Railway_Digest__February_2018

scheme has been applied to the train, based on a beach theme,
and a matching livery is used on locomotive 1604. The 60-plus
year old carriages look as if they are brand new! The initial train
composition is:
• MPCC 1430, Power car (1971, Ipswich Workshops)
• Former QR VIP fleet car MSD1460, manufactured in 1953 by
Comeng, (one of three converted for this role) was purchased
and used as a kitchen car for preparing meals. This carriage was
originally a ‘Lander’ dining car, and in 1987 was converted to
a kitchen with bedroom accommodation for cooks and other
staff. The VIP fleet was used by Governors General and senior QR
staff, and it is understood that former Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen
also used the cars during his career. Their use declined after the
mid-90s. The other two VIP cars were sold to a fruit farm to provide
accommodation for fruit pickers so this car is the only former QR VIP
car still in active operation and the interior largely hasn’t changed.
• The other notable car is MCC1521 ‘Club Loco’. It was built
as a club /dining car in 1958. In 1992 when the Queenslander
received its second refurbishment, it was refurbished as a ‘disco
on wheels’. Originally it was intended for economy sitting
passengers and marketed as part of a separate train call Spirit
of the Tropics which was priced specifically to the backpacker
market. From 1993, the car received a full body “yellow-and
maroon” livery, and was claimed to be the first disco club on rail
in the world. A change in QR management direction eventually
separated the Queenslander and Spirit of the Tropics as two
completely separate trains operating to different schedules from
the late 90s. To standardise train compositions of the Spirit of the
Tropics with the Sunlander and Spirit of the Outback, this car was
then swapped with MCD1528 (renamed ‘Club Loco’). QR then
put MCC1521 in to storage in the late 90s until Bellarine Railway
purchased it and turned it back to a bar/disco club style lounge
car for the Q train operation. The car had returned to its former
use!
• MBL1509 is a former economy sitter built by Comeng in 1953.
Post-refurbishment it has had seats removed and replaced with
dining room-style seating with a bar at one end, and has kept the
seat number plates, reading lights, and luggage rack in its new
guise as a Q class dining car. The bar is of a similar design to the
former Queenslander bar.
• MBS 1474 was originally an economy sleeper with eight cabins.
These have now been removed, converting it into an open Q
class dining car seating 46 passengers. Originally manufactured
by Comeng in 1953.
• MAS 1487 was originally a twinette sleeper manufactured in
1953 by Comeng, now it is a first class dining car. The shower room
is still intact!
The full complement of M series cars on Bellarine Railway
comprises:
MBL 1509, MBL 1511, MBL 1512, MCSC1484, MBL 1534, MPCC
1430, MBSC 1533, MBS 1532, MBC 1459, MBSC 1479, MSC 1469,
MBL 1517, MBL 1531, MBS 1474, MBS 1472, MSD 1460,MBC 1457,
MBC 1454, MBC 1446,MAS 1499, MAS 1487, MAS 1489,MAS 1498,
MCC 1521
The Q train began operation at the end of September 2017, and
the train runs every weekend for dinner service. The train offers
two types of accommodation, Q class – dining in the open dining
car, or first class – dining in the former twinette sleeper.
Left (page 46): An interior view of the Q train’s Q class dining car MBL1509, a former economy sitting car built by Comeng in 1953,
on the evening of Saturday 21 October 2017. The bar installed in this car is very similar to the former QR Queenslander class bar.
Below: Former QR English Electric Co-Co DE unit 1604, built in 1962, retaining its former QR blue livery, sits ready to depart Drysdale
for Queenscliff late on Saturday 21 October 2017. The scene is somewhat reminiscent of the erstwhile Midlander preparing to leave
Emerald for Rockhampton in the 1970s.
Preservation & Tourist
FEBRUARY 2018
47