A Car fit for Royalty
Constructed at Islington Workshops in 1939, the Vice Regal car was built to accommodate the State Governor when travelling on the South Australian Railways (SAR) broad gauge network. It also carried other dignitaries. This car began service in 1940, it was used for the first and only time by royalty in 1974 when His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh travelled from Murray Bridge to Adelaide.

Regal Features
The carriage has Art Deco features and was built to an observation car design, with a semi-circular viewing area and sweeping windows at one end of the train to allow passengers on board an unobstructed view.

The Vice Regal car was the first air-conditioned car in service for the South Australian Railways and was fitted with a kitchen featuring a coke fired combustion stove. It also contains a dining room with seating for six passengers and a lounge bar at the observation end. This car also has four bedrooms, including a bedroom each designed for the Governor and his wife that is separated by a shared bathroom, and a compartment for the aide-de-camp (an assistant to a person of high rank). The bathroom is even fitted with a bath, adding to the uniqueness of the car.

Early Vice Regal Cars and Undignified Incidents
Since the earliest days of railways in South Australia a succession of Vice Regal cars had carried the State Governors while undertaking their vice regal duties. In April 1865 workers at the new Brompton gasworks were alarmed as the three-car train carrying the Governor to Port Adelaide was completely derailed just past Bowden station! In March 1883 carriages full of dignitaries and VIPs left Adelaide bound for Aldgate for the official gala opening of the Nairne line. Somewhere just short of Blackwood the engine ran out of puff and came to a stop. At Blackwood station all the carriages, except the first Vice Regal car, were uncoupled leaving the remainder of the VIPs stranded at Blackwood for some three hours before joining the celebrations.

Built by: South Australian Railways, Islington Workshops
Operators: South Australian Railways, State Transport Authority
Number in class: 1
Entered service: 2 April 1940
Withdrawn from service: 28 July 1988
Entered museum: 28 July 1988

Broad gauge: Metric: 1600mm, Imperial: 5’3”
Length: Metric: 23.73m, Imperial: 77'101⁄4"
Weight: Metric: 52 tonnes, Imperial: 51 tons 3 cwt