The great thing about working at Eveleigh is the broad range of skill sets and age groups that you come across.
Electrical engineering student Brad Benson joined the project to help complete the wiring and electrical fit-out of the car, and was quick to master some new skills. The fan and berth circuits were drawn through behind pressed metal mouldings and timber panelling.


Pretty soon, we were starting to put the whole show back together for the first time in several years, and the TAM is another step closer to being completed. Timber discs for the lights were sanded and undercoated ready for re-fitting roof lights in the compartments.

A common misconception is that these car rooves are “white”. In fact the original colour is “Manilla”, Australian Standard Y45, which is a slightly yellow tinted colour. With Brad’s help, the high gloss has returned to the inner rooves of L516 (really TAM502) for the first time in many decades.

Meanwhile, dining car AB91 provides some good ideas for how to light the gutted end of L516.


Chris is keen to see what might look good, but I think we better sleep on this one.