New South Wales HUB type carriage stock explained

The HUB type carriage stock was a type of air conditioned passenger carriage operated by the New South Wales Government Railways from April 1948 until April 2000.

The HUB set cars were ordered by the Department of Railways New South Wales in 1943 to operate services from Sydney to Newcastle. Originally the contract was for an additional 25 N type carriages, but due to wartime restrictions construction was delayed and the contract was amended with the carriages being altered to air conditioned and an additional 3 cars added to the order.[1] The contract was awarded to Tulloch Limited, Rhodes who built the 28 carriages numbered 2212 to 2239 between 1947 and 1949, and formed into four sets of seven carriages. Each carriage was 19.83m (65.06feet) in length.[2] The cars consisted of:

The 4 sets coded HUB were numbered 116-119, with each set originally consisting of HFH, RFH, BH, BH, RBH, FH and PFH.[1] The first set entered service in April 1948 on the Newcastle Flyer.[3] One briefly operated the Riverina Express before being transferred to the South Coast Daylight Express and them in 1956 to the Central West Express to Orange.

From the 1970s, the HUB sets ceased operating as fixed formations and the carriages were operated with RUB and stainless steel rolling stock on services throughout the state.[4] [5]

They ceased operating the Newcastle Flyer services in April 1988[6] and many were withdrawn as a number of locomotive hauled services ceased in the early 1990s. Some remained in service with CityRail on Southern Highlands services to Goulburn until replaced by Endeavour railcars in 1994.

Most were auctioned in August 1994 with the State Rail Authority retaining five.[7] In 1996 three were returned to traffic for use on CountryLink's new services to Broken Hill and Griffith[2] before being withdrawn in April 2000.[8]

Fleet status

HUB Delivery Set Original Code HFH RFH BH BH RBH FH PFH
116Original Number 2212 2232 2220 2221 2236 2228 2216
Current/last code/number RDH, Previous BHA, BHZFFH
Owner/Custodian THNSW DSR&M Lithgow State Mine
Location EveleighDorrigo Canberra Lithgow
ConditionStored Exhibit Accommodation Stored
117Original Number 2213 2233 2222 2223 2237 2229 2217
Current/last code/number HFZ RDH BHA OHS Previous BHA OAH, Previous RDH FFH
Owner/Custodian THNSW Blue Zephyr Blue Zephyr Private
Location Lighting Ridge Eveleigh Gap Rothbury Rothbury Werris Creek
ConditionBody Stored Body operational Operational - Sleeper Stored
118Original Number 2214 2234 22242225 2238 2230 2218
Current/last code/number HFZ BHZ FHH
Owner/Custodian THNSW THNSW THNSW
Location Kundle Kundle Broadmeadow Menindee Broadmeadow Broadmeadow
ConditionCottage Stored Restaurant Stored Stored
119Original Number 2215 2235 2226 2227 2239 2231 2219
Current/last code/number RDH BDS RDH PFZ
Owner/Custodian Mens Shed THNSW
Location Grenfell Canberra Rothbury Marrangaroo Thirlmere
ConditionClub Room Stored Stored Restaurant Operational

Notes and References

  1. Book: Cooke. Coaching Stock of the New South Wales Railways. Eveleigh Press. 2003. 1-876568-01-1.
  2. "Countrylink's 'new' Daylight Express cars" Railway Digest February 1996 page 40
  3. Book: Flyer. 1970. New South Wales Rail Transport Museum. Sydney. 0 909862 16 8. 17.
  4. https://www.hms.heritage.nsw.gov.au/App/Item/ViewItem?itemId=4807293 Rdh 2220 - Coaching stock - Unclassed/Buffet Car
  5. https://www.hms.heritage.nsw.gov.au/App/Item/ViewItem?itemId=4807311 Rdh 2233 - Buffet/Daynighter Saloon Car
  6. "The End of the Flyers" Railway Digest June 1988 page 215
  7. "Rolling Stock - Carriage Auction Results" Railway Digest October 1994 page 38
  8. "CountryLink Loco-Hauled Services Cancelled" Railway Digest May 2000 page 7