Dog Box Van - Mansfield, Victoria, Australia
S 37° 03.043 E 146° 05.022
55H E 418524 N 5899108
This Dog Box, Caboose van is on display at the historic Mansfield Train Station.
Waymark Code: WM1101C
Location: Victoria, Australia
Date Posted: 07/20/2019
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The red-brown guard van is now covered with bull-nose corrugated iron roof for the full length. At the western end of the carriage are the two open compartments. On the left-hand louvered doors are photographs recreating and depicting how that compartment would be used. On the top right-hand louvered door is a laminated sheet describing their use as follows:
The 'Dog Box' Van
"Used for carrying general small freight and parcels, it also doubled as a guards van, containing seating for two staff, a toilet (which went straight onto the track, please do not use while in the station!) a wash basin and a burner for heating water and cooking.
"The name came from the 'dog box' at the end of the carriage, which could carry two dogs. Louvered doors allowed ventilation, and a slide in the middle separated the dogs.
"Above the dog box is a second louvered compartment for carrying a coffin. Rollers in the floor helped in loading the coffin. Slots at either end and in the middle held cross pieces to stop the coffin moving from side to side as the train rounded corners.
"Power for lighting was supplied by a 32 volt generator, driven off a belt around the inner axle. Power was stored in two banks of batteries located under the floor."
Address: 177 High Street, Mansfield, VIC, 3722, Australia
Visited: 1138, Sunday, 6 January, 2019