1200 Class Railcar

The 1200 class railcar or Tulloch railcar were a type of diesel railcar built by Tulloch Limited for the New South Wales Government Railways between June 1970 and May 1972. They were built to operate the Riverina Express before being transferred to the South Coast Daylight Express.

History
In 1968 an order was placed with Tulloch Limited for 10 railcars for the Riverina Express with the fleet delivered between October 1970 and May 1972. While awaiting delivery of sufficient cars to operate the service, some were used on Goulburn Day Train and South Coast Daylight Express services in company with the 1100 class railcars.

They entered service on the Riverina Express (a regional train service between Sydney and Albury/Griffith, now part of the NSW TrainLink Southern Line) in May 1972. The train left Sydney as a four car service but detached a car at a junction station along the way. The train detached at different locations on different days in order to service various branch lines to Cowra, Tumut, Lake Cargelligo and Hillston. The reverse would occur on the return trip to Sydney.

The 1200s soon began to suffer equipment failure, particularly with their complex electrical system. Following one suffering a distorted engine support frame all were withdrawn in January 1973. The damaged car became an office. One set of four was returned to operate the service three days a week with locomotive hauled and later DEB sets operating it on the other days. This remaining cars were withdrawn in October 1975 when a second DEB set was transferred.

In May 1974 two cars were sold to Victorian Railways to complement the two DRC railcars they had purchased new. In 1977 four were converted to operate an exhibition train around New South Wales for the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II. Three more were pooled with the 1100 class railcars on South Coast services while the car with a damaged engine frame became an office. In 1981 it was decided to convert the latter and two of the Jubilee cars into loco hauled cars. The remaining five followed in 1983. They were placed in service on the South Coast line between Sydney and Bomaderry.

They did occasionally stray operating both the Canberra Express and Newcastle Flyer in January 1986.

Following the cessation of locomotive hauled South Coast services in January 1991 they were redeployed to operate services on the Main South line to Moss Vale and Goulburn.

In February 1993 six of the carriages were given a light refurbishment before being withdrawn in November 1993. In August 1994 six were auctioned.

Description
Each carriage was a self-contained unit, with driving controls at both ends and its own motors, allowing individual carriages to detach as described above. There were two different interior configurations available, each with both first and second class seating. The first type was coded PCR and had a buffet section at one end. The second type was coded PCH and had a luggage compartment at the same end.