Adelaide x Suburban Superchook SGR - South Gippsland Railway

The suburban system of Adelaide in the state of South Australia, is of 5ft3in gauge which was the same as most of Victoria. Before the railway between Adelaide and Melbourne was converted to standard gauge, a number of ex Adelaide suburban train carriages were brought to Victoria. Two of these were the two converted 'redhen' railcars, as they were originally nicknamed, probably because they were painted red, but had been re-nicknamed 'superchooks' after their conversion which included distinctive high driving cabs. These ex Adelaide suburban railcars operated in 1994 for a while, on the South Gippsland Railway, which itself was at that time as now, retained and operated at weekends by a preservation group. These video shots are taken between Nyora and Leongatha which is the section retained. Another feature of the superchooks, is the melodious two tone horns
which are heard in these shots. Before the railway fell into disuse thus isolating the above mentioned section, the superchooks were withdrawn. According to a page at heritagerailsa.org.au, the superchooks were purchased by the Yorke Peninsula Railway which runs or ran between Wallaroo and Bute in South Australia -- after their service in Victoria. This railway was later closed because of deteriorating condition of the track and the costs which would be involved to bring it up to standard,
the upcoming requirment for maintenance on bogies etc., and a volunteer shortage.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• trains
• railway
• railroad
• rail
• railcar
• suburban

[trainadelaide2000]

No because for some reason changing red hens to superchooks was unsucesful

[reidgck]

@trainadelaide2000 It was probably more sensible to redirect finances and efforts towards new trains. I remember the redhens in the 1960s so they had a good innings with plenty of wear and tear. The converted ones were interesting though!

[trainadelaide2000]

Did anyone know that superchooks are acctually refurbished red hens?

[reidgck]

@trainadelaide2000 That info is in the accompanying notes. Apparently only two were converted. Mayby they were meant as experiments for future trains?

[pcorf]

I saw 2301-2302 sandwiched between 2 400 class red hens operating on the Noarlunga line in the early 1990s.

[reidgck]

@pcorf Maybe the high driving cabs were not popular.

[robinalexlewis]

Yeah I remember them as a kid when growing up.

[willithiwoof]

The Superchooks were one of a series of miserable cost cutting exercises by a stingy Liberal government. They were an attempt to save money on the purchase of the new Supetrains introduced by the previous government which were designed to be convertible to electric trains. The extra weight of the modifications and air conditioning overworked the elderly engines and transmissions and the Superchooks were woefully unreliable. Alistair

[pcorf]

The horns sound just like the jumbos.

[reidgck]

@austranz - I think they were taken back to South Australia and were operating at Wallaroo on the preserved railway there until it closed. I made a note about it in the information section. Or you can probably find them on google by typing in the words superchooks and Wallaroo