An old F88 coupling up to an old diesel railcar in a scrapper’s field in Darwin NT, Oz.
And on its way across town to become a restaurant.
Salut, David.
Back in the early Seventies when I was working in the Northern Territory, there were several of these Volvos that came up from Alice Springs and they were called G88’s. It seems that the difference to an F88 was that the G88 had the front axle moved slightly forward to meet legislation, according to this source,
volvo.com/trucks/global/en-g … nd_G88.htm
Those railcars in Darwin were a long way from home, they must have come several thousand miles by road or sea, or down from Asia, as in those days the rail link to the South was still a dream.
Nice Pic’s 
that would make a blinding mobile home.
Sheeter:
Back in the early Seventies when I was working in the Northern Territory, there were several of these Volvos that came up from Alice Springs and they were called G88’s. It seems that the difference to an F88 was that the G88 had the front axle moved slightly forward to meet legislation, according to this source,volvo.com/trucks/global/en-g … nd_G88.htm
Those railcars in Darwin were a long way from home, they must have come several thousand miles by road or sea, or down from Asia, as in those days the rail link to the South was still a dream.
Any kind of Volvo was after my time in the Territory, Dave, and those G88s didn’t come in till '70 I think. This may well have been one of them, can’t quite see from the pic, what do you think?
As regards the railcars, wherever they were made I don’t know but they spent their initial working life in the Territory for, if you remember, there was a rail line from Darwin down as far as Rum Jungle or one of those places, and that is where the railcars were used.
Later some of them were shipped south for various duties but some ended up in the scrap yard at Darwin, from where this one started its last journey. Wonder if it’s still providing a suitable ambiance for the diners?
Incidentally, does anyone remember the Crossleys? Buses and trucks before the war. When I lived in the bush in N. Queensland there was a rail line connecting all the little coastal settlements and if I wanted to go to town I waited at a ‘bus’ stop at the side of the rails and caught a Crossley ‘bus’.
Mounted on a rail chassis and with the steering wheel removed, in all other respects it was like a bus. Very strange to see the driver sitting there next to the engine, operating the three pedals and changing gear, but for the rest of the time driving with his arms folded or resting in his lap!
If I manage to find a photo I’ll post it in.
Salut, David.