Mitta Mitta Cars

trainfreak · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 2:25 am

Ok, so I'm having a bit of an argument here.

The question being raised is that "The steel bodied carriage Mitta Mitta, A) Where is it currently and B) Where was it previously? and C) How many carriages with the name Mitta Mitta has there/is there?"

All answers and information would be much appreciated.

Regards,

Owen.

Owen
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Loco · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 3:12 am

I know of two (I think)

One is at the museum at newport... still in V/Line orange last I saw it, someone else maybe able to confirm further.

The other I know of, is at the SRHC painted in VR Blue and Gold. It will be heading out this morning on the SRHC Blue Train to Camperdown today departing Seymour at 7am... hence my unusual posting time here this morning Smile

Regards,

Lionel.

NR77 · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:30 am

Correctimundo, as of three months ago Mitta Mitta was still at the museum in Newport in V/line orange and grey. It has been modified to have parties held inside it.

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MOM · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:30 am

??? 2 carriages carrying the same name, I must say that is most odd ???

The people most qualified to quickly answer it are all away gunzelling for the W/E. Most interested in teh answer....

trainfreak · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:46 am

A bit more background information.

It is my belief that the current Mitta Mitta being stored at the SRHC has never entered the museum at North Williamstown.

Is this correct? Has there ever been two Mitta Mitta cars in the museum at the same time?

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popey · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 12:22 pm

I thought there had been three cars named Mitta Mitta. I found two on Peter Vincents site and then this on Comrails:

http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/n_mitta_mitta_3.html

so...

The first one was scrapped
Number Two is at Williamstown
and the third is at Seymour

Hope this helps

Nathan

Fotopic Page: http://nathan-pope.fotopic.net - UPDATED Last Broad Gauge Passenger Train to Albury

Deep Throat · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 12:24 pm

There are two Mitta Mittas in existence as mentioned.

One is at the ARHS Museum at Newport, a former SG buffet car similar to Tanjil and Wimmera which was used on the Spirit of Progress.
One is formerly BRS228, converted into a staff car / service car for Vice-Regal use, replacing Goulburn. I am presuming that the former Mitta Mitta lost its name and reverted to being known as a VRS car before the BRS was converted.

To confuse matters further, Tanjil, which is a twin to the ARHS Mitta Mitta is on long-term loan to SRHC where the other Mitta Mitta is, and a Wimmera but not the same Wimmera, which was also a dining car at one stage built in the 1900's, is in the ARHS Museum.

There was another Mitta Mitta, which was a Ministerial car, then converted to a Vision Test car... replaced by Wimmera.

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kuldalai · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 3:26 pm

Correct the bg steel Buffet cars both full 27 seat versions and composite ones with 18 seats and some compartments used on bg Albury and Bairnsdale services pre 1962 (pre Nth East sg) were all named . (Including Mitta Mitta).

Three of these cars went onto sg in 1962 for the sg SOP and at that time they were coded VRS and lost their names . One of the composite cars survived on the am Dn & Midday Up "Gippslander" till the early 1980's . When the sg SOP stopped the VRS cars all went to Enthusuast bodies IIRC.

Vicrail also had a sole wooden bodied composite sitting buffet car "Taggerty" which was converted originally from a wooden bodied "E" car . Till the early 1980's it was used attached to the Evening Down Swan Hill train between Melbourne and Bendigo. On the Up attached Bendigo - Melbourne departing Bendigo at the 12 Noon time which was an institution for many decades .

4426_No_2_end · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 4:19 pm

Poor Mexicans.

No wonder your a confused bunch, with 2 Mitta Mitta's god knows what else you have 2 of.

My Condolences Wink

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Deep Throat · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 4:36 pm

The first buffet car - Wimmera - I thought was at Tailem Bend minus bogies?

Anonymous - and proud of it.

MOM · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 4:51 pm

This is a totally confusing state of affairs...

Why would anyone in their right frame of mind name 3 cars the same?

I can accept it IF they where written off and the next one is a replacement, however, according to the information this thread is uncovering, this isn't the case?

Can anyone shed some light on it as well?

TheRev · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:11 pm

I think you will find that the same name was used on carriages after the previous car which carried the name was withdrawn from service; effectively freeing the name for re-use.

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K160 · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:57 pm

Take for example the "Murray" dining car. The name "Murray was originally bestowed on a Parlor car identical to "Yarra" (Both built in 1906 for the Sydney Limited Express). This car ceased regular use in 1937, the year in which the current "Murray" car entered service on the original Spirit of Progress. This car did not gain the name until 1963.

ComRails is an excellent source and has a section on all these cars:

http://comrails.railpage.org.au/sar_carriages/a0100.html

Regards
Matthew Davis

Last updated January 5th 2009.