I am seeking side on photographs (both sides) of the buffet car AVL 314 as used on the WAGR " Midlander" in the green and cream livery preferably but all liveries woud still be useful.

More specifically if the picture has been taken on the 3/4 angle to find pictures of the "Lounge end" of the carriage.

I am already aware of the pictures in Bills Grays book however these show primarily the Kitchen end. I have also already scoured the web - Weston Langford, ARHS etc with limited results, so I am looking for something NEW to help me in construction of a model of this carriage.

Can anyone help?

Your assistance appreciated.

Try this



http://www.railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=4374

Try this

http://www.railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=4374

Thanks Waynes
I found this pic ages ago as it is the easiest to find in a google search.

It also doesnt show me the exterior of the car as requested!

This carriage may have also been photographed on the "Albany Weekender" train or even much later in yellow when it became part of the Breakdown Train.

I hope that this photo can help Neil.

[img]https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3788/13446364115_b5b50bcf4c_z.jpg[/img]
https://www.flickr.com/photos/20941012@N05/13446364115/

I hope that this photo can help Neil.

[img]https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3788/13446364115_b5b50bcf4c_z.jpg[/img]
https://www.flickr.com/photos/20941012@N05/13446364115/

Thanks for that Simon
Absolute ripper shot and shows exactly what I was looking for - being the Vent above the Toilet window which has been removed and repanelled since its arrival at the museum. One of those unsual features that doesnt show up in drawings etc.

For those of you unaware and interested - This Buffet/Lounge car was quite likely one of the first WAGR carriages to be fitted with air - conditioners, though as they were an evaporative type they seemingly were not really all that succesful.

The black vent at this end (on both sides of the car) is the air intake for 2 large evaporative units which were mounted in the wall of the toilet compartments (rendering the toilets unusable). At the other end of the car can be seen some vents in the side wall which combined with the exhaust fans in the buffet would have allowed for the flow of air through the carriage.

Aside from the paint job into yellow, the AVL appears in this picture to be unchanged from its previous use on the "Midlander" and Albany services.

I have very fond memories going back to June 1966 when I first traveled on The Midlander to Geraldton on school holidays. We travelled in a first class sleeper and after leaving Midland we made our way down to AVL 314 to have an evening meal sitting at the rotating bar stools that were located at the buffet counter. This was my first dining experience on a train and as a ten year old I was over the moon. Even though it was a Wednesday evening the train was quite busy and the conductor assisted the buffet attendant for a time. As more people arrived for meals the conductor offered to serve our tea and coffee in the lounge section in order for the buffet counter to be used by other customers. My Mum felt very spoilt being looked after so well. We returned on The Midlander the next week and broke our journey at Gingin. We had a sleeper from Geraldton to Gingin and again another buffet dinner.

The following week we rejoined the Midlander at Gin Gin and because we were only travelling as first class sit up passengers we were offered seats in the Lounge section of AVL 314 where we also enjoyed a breakfast as well.

As well as the evaporative cooling the car was also fitted with Commonwealth ride control bogies which gave an ultra smooth ride.  It was a truly memorable experience.  In fact all of the buffet cars of the WAGR had very high standards of appointments all with a certain individual style. Quite an achievement really due to what was really a very small passenger operation.