Between 1886 and 1891 surplus guards vans were removed from general traffic and placed at locomotive depots. They were used on breakdown trains from each depot. From the records available it seems the vehicles remained at the depots with their old code and numbers intact. Normal procedure for this era was to obliterate codes and numbers on vehicles removed from the "Register".
A mystery was revealed when colating these records. It is not known where Van 2 originated. Whilst the records show Van 2 was converted from guards van _D__ 11, this is recorded as having gone to sleeping van _WS_ 48 in 1895. To complicate matters there is no record in the van pages of D 11 going to a "casualty van".
In 1902, the vans were placed into a "Casualty Van" group and numbered 1 to 5. They were progressively scrapped between 1903 and 1913.
Vehicle.............SV # Date...... Loc History............SV Notes
D 55.VC 1st / /1872 M&M Built new 6 whls, Handbrake
/ 3/1891 - Off Register 91/4585; To "Dynagraph Van"
/ /1902 - To - 1.VJ 02/1483
*- 1.VJ - circa 1902 - Traffic "Sandhurst"
circa 1910 - Traffic "North Melbourne"
15/ 6/1911 - Off Register -
*- 2.VJ - circa 1902 - Traffic Port Melbourne ( "Ballarat" X'd )
D 11.VC 2nd circa 1902 - To - 2.VJ 02/1483a
*- 2.VJ - 7/ 2/1903 - Off Register Redlined
/ /1903 - Scrapped 03/28a
D 52.VC 1st / /1880 WWS Built new 6 whls, Handbrake (------)
/ /1890 - Off Register 90/5060; Cas. Van Sandhurst
/ /1902 - To - 3.VJ 02/1483a, WH pipe, 6 whls
*- 3.VJ - circa 1902 - Traffic "Hamilton" (X'd)
/ 5/1902 - Traffic "Port Melbourne" (X'd)
circa 1910 - Traffic "Flinders St"
21/ 3/1912 - Off Register Redlined
23/ 3/1912 - Scrapped -
D 1.VC 1st / /1858 B&M Built new 6 whls
/10/1886 SHT Off Register To Casualty Van,Sandhurst
12/ 3/1902 - To - 4.VJ 02/1483a, WH pipe
*- 4.VJ - circa 1902 - Traffic Bendigo
/ 5/1913 - Off Register R3: Redlined
19/ 6/1913 - Scrapped -
D 2.VC 1st / /1858 B&M Built new 6 whls, Handbrake
/ /1887 - Off Register 87/4611;Benalla Casualty Van
/ /1902 - To - 5.VJ 02/1483
*- 5.VJ - circa 1902 - Traffic Benalla
7/ 2/1903 - Off Register R3: Redlined Sec 7/2/03
/ /1903 - Scrapped 03/28a
Code SV Date Sys Description Type
- VJ 1902 - VR Casualty Van Service
D VC 1855 - VR F/Whl Guards Van Van
Code Location / Builder
- -
B&M Brown & Marshall
M&M Miller & McQuiston
SHT Sandhurst
WWS Williamstown Workshops
File c188m compiled by Peter J. Vincent, updated 1/8/2007