E type carriage

E type carriage
E type carriage on a heritage train, led by T class locomotives.
Interior of a restored AE coded first class carriage
Manufacturer	Victorian Railways
Operator(s)	various heritage operators
Specifications
Car body construction	71 ft (21.64 m); 73 ft (22.25 m) for Avoca & Hopkins
Car length	73 ft 8 1⁄4 in (22.46 m); 76 ft 1 1⁄4 in (23.20 m) for Avoca & Hopkins; 60 feet (18.29 m) for CE vans
Width	9 ft 6 in (2.90 m); 10 ft (3.05 m) for Avoca & Hopkins
Height	13 ft 8 1⁄4 in (4.17 m); 13 ft 4 1⁄8 in (4.07 m) for Avoca & Hopkins
Power supply	Axle-mounted generators
Bogies	53 ft 10 in (16.41 m) centres; 10 ft (3.05 m) wheelbase each; 63 ft 10 in (19.46 m) total wheelbase 57 ft (17.37 m) centres for Avoca & Hopkins; 8 ft 9 in (2.67 m) wheelbase each; 63 ft 9 in (19.43 m) total wheelbase 51 ft 10 in (15.80 m) centres for 43BE post-rebuild; 8 ft 9 in (2.67 m) wheelbase each; 61 ft 10 in (18.85 m) total wheelbase
Braking system(s)	Westinghouse
Coupling system	screw, later autocouplers
Track gauge	5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)

Second Class sitting cars
Air conditioned 19BE as preserved by the former South Gippsland Railway
Interior of a second class BE coded carriage
Manufacturer	Victorian Railways
Built at	Newport Workshops
Constructed	1906-1910 & 1923
Entered service	1906-1992
Number built	43
Number preserved	3, 5, 7, 10, 11 & 16
Number scrapped	10
Design code	BVE, BE, BES & BEL
Fleet numbers	1-31BVE, 1-43BE, later 44-48BE(L), 49-52BE, 53-61BE(S)
Capacity	72 2nd class passengers (76 for BEL; 64 for BES).
Operator(s)	various heritage operators
Specifications
Car body construction	Timber
Car length	71 ft 0 in (21.64 m) over body; 74 ft 1 1⁄4 in (22.59 m) over pulling lines; 73 ft 8 1⁄4 in (22.46 m) when coupled
Width	9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)
Height	13 ft 8 1⁄4 in (4.17 m)
Maximum speed	70 mph (113 km/h)
Weight	41 LT 10 cwt 0 qtr (42.17 t) (non-airconditioned) 44 LT 10 cwt 0 qtr (45.21 t) (airconditioned)
Axle load	10 LT 7 cwt 2 qtr (10.54 t) (non-airconditioned) 11 LT 2 cwt 2 qtr (11.30 t) (airconditioned)
Bogies	E type at 53 ft 10 in (16.41 m) centres
Braking system(s)	Westinghouse air brakes
Coupling system	Autocoupler
Track gauge	5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)

DVE, later CE vans & 1VHE
Clerestory roofed 18CE as preserved by Steamrail Victoria
Manufacturer	Victorian Railways
Built at	Newport Workshops
Constructed	1906-1930
Entered service	1906-1984
Number built	37
Number preserved	5, 13, 18, 19 & 31
Number scrapped	32
Design code	DVE, CE & VHE
Fleet numbers	1-16DVE; 1-37CE & 1VHE
Capacity	12 LT 0 cwt 0 qtr (12.19 t) (1DVE-16DVE, 1CE-27CE) 20 LT 0 cwt 0 qtr (20.32 t) (15CE rebuilt & 33CE-37CE)
Operator(s)	various heritage operators
Specifications
Car body construction	Timber
Car length	60 ft 2 in (18.34 m) over body; 63 ft 3 1⁄4 in (19.28 m) over pulling lines
Width	9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)
Height	13 ft 8 5⁄8 in (4.18 m)
Maximum speed	70 mph (113 km/h)
Weight	34 LT 10 cwt 0 qtr (35.05 t) unloaded
Axle load	8 LT 12 cwt 2 qtr (8.76 t) unloaded
Bogies	E type at 43 ft 0 in (13.11 m) centres
Braking system(s)	Westinghouse air brakes
Coupling system	Autocoupler
Track gauge	5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm); one on 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

Second Class sitting, Guard & Mail cars
1BCE as preserved by Steamrail Victoria
Manufacturer	Victorian Railways
Built at	Newport Workshops
Constructed	1909-1910
Entered service	1909-1986
Number built	10
Number preserved	4, 1, 2, 6 & 7 ESBV/BDSE as 1-5BCE; 9, 10 & 3 as 45-47BE
Number scrapped	2
Design code	ESBV, BDSE & BCE
Fleet numbers	1-10ESBV/BDSE & 1-5BCE
Capacity	41 2nd class passengers (1-10 ESBV/BDSE) 36 2nd class passengers (8-10 ESBV/BDSE post modification) 42 2nd class passengers, 9 LT 10 cwt 0 qtr (9.65 t) goods and 8 bikes (1-5 BCE)
Operator(s)	various heritage operators
Specifications
Car body construction	Timber
Car length	71 ft 0 in (21.64 m) over body; 74 ft 1 1⁄4 in (22.59 m) over pulling lines; 73 ft 8 1⁄4 in (22.46 m) when coupled
Width	9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)
Height	13 ft 8 1⁄4 in (4.17 m)
Maximum speed	70 mph (113 km/h)
Weight	46 LT 10 cwt 0 qtr (47.25 t) plus goods (as BCE)
Axle load	11 LT 10 cwt 0 qtr (11.68 t) plus goods (as BCE)
Bogies	E type at 53 ft 10 in (16.41 m) centres
Braking system(s)	Westinghouse air brakes
Coupling system	Autocoupler
Track gauge	5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)

The E type carriages were wooden express passenger carriage used on the railways of Victoria, Australia. Originally introduced by Victorian Railways Chairman of Commissioners Thomas James Tait for the interstate service between Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, these Canadian-inspired carriages remained in regular service for 85 years over the entire Victorian network.

Carriages on Victorian long-distance express services at the start of the 20th century were, in comparison to the Pullman cars operated by the New South Wales Government Railways relatively cramped and austere. Chairman of Commissioners Thomas Tait, previously the Transportation Manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway, introduced a carriage design that was 71 feet (21.64 m) long, and as wide as the loading gauge allowed. Much of their external design was based on typical Canadian carriage design, with a clerestory roof curved at the ends, doors only at the ends of the car, and six-wheel bogies, although their interior design retained the compartment and corridor layout typical of English railway practice.

The cars were built over a steel truss underframe, with wooden bodies constructed with cedar and clerestory roofs to give ventilation and daytime lighting. Nighttime lighting was initially provided with Pintsch gas, and six-wheeled bogies with eight brake blocks each (two outside the outer wheels and two each per centre wheel) under all vehicles. Drop-toilets for both genders were provided in all passenger vehicles except the dining cars, along with staff toilets in the twelve mail vans.

About three decades into their lives, 15 first-class carriages had air-conditioning added, the first (36AE) being out-shopped in December 1935. It was claimed to the first such car in the British Empire, but was beaten by the Canadian Pacific and the New South Wales Government Railways.