Alberga, Coonatto and Nilpena
Originally to be numbered 209 to 211, these three sleeping cars were the standard equipment on the Terowie to Broken Hill overnight passenger trains known as “expresses” until the closure of the line in 1970. The three cars were built during 1915 at Islington Workshops and have several features different to the remainder of the narrow gauge coaching stock.
They were the only cars built with the semi-elliptic type of roof and were the only passenger cars finished with tongue and groove boards, the other cars having steel sheathing. Also, they are wider, and taller, while the end platforms have an elaborate grille in place of the usual railing, with a gate in the centre.
Height from rail to top of the roof was 11ft 6in (3.05m); length overall, 62ft 6in (19.07m); and body length 55ft, The bogies were four-wheel, of 6ft (1.83m) wheelbase and were similar to those under the 50ft (15.24m) Long Tom lavatory cars.
Internally, the layout was similar to the wooden body Victorian and South Australian Joint Stock E type sleepers. There were eight compartments with upper and lower berths off a narrow side corridor, and there is a lavatory and a cupboard at one end and a lounge compartment at the other. Known as a smoking compartment it had four armchairs with a folding table and two berths which could be curtained off. The conductor’s compartment, with sink, ice chest and stove, was located at the end of the car with the smoking compartment, with a lavatory opposite the conductor’s compartment.
Only minor changes were made to these cars since they were first placed in service and they look quite impressive beside other narrow gauge cars. They carried the title “South Australian Railways” on the letterboard. Alberga is historically significant at Quorn as on 30 August 1923 it was the first sleeping car to be attached to a Ghan passenger service back when it only ran from Quorn to Oodnadatta
After the closure of the Peterborough Division in 1970, two cars Alberga and Coonatto were transferred to the Port Lincoln Division. Alterations were made to the interior of the cars for officers use, and they also received a green colour scheme in lieu of the red/brown colour scheme used on the Peterborough Division.
All of the cars are now at Quorn in the collection of the Pichi Richi Railway, with Nilpena the only South Australian Railways passenger car remaining in as built condition. It has occasionally been used on special trains.
