Bluebird Railcars

250 to 260

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250

251

252

253

254

255

256

257

258

259

260

Built at Islington workshops between 1954 and 1959 by the South Australian Railways as Bluebird railcars. All the trailers carried road numbers and names.

Members of the class were also known as:

Blue Wren	Brolga	Corella	Curlew
Goshawk	Kestrel	Kookaburra	Lowan
Pelican	Penguin	Quail

250 -- Quail -- 261 -- FDAY 4

Bluebird railcar, built Islington workshops. Seated 56 second class passengers.

10.1954	Entered service named Quail.
5.1972	Fitted with buffet. Seating reduced to 52 second class passengers
3.1978	To Australian National Railways.
-	Renumbered "261".
12.1995	Written off and sold to "International Development Services".
-	Sold to Bluebird Rail Systems.
Late 2003	Converted to crew car for FreightLink. Coded "FDAY 4" [cp_1.2004]

251 -- Lowan -- Chardonnay

Bluebird railcar, built Islington workshops. Seated 56 second class passengers.

11.1954	Entered service named Lowan.
3.1972	Fitted with buffet. Seating reduced to 52 second class passengers
3.1978	To Australian National Railways.
12.1995	Written off and sold to "International Development Services".
-	Sold to Bluebird Rail Systems.
5.1998	Returned to active service.
8.2001	Named changed to Chardonnay.
4.2003	Stored Islington works - broad gauge.
-	Offered for sale by CFCLA - appears to be owned by Barossa Wine Train, Fair Australia Tours Ltd.

252 -- Blue Wren -- Merlot

Bluebird railcar, built Islington workshops. Seated 56 second class passengers.

16.8.1955	Entered service named Blue Wren.
12.1971	Fitted with buffet. Seating reduced to 52 second class passengers
3.1978	To Australian National Railways.
12.1995	Written off and sold to "International Development Services".
-	Sold to Bluebird Rail Systems.
5.1998	Returned to active service.
8.2001	Named changed to Merlot.
4.2003	Stored Islington works - broad gauge.
-	Offered for sale by CFCLA - appears to be owned by Barossa Wine Train, Fair Australia Tours Ltd.

253 -- Pelican -- PDAY 1

Bluebird railcar, built Islington workshops. Seated 56 second class passengers.

16.8.1955	Entered service named Pelican.
c.1972	Fitted with buffet. Seating reduced to 52 second class passengers
3.1978	To Australian National Railways.
12.1995	Written off and sold to "International Development Services".
-	Sold to Bluebird Rail Systems.
-	Stored Islington works - derelict.
2005	To be converted to crew car for "Specialized Container Transport's (SCT)" trains. Coded "PDAY 1".

254 -- Brolga -- 801 -- 254

Bluebird railcar, built Islington workshops. Seated 56 second class passengers.

5.9.1955	Entered service named Brogla.
3.1978	To Australian National Railways.
12.1995	Written off and sold to "International Development Services".
-	Sold to Bluebird Rail Systems.
24.11.1998	Sent from Adelaide to Melbourne on No.3AM3 Patrick service. Car had been repainted red and blue and renumbered "801".
6.1999	Returned to Adelaide.
5.2001	Repainted all blue and renumbered "254 Brolga".
-	Sold to Great Northern Rail.
12.2002	Offered for sale by "Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia (CFCLA)" after Greath Northern Rail went into receivership.
-	Stored Islington works - owned by CFCLA - standard gauge.

255 -- Curlew -- 802 -- 255

Bluebird railcar, built Islington workshops. Seated 56 second class passengers.

29.3.1956	Entered service named Curlew.
3.1978	To Australian National Railways.
12.1995	Written off and sold to "International Development Services".
-	Sold to Bluebird Rail Systems.
28.11.1998	Ran a test trip on broad gauge from Islington to Belair with trailer car 106. It had been painted in blue and red livery.
30.12.1998	Sent from Adelaide to Melbourne on a National Rail freight. It had been renumbered "802".
13.6.1999	Sent from Melbourne to Adelaide on National Rail freight.
5.2001	Repainted all blue and renumbered "254 Curlew".
-	Sold to Great Northern Rail.
21.04.2002	Last Run in South Australia. [cp_5.2003]
12.2002	Offered for sale by "Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia (CFCLA)" after Greath Northern Rail went into receivership.
9.4.2003	Sent to Melbourne for proposed Melbourne to Mildura passsenger service. [cp_5.2003]
-	Transferred to broad gauge [cp_5.2003]
2003	Sent to Victoria for use on proposed Mildura service.
23.11.2003	Returned to South Australia as Mildura service not going to proceeed.
-	Stored Islington works - owned by CFCLA - standard gauge.

256 -- Kookaburra -- FDAY 5

Bluebird railcar, built Islington workshops. Seated 56 second class passengers.

21.12.1956	Entered service named Kookaburra.
3.1978	To Australian National Railways.
12.1995	Written off and sold to "International Development Services".
-	Sold to Bluebird Rail Systems.
Late 2003	Converted to crew car for FreightLink. Coded "FDAY 5" [cp_1.2004]

257 -- Kestrel

Bluebird railcar, built Islington workshops. Seated 56 second class passengers.

13.2.1957	Entered service named Kestrel.
3.1972	Fitted with buffet. Seating reduced to 52 second class passengers
3.1978	To Australian National Railways.
3.1995	To Port Dock Station Railway Museum.

258 -- Goshawk

Bluebird railcar, built Islington workshops. Seated 56 second class passengers.

18.4.1957	Entered service named Goshawk.
c.1972	Fitted with buffet. Seating reduced to 52 second class passengers
3.1978	To Australian National Railways.
12.1995	Written off and sold to "International Development Services".
-	Sold to Bluebird Rail Systems.
-	Stored Islington works - derelict.
2005	To be converted to crew car for "SCT"

259 -- Penguin -- BM 259

Bluebird railcar, built Islington workshops. Seated 56 second class passengers.

4.11.1957	Entered service named Penguin.
3.1972	Fitted with buffet. Seating reduced to 52 second class passengers
3.1978	To Australian National Railways.
5.1984	To standard gauge.
2.1990	Converted to standard gauge locomotive hauled car. Reclassified "BM 259".
1.1991	Converted to broad gauge and painted in red/silver. Engines removed and changes made to baggage section.
12.1995	Written off and sold to "International Development Services".
6.1998	Sold to West Coast Railway.
-	Transferred to Victoria. Stored RTS Dynon

260 -- Corella

Bluebird railcar, built Islington workshops. Seated 56 second class passengers.

12.11.1959	Entered service named Corella.
3.1978	To Australian National Railways.
12.1995	Written off and sold to "International Development Services".
-	Sold to Bluebird Rail Systems.
-	Stored Islington works - derelict.
2005	To be converted to crew car for "SCT"