In 1973 the VR introduced a new type of suburban train. The trains featured fluted stainless steel body with Hitachi electrical equipment. The trailers built new were numbered 901 - 950.
Train sets were marshalled as M-T-T-M-D-M or M-D-D-M-D-M.
By the late 1970's the _D__ driving trailer was surplus due to changing requirements. They were converted to T cars by removing the cab and replacing the body work with a standard T car end. The D to T cars were numbered T 951 - T 1017. The D car body is about 6 1/2" longer than a standard T car. This extra length can be noticed on the conversion cars as a wider gap between windows at the 'cab' end. A pronounced vertical weld mark is also a distinguishing feature.
As the conversion process was slow and expensive, later batches of cars were issued as T cars with the D cabs blocked up and painted over. Car 1017T was the first of this group to have the cab removed and the car rebuilt with a T end. The car was involved in a yard collision and required rebuilding.
In the mid 1980s, the Martin & King trailer cars were placed into the '1000' series and renumbered 1901 - 2017. This was to clear the Comeng T car numbers.