Z type carriages
Z Type Carriages
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The Z type carriages are an air conditioned steel passenger carriage used on the railways of Victoria, Australia. The carriages were constructed by the Victorian Railways from 1957 for use on interstate services.
Two major types of carriage were constructed - thirteen AZ first class cars with closely spaced but smaller windows, and twelve BZ second class cars with wider spaced but larger windows (the thirteenth BZ entered service on standard gauge). Carriages were provided with a saloon layout, with 2+2 reversible seating provided, with each row lining up with the windows. First class was provided with more legroom than second class.
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Externally the only difference between the first and second class carriages, other than markings indicating as such, was the number and size of windows. Both types had two small windows, one either end per side, for the washroom and toilet. Between those, first class cars had a set of five then a set of seven short windows, while second class cars have three then five longer windows; the gap between window 3 and window 4 is hardly noticeable compared to the gap between 5 and 6 on the first class carriages.
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The new carriages were essentially a saloon version of the earlier S carriage design, using the most modern amendments to that plan and adjusted for a saloon interior rather than compartments.
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Following the introduction of the New Deal from 1981, the Z fleet carriages were modified and upgraded to suit the new timetable requirements. The fleet was mixed with the S type carriage group, and the cars were formed into three, four or five carriage sets for long-distance running. Each set used an ACZ car at what would be the southern/eastern end at Spencer Street Station, in lieu of the earlier practice of vans both ends or shifting the independent guard's van to the opposite end of the train at the end of each run. This allowed much faster turnarounds at termini.
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Over time a number of AZ type carriages were provided with conductors work stations / compartments and recoded to ACZ at this time.
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Initially, AZ and BZ cars were allocated to long-distance passenger trains in Victoria. Cars would be attached to The Vinelander for Mildura, The Gippslander to Bairnsdale, the Great Northern to Swan Hill and also to Albury.
In the mid 1990’s 6 Z cars were sold to West Cost Railways for passenger services on the Warrnambool line.
Through the history of Z Cars, they have worn numerous liveries, including Victorian Railways Red, Victorian Railways Blue and Gold, VicRail "teacup, Vline Orange and Grey, West Coast Railways Blue, and V/line Mk 1 to Mk 4livery.
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ACZ 255
ACZ 255 was one of thirteen first class open saloon carriages with 12 rows of 2+2 seats (total 48 seats) built between 1956 and 1959. It was completed at Newport Workshops in December 1957 and numbered AZ 5.
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To make better use of the under-occupied first class accommodation, and to implement the operation of fixed carriage set running, the broad gauge carriages were modified to included a guards van compartment. The compartment included a seat, desk, periscope and an emergency brake pipe cock. The change removed one row of seats reducing seating capacity to 52. The carriage was modified at Bendigo North Workshops and re-numbered ACZ 255 in August 1984. In 1995 ACZ 255 was purchased by West Coast Railways, including repaint in West Coast Railways livery.
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In 2004 Seven-0-Seven Operations purchased ACZ 255 following the closure of West Coast Railways and has become a regular feature on our Slow Rail Journey broad gauge trains.​​​​​​
BCZ 257
BCZ 257 was acquired by Seven-0-Seven Operations Inc from V/Line in May 2023, following its retirement from mainline passenger services.
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BCZ 257 regularly features as part of our weekend Slow Rail Journey tours, providing saloon seating to watch the world travel by.
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BCZ 257 currently wears a modified Vline PTV grey livery.
BZ 270
BZ 270 was one of twelve economy class open saloon carriages with 16 rows of 2+2 seats (a total of 68 seats) built between 1957 and 1960. It was completed in February 1959 and numbered BZ 7.
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During refurbishment in the Bendigo North Workshops the partition between the (former) smoking and non-smoking sections was removed and the seating spacing altered to add an additional row of seats increasing capacity to 68. The carriage was re-number BZ 270 in August 1983.
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The carriage was repainted red with a grey roof in late 2020. The shade of Victorian Railway red is as used in the 1940s on "AS" and "BS" carriages that were not used on the Spirit of Progress.
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In 2004 Seven-0-Seven Operations purchased ACZ 255 following the closure of West Coast Railways and has become a regular feature on our day and weekend Slow Rail Journey broad gauge trains.
BTN 259
From the early 2000s the Z carriages, both ACZ and BZ/BZS, were fitted with upgraded seating to match the N type interiors. Carriages like BNT 259 rebuilt like this were coded BZN or BTN, depending on whether they were intended to be used as fourth or fifth carriages as attached to an N set.
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BTN 259 was purchased by Seven-0-Seven Operations from V/line in June 2023, following its retirement from mainline passenger services.
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BTN 259 now features at Seven-0-Seven Operations dinning carriage on Slow Rail Journey tours, to enjoy breakfast or lunch throughout our journey.
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BRN 259 currently wears a modified Vline PTV grey livery.
