Australian Railway Historical Society (ACT Division)

LAN Class Sleeping Cars

LAN 2324, 2348, 2351, 2372

LAN air-conditioned sleeping cars are bogie stainless steel cars originally built for express passenger services between Sydney-Melbourne and Sydney-Brisbane. The cars have 20 single-berth compartments (roomettes), each with en-suite facilities of wash basin and toilet. Showers are located at one end of the cars, and there is also accommodation for a car conductor. LAN 2348 entered service in July 1961 as part of NSW's contribution to the joint-stock pool of cars which made up the Southern Aurora. As with the twin-berth NAM 2335 (see NAM sleeping cars), the interior has been modernised, with laminex replacing vinyl in the roomettes. It was purchased at auction in August 1994, and after overhaul entered service with the Society in June 1995. The interior for the Society's other operational LAN car, LAN 2372, has not been modernised and it retains its original vinyl roomette walls. It was the last of the LANs constructed, and entered service in June 1963 as part of the NSW stock for the Brisbane Limited. Its date of withdrawal is not known, but it was purchased by Steamrail Victoria at auction in August 1994 and sold to the ARHS in 1998. It was fully overhauled for re-entry into service in 1999. LAN 2348 and 2372 are used along with other sleeping cars on the Society's long-distance tours trains where sleeping accommodation is required. A third car, LAN 2324, was acquired in 2002-03 with the intention of initially using it for spare parts and possibly for an eventual return to service. A fourth car, LAN 2351 entered service in 1961 and was used on the last Spirit of Progress service departing Sydney for Melbourne in August 1986. For some years it was stored at Seymour, Victoria, under the control of SteamRail Victoria and in August 2007 it passed into the care of the Society. It was transferred to Canberra for return to service in December 2007.

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