I don't care what anyone say's, the old v/line tangerine and grey was perfect 8)

You have to be kidding.

If it were to be a reincarnation of the V/L '85 (or was it '88 ) Royality & Vice Regal VLP Grey Body & Roof, White Window Band w/ V/L Green & Orange Pin stripes Scheme, with the Green & Orange Pin stripes changed to VLP Red/Blue & Purple, well perhaps I could come to like that...

Would anybody mind telling me where I could see some pics of that?

Nope not kidding, when we move to Melbourne thats about as far back as I can rememeber train wise so that's what I've grown up with!

I don't care what anyone say's, the old v/line tangerine and grey was perfect 8)

You have to be kidding.

Orange and Grey certainly stood out in the VIC countryside. It was good, not a patch on the VR Blue though. Still the Orange and Grey look far better than the Newer V/LINE Scheme. IMO!

If it were to be a reincarnation of the V/L '85 (or was it '88 ) Royality & Vice Regal VLP Grey Body & Roof, White Window Band w/ V/L Green & Orange Pin stripes Scheme, with the Green & Orange Pin stripes changed to VLP Red/Blue & Purple, well perhaps I could come to like that...

Would anybody mind telling me where I could see some pics of that?

Thanks to the Victorian Railways.net Website
Thanks to PJV for the image...

Ooh, that;s rather nice. But I'm going to have to give my vote to tangerine as well.

One Q though - where did that round-end car come from and where is it now?

Ooh, that;s rather nice. But I'm going to have to give my vote to tangerine as well.

One Q though - where did that round-end car come from and where is it now?

The carriage name is Norman. Im not too sure of its history (its on my computer somewhere) but Norman is currently at the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre being restored/repainted into Blue and Gold. I believe it will be used on a fan trip later on in the year.

The Norman car was always on the V.R. Commissioners' train when they did their annual visits to lines and stations. The Commissioners train consisted of a sleeping car, dining car and the Norman car which was set up as an office. It was hauled bya D3 loco so it could be used on light branch lines as well as on main ones. Later on I think it was a Y-class diesel that was used. I remember being shown through it at SSS years ago when I was a little kacker. It had roller blinds which when pulled down had maps of each section of the Victorian Railways showing every station, siding and level crossing on each line. The original Norman car had a open observation platform on one or both ends similar to the observation car of the Sydney Express in the 1920's.
 The Norman car you saw on that photo was the original Parlor Car of the BG Spirit of Progress which ran on the back of that train which was turned at Wodonga on the triangle and at Melbourne on lhe loop around the old steam engine sheds. This ran from 1937 until 1962 when the Spirit was converted to standard gauge and ran through to Sydney as the second division to the Southern Aurora. The Commissioners had the Parlor Car converted to the new Norman Car ( of course it was airconditioned )  but with the dismantling of Victorian Railways it was no longer needed for that purpose. Hope this helps.

The last locos to haul the Commissioners were Y 175 or T 400.

The Commissioners driver and fireman and their loco spent most of their time with The Train Of Knowledge, taking schools on five day trips to Swan Hill, via a big circle.  The driver was qualified in many tracks.

(My recollections are from 1980-81).

Not quite correct on the history bit .  The current NORMAN car was attached to the rear end of the old bg SOP between Melbourne & Albury . The whole consist was turned daily on the still existant  North Melbourne Reversing Loop and at Wodonga on the bg triangle linking the Albury, Bandiana and Wodonga sections.
In March 1956 a Daylight Express was introduced between Melbourne and Sydney and the bg train was made up of Victorian S & Z cars with a bg full 27 seat Buffet Car. The former SOP Parlour car was attached at the rear as an observation car and certain internal mods were made at the time including the installation of some  AZ  type  lay back seats . The car operated  on the bg Daylight Express train between Melbourne & Wodonga till early 1962 when the old bg Daylight was replaced by the Intercapital Daylight made up of SRA (NSW) cars. The car was then re-furbished for executive use and has since been used on departmental and royal trains.

Original livery on SOP and Daylight Express was VR blue and gold, then V/Line grey as pictured on Royal Train to Geelong (1988), then into V/Line heritage brown with gold dots livery as used on Norman, Victoria Club, Murray dining car (also ex SOP) and some other heritage cars including AVOCA which is now in Seymour .

Original livery on SOP and Daylight Express was VR blue and gold, then V/Line grey as pictured on Royal Train to Geelong (1988), then into V/Line heritage brown with gold dots livery as used on Norman, Victoria Club, Murray dining car (also ex SOP) and some other heritage cars including AVOCA which is now in Seymour .

Also in 1994 it was the first carriage to be painted in the VLP MkI livery, though it was very short lived.

Original livery on SOP and Daylight Express was VR blue and gold, then V/Line grey as pictured on Royal Train to Geelong (1988), then into V/Line heritage brown with gold dots livery as used on Norman, Victoria Club, Murray dining car (also ex SOP) and some other heritage cars including AVOCA which is now in Seymour .

Also in 1994 it was the first carriage to be painted in the VLP MkI livery, though it was very short lived.

And didn't look overly great like that either!

I've got a shot or two which were sent to me, I'll try and dig one up somewhere soon.

Norman was the "test bed" for the then red livery, it differed by having white stripes below window level in place of the reflectorised stripes that became the norm on ACZ 259 onwards.

It was repainted again  in 1995  (At Seymour) to match Avoca as part of the "Fad" classic carriage fleet, Avoca, Murray and Club Victoria. and even a promo video was produced featuring N 463 on the Bendigo line with all 4 cars.  "classic" footage.

Both Murray & Norman should emerge in blue & gold later this year courtesy of the DOI & SRHC.

State car 5, Goulburn & Mitta Mitta (BRS228) where also painted grey as where Norman & Murray.
ACZ252 off the royal train in 1988 never saw revenue service in the grey scheme. being repainted immedialtely after the special in standard orange V/line colors.

The last locos to haul the Commissioners were Y 175 or T 400.

Said Y class had it's gearing altered for higher speeds.

"ACZ252 off the royal train in 1988 never saw revenue service in the grey scheme. being repainted immedialtely after the special in standard orange V/line colors."

And did'nt it draw the crabs with the Journos in doing that.
The main story became  the ACZ being painted into Royal Train livery for one return trip to Geelong and then back to normal livery . They stirred the sxxt for days as to the cost .

Ironically the ACZ car was largely attached to the royal train for the journos who then mostly shunned it and travelled by road, and those few who did go by train were not too thrilled that their free catering provided was sandwiches and orange juice .

Another Sprinter is heading for refurbishing this coming week, 7002 I believe, so 7007 should be pretty close to finished.

There is a D van at Newport also, could end up repainted as well (D339)

Thought all D and DH vans had been withdrawn from regular traffic, so more likely just stored .

They are still in service for bulk group luggage when requested and Bulk bicycle traffic when required.
Usually in school holidays the whole lot are in service.
Three are stored at Newport, D358 - DN403/404.


One is usually kept at Geelong in case required to be attached to a service formed of an arrival in the mornings Ie the 0813 Albury or 0745 Bairnsdale.

4 are normally kept in the Spencer Street Yard.

Just some carriage news:-

VN12 should be the first N set in the new livery, however, not the first steel non-H car to be in it - these cars should be BZN252 (converted ex ACZ252 - so the second time this cars been in grey) and BZN267 (converted ex BZ267).

The N cars of VN12 (ACN36, BRN35, BN23) were transferred to Newport for overhaul/repaint about a week ago, with BZN273 and BTN268 from this set being added to set N4 to form VN4.

The last cars to be outshopped in the current red livery will be BZN258 & BTN254 ex set VN18.

Just some carriage news:-

VN12 should be the first N set in the new livery, however, not the first steel non-H car to be in it - these cars should be BZN252 (converted ex ACZ252 - so the second time this cars been in grey) and BZN267 (converted ex BZ267).

The N cars of VN12 (ACN36, BRN35, BN23) were transferred to Newport for overhaul/repaint about a week ago, with BZN273 and BTN268 from this set being added to set N4 to form VN4.

The last cars to be outshopped in the current red livery will be BZN258 & BTN254 ex set VN18.

Thanks for the update Matt  Interesting

What exactly is the new livery that everyone is expecting?

What exactly is the new livery that everyone is expecting?

You'll know when you see it.

What exactly is the new livery that everyone is expecting?

You'll know when you see it.

Will it be unvailed before the public tours of Newport early next week? Or are the people on the first tour going to be the first ones to see it up close and personal?

Will it be unvailed before the public tours of Newport early next week? Or are the people on the first tour going to be the first ones to see it up close and personal?

What tours of Newport?

Will it be unvailed before the public tours of Newport early next week? Or are the people on the first tour going to be the first ones to see it up close and personal?

What tours of Newport?

Yes, do tell I'd like to know also... who does one contact if interested in taking part if it's possible...