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The Rowan steam railmotor was a
Rowan Car No. 1 was delivered complete from the manufacturer. The power unit was built by Kitson and Company (b/n T69 of 1883) of Leeds, England, who were also sole agent for the type in the Australasian Colonies.
As built it was double deck with a capacity of 60 passengers and of goods. Before entering service. Victorian Railways modified it to carry 42 passengers, 12 in first class and 30 in second class, on a single deck. The overall length was and the tare weight was .
It was test run on the Williamstown line on 1 June 1883. On 1 July 1883 it was test run between Lancefield Road and Sunbury where it was able to haul up to 30 tons in addition to its own weight and reach up to on level track.
It ran in regular local service between
A spare power unit (Kitson b/n T70 of 1883) was delivered with Car No. 1 so they could be swapped when one needed repairs. In 1888, the Victorian Railways turned it into a second steam motor called Rowan Car No. 2. It could haul a conventional
Both Kitson power units were purchased by the Sanderson and Grant sawmill at Forrest in 1907. Sanderson had previously tried to purchased them in 1901 and again in 1904. They were converted to gauge by narrowing the underframes and shortening the axles. One was involved in an accident on 21 November 1907 which killed Alexander Sanderson and his son Marshall. In 1919 one was taken out of use and its boiler used to power a winch. The other was withdrawn in 1923 and also used to power a winch.
steam railcar
A steam railcar, steam motor car (US), or Railmotor (UK) is a railcar that is self powered by a steam engine. The first steam railcar was an experimental unit designed and built in 1847 by James Samuel and William Bridges Adams in Britain. In 1 ...
operated by the Victorian Railways.
Design
The type was designed by William Robert Rowan, Managing Director of the Scandia Company of Copenhagen, Denmark. The design was brought to the attention of the Victorian Railways by Captain Frederick Charles Rowan, brother of the patentee and author of a book on railways for sparsely populated country districts. A feature of the design was provision for the easy removal of the power unit for repair, allowing a substitute unit to be fitted.Construction
Details
Rowan Car No. 1 / Motor No. 1
Rowan Car No. 1 was delivered complete from the manufacturer. The power unit was built by Kitson and Company (b/n T69 of 1883) of Leeds, England, who were also sole agent for the type in the Australasian Colonies.
As built it was double deck with a capacity of 60 passengers and of goods. Before entering service. Victorian Railways modified it to carry 42 passengers, 12 in first class and 30 in second class, on a single deck. The overall length was and the tare weight was .
It was test run on the Williamstown line on 1 June 1883. On 1 July 1883 it was test run between Lancefield Road and Sunbury where it was able to haul up to 30 tons in addition to its own weight and reach up to on level track.
It ran in regular local service between Camberwell
Camberwell () is a district of South London, England, in the London Borough of Southwark, southeast of Charing Cross.
Camberwell was first a village associated with the church of St Giles and a common of which Goose Green is a remnant. This e ...
and Box Hill for one month and was also test run to Lilydale. In 1884, it was running between Maryborough and Avoca.
For most of the 1880s, it ran local trains between Essendon Essendon may refer to:
Australia
*Electoral district of Essendon
*Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington
*Essendon, Victoria
**Essendon railway station
**Essendon Airport
*Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League
United King ...
and Broadmeadows where it was known unofficially as the "Broady Car".
In September 1892, the railcar was converted to a separate engine unit and trailer. The boiler pressure was reduced to and the power unit was thereafter known as Motor No. 1.
Rowan Car No. 2 / Motor No. 2
A spare power unit (Kitson b/n T70 of 1883) was delivered with Car No. 1 so they could be swapped when one needed repairs. In 1888, the Victorian Railways turned it into a second steam motor called Rowan Car No. 2. It could haul a conventional passenger car
A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods.
The year 1886 is regarded as ...
or up to 35 tons of goods vehicles. It operated mainly on the Outer Circle line. With the conversion of Rowan Car No. 1 into Motor No. 1, from 1892 it became known as Motor No. 2.
Withdrawal by VR
Motor No. 1 is believed to have been little used after conversion and was sold to the Melbourne and Altona Colliery Company. Motor No. 2 was withdrawn in 1904. The trailer from Rowan Car No. 1 was converted to a conventional passenger car which remained in service until 1926.Purchase by Sanderson and Grant
Both Kitson power units were purchased by the Sanderson and Grant sawmill at Forrest in 1907. Sanderson had previously tried to purchased them in 1901 and again in 1904. They were converted to gauge by narrowing the underframes and shortening the axles. One was involved in an accident on 21 November 1907 which killed Alexander Sanderson and his son Marshall. In 1919 one was taken out of use and its boiler used to power a winch. The other was withdrawn in 1923 and also used to power a winch.
Model Railways
HO Scale
N Scale
See also
* Kerr Stuart steam railmotor, Motor No.3 built using the experience from the Rowan Car.References
{{VRLocos Victorian Railways railmotors Railmotors Train-related introductions in 1883 Scrapped locomotives