 74 ft 8 in (22.76 m) over coupling points
Width	9 ft 9 in (2.97 m), 10 ft 1+15⁄16 in (3.10 m) over handrails
Height	13 ft 2+11⁄16 in (4.03 m)
Weight	50 tonnes
Power supply	Head-end power
Bogies	53 ft (16.15 m) centres
Braking system	Westinghouse
Coupling system	Autocouplers
Track gauge	5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)

Close

Quick facts BZN, Family name ...

BZN
BZN273 at Southern Cross station in 2016
Family name	Z type
Constructed	1995-2013
Number built	15
Fleet numbers	252, 256-258, 261-262 (ex ACZ), 265-267 (ex BZ), 271-276 (ex BZS)
Capacity	76 Economy passengers & 1 wheelchair parking spot
Specifications
Car body construction	Steel
Car length	71 ft 6 in (21.79 m) over body, 74 ft 8 in (22.76 m) over coupling points
Width	9 ft 9 in (2.97 m), 10 ft 1+15⁄16 in (3.10 m) over handrails
Height	13 ft 2+11⁄16 in (4.03 m)
Weight	50 tonnes
Power supply	Head-end power
Bogies	53 ft (16.15 m) centres
Braking system	Westinghouse
Coupling system	Autocouplers
Track gauge	5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)

Close

The Z sets were gradually dissolved from the mid-1990s, and the cars reallocated to N carriage sets. From 1995-1998 eight cars were converted to BZN, with some seats removed and a wider doorway fitted to make the cars wheelchair-accessible; and in 1998-1999 a further three cars were converted to a more dense seating arrangement, with 88 seats provided in the same layout as the BN carriages. A further three cars of each type were created in 2003, followed by 252 and 267 to BZN in 2007, 262 in 2008 and 259 in 2013.

Composite Sleeping Car

The composite sitting/sleeping car, VAM1, was built with 10 evenly-spaced windows per side, plus a closer window and a door at the No. 2 end. Access to the car was via the doors at the No. 2 end, or via coupled carriages and the diaphragms linking them to VAM1. The ten windows each represented a single compartment. The first and second compartments at the No. 1 end were fitted with bench seats for four people each, while the other eight compartments were fitted with three-person seats divisible with retractable armrests. All seats could fold down to form a bed, and above that was a second bed, giving capacity for up to 20 sleeping passengers or up to 24 first-class and 8 second-class passengers. Generally speaking only the first four compartments at the No. 1 end were used for sitting passengers, and the remaining six were used exclusively for sleeping passengers. Partially because of this, the public address system was only wired to the four compartments at the No. 1 end, and not the other six. Each compartment also had its own cupboard, shower, toilet, card table and wardrobe. The interior was sheathed with laminex panels.^[25]

At the No. 2 end a small curtained-off area was reserved for the carriage conductor, with a seat to work at. Weight of the car was 51 tons 13 cwt. Water capacity was 280 gallons of cold water, plus 75 gallons of hot water for the showers. The car was fitted with marker lights, backup lamp brackets and tail discs at both ends, allowing it to trail any train. Notably, even though the car would only normally trail trains in New South Wales, the end-of-train marker was a Victorian Railways disc rather than a New South Wales Railways triangle.

The car now is under the care of Seymour Railway Heritage Centre and was restored to service in 2016.

PZ Power Van

ACZ260 has been modified and reclassed as power van PZ260, as of 17-Jan-2018.^[26] It was converted to standard gauge for use on the Albury line, then in 2022 the carriage was transferred to the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre and reclassified 10PZ, in line with its pre-New Deal identity of 10AZ

Individual cars

Carriage sets

Operation of fixed carriage sets was not introduced until 1981, with the New Deal reforms of passenger rail operations and the introduction of the N type carriages. The original plan had been to form sets using a timber-bodied CE van, with an AZ car, BRS snack car carriage, and between one and three other BS and BZ carriages (typically one each BZ and BS), plus a parcels van trailing when necessary. A change was made shortly thereafter replacing the CE vans in the concept by modifying AZ first class carriages to ACZ configuration, with an internal guard/conductor's compartment, forming four-car Z sets.^[15]: 330

7BZ was the first to be renumbered to the new scheme, becoming BZ270 on 21 November 1983.^[27]: 57 2VBK was similarly renumbered to VBK260 on 20 December 1983, and 3VBK to VBK261 on 5 April 1984.^[27]: 58

In 1984-5 the eight AZ cars had conductor compartments added, and were reclassed as ACZ 251-258, followed by ACZ260 and 262 ex VBK cars 2 and 4 in 1986. 1990-1991 saw the three remaining VBK cars transferred to broad gauge, as ACZ259 (ex VBK259), ACZ261 (ex VBK261) and AZ263 (ex VBK263); the latter was converted to ACZ within a year.

Other cars were simply recoded, with VAM1 moving to broad gauge and being reclassed SZ287, while the seven broad gauge and six standard gauge economy carriages were renumbered 264-276 ex 1BZ-7BZ, VFK1-VFK6.

In the early 1990s the six VFK cars were returned to broad gauge and refitted internally with a better type of seating, being coded BZS to differentiate them from the existing BZ class. This was around the time the Riverina XPT was extended to Melbourne.

From 1993 the Z sets were broken up as the Sprinter railcars arrived, and by mid-1995 all the S type carriages had been withdrawn leaving one Z set (essentially a random assortment of whatever was available) on South Geelong services, and a handful of Z cars (BZ, BZS and BZN codes) attached to N sets.^[28] Later, two five-car sets were formed, coded VZ1 and VZ2. The loose cars were utilised as additional cars in the N type sets, with the last Z set being broken up in 2006. A number of loose ACZ / BCZ carriages remain, that can be attached to N type sets.

When West Coast Railway started operating their own trains around 1995, they purchased a handful of carriages from V/Line. Those included ACZ252, 255 and 257, and BZ 267, 269 and 270. ACZ260 was another intended purchase but it had been damaged while on lease to West Coast Railway, before the purchase could occur, so V/Line substituted one of the other three ACZ coaches.

From the early 2000s the Z cars, both ACZ and BZ/BZS, were fitted with upgraded seating to match the N type interiors. Cars rebuilt like this were coded BZN or BTN, depending on whether they were intended to be used as fourth or fifth carriages as attached to an N set.

In December 2008, a N carriage (ACN21) was withdrawn from service to be converted to SG to run on the upgraded Albury-Wodonga line. Before withdrawal this carriage was in N set SN7, along with the BS cars. Because of ACN21's withdrawal, a Z carriage was introduced into the set permanently. The 5 BS cars and the Z car (BCZ257) were joined into a set coded Z57, as a replacement for SN7.

In late 2014, BCZ257 was noted as being semi-permanently coupled to N set VN17 as the fourth carriage. It tends to run on Swan Hill and Bairnsdale services.

Z cars have been returned to service as more bogies are reconditioned. On Thursday 22 September 2016 a test train ran from Melbourne to Geelong and back, with two locomotives, set N11 at the west end and BZN cars 271, 267, 274 and 252.

Set history

As part of the 1981 New Deal, the steel country passenger rollingstock was organised into sets. The Z sets were numbered 51 to 63, after the ACZ carriages providing the conductor accommodation. However, the sets contained a mixture of S and Z type carriages.

Note: Colours are representative only, and do not directly correlate to liveries worn in the era.

After the car identities, "T" indicates through-cabled for head end power; H indicates that the car requires head end power for lighting and air conditioning but is fitted with batteries, and H indicates same without batteries.