Converted from members of the 1890 Express type cars during 1929-30, the L cars were designed to provide improved accommodation on a number of accelerated Timetable Daylight trains designed to compete with improving road transport. The initial 42 cars were marshalled into 7 semi-permanently coupled sets of 6 cars, numbered Set 80 to Set 86. Four of the sets were painted in new bright colour schemes matched to each new service. Later on, between 1933 and 1940, further conversions were done, but these remained 'independent' cars.
Red and Cream was carried by Sets 80 and 81 between introduction to service in 1929 and January 1937 (Set 80) and March 1937 (Set 81). These two sets were used on the two fast services that ran daily between Sydney and Newcastle, the Northern Commercial Ltd and the Inter-City Express, until replaced by the Pullman Car conversions in 1934. They were then used on lesser trains.
These coaches had a long and varied life - initially they were designed to service the medium distance country traiin workings, and provided Buffet facilities for all passengers via interconnecting gangways between cars. The brake seconds at the outer ends of the set had connecting gangways, so if any extra corridor cars were attached, they were able to access the buffet facilities.
These R-Type corridor cars were worked generally as sets. As the sets got older, carriages beyond repair were taken out of the sets without replacement, and the remainder of the cars lasted until the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.
These R-Type corridor cars were worked generally as sets. As the sets got older, carriages beyond repair were taken out of the sets without replacement, and the remainder of the cars lasted until the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.