Tuesday, June 23, 2020

DORMITORY CAR




During efforts to start a preservation movement in the Philippines I started to look into the history of the various types of rollingstock that still survived and that which would warrant saving should the opportunity arrive.
Despite an interest in railways that has spanned over four decades, it was not until I started going to the Philippines that I looked beyond just locomotives and into that which they haul around.

The 'Dormitory Car', so called as it is used as one in Manila's main yard at Tutuban, is one of the more interesting carriages still to be found.
It is the last Metropolitan (United Kingdom) built carriage in the Philippines, as well as the last one with six-wheel bogies.
It appears to have undergone quite a lot of modification over the years and, despite some claims that it is the former 'Presidential Car' ABB-1, is actually quite longer and highly unlikely to have been extended.
While the 'Philippine Railway Historical Society' has a listing of Metropolitan cars in the UK, this covers far earlier than when this carriage was built.
If you know any other information regarding this carriage, or any built by Metropolitan for the Philippines, please contact us via our email address.

Want more information on the PRHS or have another Philippine railway enquiry?





This number, welded on the under-frame, may be the best bet we have for identifying the car.
A great start would be builders records, should any reader be in possession of such.
It looks to be 66-22, though the second number in not entirely clear.









The 'Dormitory Car' is unquestionably a very historic car and very worthy of preserving in the future.
-----------------------------------------------
Have you anything you can add to this article?
Corrections - Additions - Updates are all welcome.
Want more information on the PRHS or have another Philippine railway enquiry?

Further Reading

Recent Articles


Checking out our page advertisers helps us to be able to do what we do for you.
Please take a moment and check them out.


No comments:

Post a Comment