Governor's railway carriage

Governor's railway carriage and contents, wood / metal / glass / fabric, New South Wales Department of Railways, Australia, 1891

The outside panels of the carriage are of cedar and the framing is of Tasmanian blackwood. Originally painted in crimson lake and white, lined with gold stripes and the royal coat of arms in the centre, the carriage is now painted brown with cream trim and features the insignia of the New South Wales Government Railways on the side. The carriage has an iron under-frame painted black and is mounted on two, four-wheel bogies. Access is gained through open platforms at each end. Both the carriage roof and floor were especially constructed with two layers to exclude dust and heat and to deaden the sound.

The interior is finished in a selection of mostly native and some imported ornamental timbers including tumanna wood from the New Hebrides which resembles mahogany and purriri from New Zealand.

The carriage is divided into the main saloon in the centre, a ladies' boudoir at one end and a gentlemen's smoking room at the other. The saloon and ladies' boudoir is carpeted in a bordered Axminster square of terra-cotta and French blue while the gentlemen's smoking room has linoleum. The main saloon features polished timbers of silky oak for the walls, myall mouldings, blackwood framing and satin wood for the ceilings. A fixed sofa along one side with spring pouffe cushions could be converted into two berths. The rest of the room is furnished with three large chairs and two small tables of white painted wickerwork. The upholstery and Empire style curtains are in terracotta silk tapestry.

The ladies' boudoir provided a place for the ladies to escape from cigar smoke, port fumes and male company. It accommodates four people sitting up in two easy chairs and a bench seat upholstered in French blue silk. These could be converted into two berths for overnight travel. The gentlemen's smoking room has cypress-panelled walls and silky oak ceilings. It is similarly furnished with six easy chairs upholstered in green morocco leather, which converted into three berths. At the ends of the carriage are individual lavatories for ladies and gentlemen.

The windows throughout the carriage are of French plate glass with louvred blinds, the frames of which are cedar and louvres of Huon pine

The car was originally lit with oil gas but in 1908 was converted to electricity for lighting and fans. Apparently the car was one of the first in New South Wales to be so converted.