8400 (ESV) Employee Sleeping Vans

The bodies for these vehicles were built by Islington Workshops, and they were mounted on underframes salvaged from redundant broad gauge passenger cars. Two body types ran on Eyre Peninsula: those numbered up to 8413 having shorter bodies on former 900-series side loading car underframes, while 8414 and 8415 had longer bodies (including a workshop area) on former end-and-centre loading car underframes. All except 8413 were delivered new to Port Lincoln, and all were condemned on 13 Jun 1986. Originally painted bright orange with silver roofs, in AN days they received an all-over white repaint with yellow stripe and code panel.

8400: In service 19 Jun 1962. Underframe from broad gauge car 907, originally side loading car 452 in 1918.
8401: In service 23 Jun 1962. Underframe from broad gauge car 908, originally side loading car 398 in 1914.
8410: In service 13 May 1963. Underframe from broad gauge car 919, originally side loading car 301 in 1911.
8411: In service 20 May 1963. Underframe from broad gauge car 921, originally side loading car 299 in 1911.
8412: In service 27 May 1963. Underframe from broad gauge car 922, originally as side loading car 255 in 1906.
8413: In service 27 May 1963. Built as broad gauge ESV 8118; underframe from broad gauge car 900, originally side loading car 451 in 1918.
8414: In service 16 Mar 1964. Underframe from broad gauge end and centre loading car 385 (built 1914).
8415: In service 27 Mar 1964. Underframe from broad gauge end and centre loading car 319 (built 1912).

Three 8400s at Port Lincoln in April 1965. The two nearest the camera are the 'standard' version (8400-8413 series), and the third is the 'extended' version with workshop (8414-8415). Photo: Alex Grunbach

An 8400 repainted in AN colours. Port Lincoln, 1980s. Photo: Murray Wright

The outline diagrams below show the two series of vans (8400-8413 and 8414-8415):