Victorian N Passenger Cars (ACN,
BN & BRN Classes)
Ready-to-Run in HO Scale
Available 2012
Auscision Models is
producing the Victorian Railways N Cars in 2012. They will
be available in 4 car sets comprising 1 x ACN, 1 x BRN, 1 x
BN and 1 x D Van. These cars will only be available in sets
and no single cars will be produced. From 1995 onwards, some
N Car sets were increased in size to 4 or 5 carriages with
the addition of Z Cars (BZN or BCZ) or conversions from Z
Cars (BTN). These BZN, BCZ and BTN Cars will not be produced
at this stage as existing N Car moulds cannot be used to
produce them due to the physical differences between the
types of carriages.
The Victorian N Cars were built by Newport Workshop between 1981
and 1984 for the then Victorian Railways. It was intended that the
passenger cars would be used on inter-city services to numerous
country destinations, including to Dimboola, Mildura, Swan Hill,
Cobram, Albury, Bairnsdale, Geelong, Warrnambool, Bendigo, Ballarat
and Shepparton. N Cars have travelled behind almost all classes of
Victorian diesel electric locomotives, together with the L Class
electric locomotives.
Nineteen 3 car sets were built in total, and these sets were
originally numbered N1 to N19. Each set comprised of an ACN first
class car with a compartment for the guard/conductor, a BRN economy
class car with snack bar, and a BN economy class car. The N Cars are
all numbered between 1 and 57.
Power
supply was provided by a motor generator set beneath each car. The N
Cars were fitted with air conditioning and power operated doors.
The majority of the N Cars entered service in the tangerine and
silver Vicrail ‘Tea-Cup’ livery introduced in 1981. Some of the
later builds entered service in the first tangerine V/LINE livery,
which incorporated the two parallel silver stripes with V/LINE
logos.
The N Cars would often have D Vans attached to the consist to
provide additional luggage space.
In 1995, additional Z Cars were added to some sets to increase
the set length to 4 cars (FN sets) or 5 cars (VN sets).
Following completion of the conversion of the broad gauge north
east line in Victoria to standard gauge in 2009/2010, the N Cars may
in the future see service further into New South Wales to Wagga
Wagga.
In chronological order, the N Cars have appeared in the following
liveries:
From 1981 until 1985 (approx) - Vicrail Tea-Cup logo with two
parallel silver bands through the windows on tangerine (orange)
painted car
From late 1983 to early 90’s - V/LINE logo with two parallel
silver bands through the windows on tangerine (orange) painted car
Late 80’s to early 2000’s - V/LINE logo with white and green
stripes below the windows on tangerine (orange) painted car with
grey roof
From 1995 to 1997 (approx) - V/LINE logo on red car with blue
roof – no bottom stripes (VLP Series 1 without bottom stripes)
From 1995 to 2007 (approx) - V/LINE logo on red car with blue
roof with blue and white bottom stripes (VLP Series 1 with bottom
stripes)
From 2001 to present day - V/Line logo (in lowercase) on red car
with blue roof with blue and white bottom stripes (VLP Series 2)
From 2007 to present day - V/Line logo on grey/white/purple/red
car (VLP Series 3)
