Written By: Alex Thorn
Photos By: Simon Barber and Ian Green
Page Last Updated: 11/8/20
Victorian Railways were looking for new railcars to modernise their fleet of Walker railcars in the 1960s. Constructed from 1970, Tulloch Limited had made a number of railmotors at their Rhodes facility for NSWGR. VR decided that it would order 2 units of a similar design, becoming DRC40 and DRC41. They were purchased new from the builder by VR, entering service in 1971. The other 2 units were purchased second-hand from NSWGR who had been experiencing mechanical problems with their fleet of 10 PCH class railmotors. These two would become DRC42 and DRC43 while the remaining 8 NSW units were converted into unpowered passenger cars for use there. These later 2 former PCH units would be delivered via SG to VR in 1975 and were modified for Victorian use.
DRC40 rests in Bacchus Marsh station. (21/12/90)
Photo By: Simon Barber |
DRC42 with an H carriage at Sunshine on a Bacchus Marsh passenger. (11/92)
Photo By: Ian Green |
The DRCs are a single car unit with a stainless-steel body. Initially they wore plain silver with no livery. They were intended to help VR withdraw the older 280hp Walker railcars however with a fleet of only 4, they didn’t really succeed with this until the late 1970s and early 1980s when many branch line services fell into disuse. Their class DRC stands for ‘Diesel Rail Car’. They were also the first railcars to have air-conditioning installed. Each unit is fitted with 2 diesel-hydraulic Cummins 300hp engines.
The fleet would often operate long distance passenger services out of regional centres such as the Ararat to Portland line. After the re-introduction of Stony Point services in the early 1980s, they also appeared regularly servicing the line.
Reliability issues had arisen during the late 1970s and early 1980s, with V/line refurbishing the fleet from 1983. The units received V/line signage and were painted into the orange and grey livery. In 1984, 4 MTH cars were constructed from withdrawn Harris suburban carriages, made for the DRC railmotors to tow. From this point, their reliability had improved, however they were assigned shorter distance routes as many other lines they had previously served had their passenger service withdrawn.
In June 1995, all 4 DRC railmotors were withdrawn from service as a result of the 22 new Sprinter railcars entering service for V/line. NSWGR had withdrawn their former PCH railcar carriages from service in 1993
All 4 DRC railcars survive to this day, with DRC40 being preserved and operational at the Daylesford Spa Country Railway with its original stainless-steel look. DRC41 and DRC42 are privately owned and stored at Newport Workshops in a non-operational state. DRC43 is currently stored with SRHC.
The fleet would often operate long distance passenger services out of regional centres such as the Ararat to Portland line. After the re-introduction of Stony Point services in the early 1980s, they also appeared regularly servicing the line.
Reliability issues had arisen during the late 1970s and early 1980s, with V/line refurbishing the fleet from 1983. The units received V/line signage and were painted into the orange and grey livery. In 1984, 4 MTH cars were constructed from withdrawn Harris suburban carriages, made for the DRC railmotors to tow. From this point, their reliability had improved, however they were assigned shorter distance routes as many other lines they had previously served had their passenger service withdrawn.
In June 1995, all 4 DRC railmotors were withdrawn from service as a result of the 22 new Sprinter railcars entering service for V/line. NSWGR had withdrawn their former PCH railcar carriages from service in 1993
All 4 DRC railcars survive to this day, with DRC40 being preserved and operational at the Daylesford Spa Country Railway with its original stainless-steel look. DRC41 and DRC42 are privately owned and stored at Newport Workshops in a non-operational state. DRC43 is currently stored with SRHC.
DRC41 on an ARHS tour at the Redan Cattle Sidings, south of Ballarat. (2/10/93)
Photo By: Ian Green |
DRC43-DRC42 with an up Seymour pass at Wandong. (11/92)
Photo By: Ian Green |
Unit Status
Road No.DRC40
DRC41 DRC42 DRC43 |
LiverySilver
V/line Orange V/line Orange V/line Orange |
OwnerDaylesford Railway
DERM Group DERM Group SRHC |
Begun ServiceUnknown
Nov 1971 Unknown 5 Dec 1975 |
Current StatePreserved
Stored Stored Preserved |
Information sourced from Vicsig, Wikipedia and victorianrailways.net