V/Line H type carriage

The H type carriages are a class of interurban passenger carriage operated by V/Line in Victoria, Australia. Fitted with high-density 2 3 seating, they were typically used on short distance interurban services from Melbourne to Bacchus Marsh and Geelong until their withdrawal in 2024.

H type carriage
Refurbished H Sets stored at Geelong station in February 2024
Interior of a refurbished carriage in 2022
In service	1981 - 2 February 2024
Manufacturer	V/Line
Built at	Newport Workshops
Replaced	PL, Short &Long W type carriages
Constructed	Built 1956-1968 as Harris suburban EMUs Rebuilt 1984-1992 to locomotive hauled carriages
Entered service	1983
Refurbished	2007-2011
Scrapped	2024 - Present
Number built	59
Number in service	0
Number preserved	6
Number scrapped	12
Formation	Originally BTH-BH-BCH, later BIH cars added and sets shuffled to make 4, 5 and 6-car sets; loose MTH cars as railmotor trailers.
Diagram	H-1 (BCH), H-2 (Long BCH), H-3 (BH), H-4 (Long BH), H-5 (BTH 161-164 & 167-171), H-6 (BTH 165 & 166, 1st-series Harris window spacing), H-7 (Long BTH)
Fleet numbers	Ex 1st series Harris Motors - n/a Ex 2nd series Harris Motors - BCH 121-131; BCH 134 & 135 (short van) Ex 1st series Harris Trailers - BH 141-151, BIH 189 & 192-194, BTH 165-166 & 174-175, MTH 101-104 Ex 2nd series Harris Trailers - BIH 181-186, BTH 161-164 & 167-171 Ex Refurbished Harris Trailers - BIH 187-188 & 190-191 Ex Long Harris - BTH 172 & 173; BH 152 & 153; BCH 132 & 133
Capacity	63 passengers (BH, BTH & MTH), 67 passengers (BIH), 54 passengers (BCH), 64 passengers (BCH 134 & 135) 87 passengers (BH 152 & 153, BTH 172 & 173), 75 passengers (BCH 132 & 133)
Operators	V/Line Passenger; previously V/Line.
Depots	Newport Workshops
Lines served	Wyndham Vale, Bacchus Marsh, Kyneton & Seymour Previously Geelong, Traralgon & Leongatha
Specifications
Car body construction	18,636 mm (61 ft 1 3⁄4 in) (short), 22,860 mm (75 ft 0 in) (long)
Car length	19,308 mm (63 ft 4 1⁄8 in) (short), 23,533 mm (77 ft 2 1⁄2 in) (long)
Width	2,965 mm (9 ft 8 3⁄4 in)
Height	4,017 mm (13 ft 2 1⁄8 in) (short), 4,014 mm (13 ft 2 in) (long)
Articulated sections	Open gangways
Wheelbase	20,046 mm (65 ft 9 1⁄4 in) total; 4,890 mm (16 ft 1⁄2 in) per bogie
Maximum speed	115 km/h (71 mph)
Weight	33 tonnes (32 long tons; 36 short tons) (short BCH) 34 tonnes (33 long tons; 37 short tons) (BH, BTH, BIH, MTH) 37 tonnes (36 long tons; 41 short tons) (long BTH, BH & BCH)
Axle load	8.25 to 9.25 tonnes (8.12 to 9.10 long tons; 9.09 to 10.20 short tons)
Power supply	415 V AC diesel alternators (MTH cars only), Head end power (all other types)
Braking system(s)	Westinghouse
Coupling system	Janney couplers (one end BCH & BTH; both ends MTH); Drawbars (one end BCH & BTH; both ends BIH & BH)
Track gauge	5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)

Overview

H set in the original orange and grey V/Line livery led by an N class

By 1983, the 1981 New Deal had been such a success that the incoming Cain Government ordered conversion of a fleet of the early Harris suburban Electric Multiple Units to replace the last of the older wooden carriage stock. The fleet eventually reached 59 carriages of multiple types.

For the purpose of contract negotiations, short cars were referred to as SCH, SH or STH and long as LCH, LH or LTH, respectively for conductor, regular and terminal carriages.

Each carriage has two doors per side, manually opened by passengers, but remotely closed and locked by the train conductor (except on MTH cars where originally similar to the Harris trains, access to MTH carriages from platforms is by manual opening and closing double sliding side doors, and thus can be opened by passengers at any time, however the carriages later received a power door mechanism similar to the Comeng and other members of the H type carriages). Toilets, drinking fountains and luggage areas are provided throughout each carriage set.

The carriage sets were originally used for commuter services between Melbourne and a wide range of regional cities. As more long-distance carriages became available, they were reallocated to the shorter runs, typically less than an hour end-to-end. A small number were also used on the Stony Point line.

Coding

H type carriages are numbered in the 101 - 200 series. Sets were issued to traffic with three types of carriage:

• BCH economy class with conductors van: 121–131; 132-133 long; 134 and 135 seat 10 more people but have a smaller van area
• BH economy class: 141–149, 150-151 were converted to BTH 174–175; 152, 153 long
• BTH economy class with terminal connections: 161–171; 172-173 long; 174-175 formerly BH 150, 151
• MTH economy class with onboard power alternators: 101-104 short

Additional cars were later constructed to increase capacity. These cars do not feature toilets:

• BIH economy class intermediate: 181-194

Carriage sets

As at November 2012, the H type carriages have been fixed into semi-permanent sets, identified with the following codes, in conjunction with a unique number:

• SH: 3 short carriages (normally coupled with another 3-carriage set)
• LH: 3 long carriages (two LH sets exist - they were created from 75 feet (23 m) long Harris trailers)
• SSH: 6 short carriages
• SLH: 3 short carriages coupled to 3 long carriages (in use circa July 2021)

Prior to this change, H sets were arranged as follows:

• SH: 3 carriages
• FSH: because of the F, this means that the sets contains 4 carriages
• VSH: the V means that the set contains 5 carriages
• VLH: the L meaning long

Sets originally entered service as 3 car sets, later having additional cars added to bring them up to four cars. With the breaking up of some sets and reallocation of carriages, longer carriage sets have since been formed.

MTH (loose) carriages

Originally converted for use as trailer carriages for the Tulloch railmotor fleet, four carriages were reconstructed with a similar internal configuration to the BH type, but with automatic couplers at both ends.

Following withdrawal of the Tulloch fleet around 1994, the four MTH carriages (63 seats each) were used on the non-electrified suburban Stony Point line, hauled by whatever locomotives V/Line (later V/Line Passenger) had spare at the time. Typically, two carriages would be used on weekdays and a third kept at Frankston for additional weekend capacity, with the fourth under routine maintenance in the city. Carriages were rotated weekly, with a locomotive transfer usually on Mondays or Thursdays and carriages swapped as part of that cycle. When V/Line Passenger was formed the company fleet was cut down to the A class, N class, P class and Y class engines; the P and N class with head-end-power were less useful hauling MTH carriages, and the Y class were also less useful due to the 65 km/h top speed for the class (the Stony Point line's average maximum line speed is 80 km/h), so the typical Stony Point Line motive power became the A class.

This pattern continued under various private operators until 26 April 2008, after which Sprinter trains were introduced on the route in lieu. The cars were placed into storage at Newport Worksohps until 2011, when MTH 102 was converted to an inspection car for Metro Trains Melbourne. It now operates between two T class locomotives as IEV102 for inspection trains. The other three MTH carriages are stored, along with unused BH141.

Converted MTH car IEV102 is seen on a Metro Track evaulation run with SSR T386 and T385

History and typical fleet use

From 1983

Cain/Crabb order, 1983

The contract was awarded to Clyde Engineering, and the initial plan was to convert 33 Harris cars to 11 semi-permanently coupled sets of BCH-BH-BTH. Originally there were concepts to pair each of the carriage sets with a permanently coupled locomotive at the West (non-conductor) end, and to fit the East-end BCH carriages with a small driving stand for controlling the P class locomotives; but this fell through on grounds of safety and inability to stop the locomotive powering instantly in case of a collision, which would have caused the carriage set to telescope.

The first four sets of three carriages (sets SH22, 23, 24 and 25) were delivered in the middle of 1984, and deliveries continued at a steady pace through to the end of that year with twelve 3-carriage sets, SH21 to SH31 inclusive and LH32, in service. Set LH33 entered service in February 1986, a full six months after the twelfth set.

The H sets were initially used on commuter runs from Spencer Street to Bacchus Marsh, Kyneton, Sunbury, Seymour and Leongatha and, on Sundays only, a run from Spencer Street to Stony Point, Frankston, Stony Point and back to Spencer Street to provide capacity above that of the normal railmotor. While never intended during the design phase, H sets were rostered on the morning outbound and midday return Shepparton service from Roster H2, dated 9 December 1984. During the long weekend holidays, H sets would occasionally be extended from Shepparton to Cobram as higher capacity rollingstock was needed elsewhere.

Otherwise, for events like football matches and the biannual runs to Lara for the Australian International Airshow at Avalon Airport, trains would be formed with nine carriages, a locomotive on each end and another between sets, near the middle. Because of the underfloor multiple-unit cabling, all locomotives on the train would work together from a single control stand; but each set of carriages was powered by its nearest P class locomotive because the power cables, for things like lighting and airconditioning, were only designed for a maximum electrical load equivalent to four carriages.

H sets were normally hauled by either N or P class locomotives, both able to supply the required head end power supply for lighting and air conditioning operation. When hauled by other classes of locomotives, a separate power van was coupled to the set to provide that same function.

A further four MTH carriages were converted in 1984, essentially BH carriages with an underfloor alternator fitted and with regular automatic couplers in place of drawbars. These were intended to be used as trailers for the Tulloch Railcars, as the older trailers were of timber construction with no airconditioning, and well past their use-by dates. The MTH cars could be hauled by anything and everything, because they had onboard alternators negating the requirement for any sort of external power supply.

Socimi bogies

To prepare for a then-planned order for high speed country trains, in 1986 set LH33 (BTH173-BH153-BCH133) was fitted with Socimi bogies designed for operation at 160 km/h (99 mph). The set was hauled by locomotive A85 on runs between Glenorchy and Lubeck on the main Melbourne to Adelaide line, starting from Wednesday 23 July 1986.

Cain/Kirner order, 1989

With the 1990 election quickly approaching and the last of the electric Harris fleet due for withdrawal, the Cain government elected to order conversion of another eight carriages to a new class, BIH. These were functionally identical to the BH carriages, but toilets were not provided, instead being fitted with additional seating. The order also featured two more BCH conductor carriages, though these were fitted with smaller vans and an additional ten seats, compared to their predecessors.

BIH carriages 187 and 188, and the two new conductor cars BCH134 and BCH135, were converted from Grey Ghost stock - previously refurbished less than ten years ago - while the remainder came from regular blue Harris stock.

The new BIH carriages were inserted into sets SH21 thru SH28, bringing their capacity up to approximately match the long sets LH32 and LH33. Sets SH29, SH30 and SH31 were left untouched, and as far as can be determined, the two additional BCH cars were left unused until 1992, when two BH carriages were converted to BTH allowing the formation of new sets.

Once the FSH sets became available, event traffic like the Airshow trains increased to twelve-car trains with a locomotive on each end and a third between carriages eight and nine.

From 1992

Kirner/Spyker order, 1992

By 1992, Steve Crabb had long-since been replaced as the Victorian Member of Parliament with the Transport Portfolio. His successor, Peter Spyker, authorised an order for the final six BIH carriages. These were delivered in 1992 and allowed the remaining three Short sets to be extended to match capacity. These final carriages were converted from previously refurbished "Grey Ghost" Harris stock, rather than the original blue cars. At the same time, two BH carriages had automatic couplers fitted at one end and these were reclassed BTH.

Around this time the Tulloch railmotors were withdrawn from service, freeing the four MTH cars. Consideration was given to converting them to other classes for incorporation in normal H sets. However, it was decided to instead operate the MTH carriages exclusively on the Stony Point route, because an infrequent, isolated shuttle service would have been a waste of one of the N or P class locomotives with head-end power, better used elsewhere. If the Stony Point line had run from Spencer Street in lieu of Frankston, then it is quite possible that the H fleet would have been reworked with thirteen FSH and two LH sets (plus one spare carriage), all with about 250 seats.

With the MTH cars separated from the rest of the fleet, the final BIH carriages were allocated largely at random, with the result by end of 1992 being:

• FSH21-29 and LH32 all of roughly equal capacity (247-249 seats)
• SH sets 30, 31, 34 and 35 with only three carriages each (184-194 seats)
• FLH33 as an orphan (316 seats).

High-ranking staff within V/Line were aware at the time that the last of the Harris electric fleet was being withdrawn, and tried to facilitate conversion of the remaining six Grey Ghost vehicles to add to the H car fleet. This was knocked back because, at the time, it was thought that more than just 22 of the new Sprinter railcars were going to be ordered.

In 1995, the entire H-series fleet was passed from V/Line to V/Line Passenger.

From 1999

In 1999, the fleet was reorganised. Previously, there had been four SH, nine FSH, one LH and one FLH set. In September of that year, set SH35 was split up, and set FSH28 lost its BIH carriage. The now-loose four carriages were reallocated to sets 22, 26, 29 and 32, so the new split became four SH, five FSH, three VSH and two FLH sets. Other than the remaining FSH sets (all 247 seats), the new set makeup had nearly every set with its own consist and differing capacity. Each of the different consists also had slightly different weights, lengths, capacities and door layouts, affecting the timetabling.

• The SH sets, 28, 30, 31 and 34, respectively had 180, 184, 184 and 194 seats.
• The FSH sets, 21, 23, 24, 25 and 27, all had 247 seats.
• The FLH sets, 32 and 33, had 316 seats
• The VSH sets, 22, 26 and 29 had 310, 314 and 311 seats respectively.

As a result, rosters were often written with specific sets in mind; the VSH and FLH sets could be grouped into a fleet of five sets for the longer runs, and the FSH sets for the shorter runs. The SH sets were either run individually on the shortest runs, or in pairs on the longest.

When the five-carriage sets were formed, the end BTH and BCH cars were recabled with higher-capacity wiring, to avoid any risk of overheating. However, the P Class locomotives were only able to supply power for four carriages' worth of air-conditioning and lighting and did not have sufficient power for acceleration of a five-carriage set, so those trains had to be hauled by N class engines, or A class engines with a PH power van attached. Additionally, because of the drawbar and inter-carriage doorway arrangements, BCH135 and BTH175 were reversed for coupling to Set #29.

Later in this period, patronage spikes would require coupling an FSH with SH set, for a seven-car consist. These services became colloquially known as the "Poor Man's XPT", with a P class locomotive on each end of the consist, controlled by a single crew. No trials were performed with push/pull 2xFSH sets, because it was clear from P-FSH-SH-P sets that any such consist would have been too heavy for passenger train schedules, requiring a minimum power to weight ratio.

In 2004, carriage BIH187 was pulled from set FSH27, and stored at Newport Workshops. It was returned to the set about three months later.

From 2005

2 MTH cars at Stony Point station in February 2005

H type carriages at Southern Cross station in November 2010

In 2005, Marshall station was opened as an extension to the Geelong line. It was serviced by H sets previously running only to South Geelong, along with trains running to Warrnambool.

2006 saw another reorganisation of the H cars, this time on account of VLocity deliveries with Regional Fast Rail project. The VLocities were supposed to replace the H sets, but patronage booming meant they had to be retained. As part of the reorganisation, the H type carriages were refurbished and repainted into the new V/Line livery from September 2007.

As a result, set SH34 was split up, and sets 21, 27 and 32 lost their BIH coaches. Like when SH35 had been broken up, carriages BCH134 and BTH174 were reversed, for coupling to Set #32. The six freed cars were reallocated to sets 23, 28, 32 and 33, with the new outline thus-

• The SH sets, 21, 27, 30 & 31 had 180, 180, 184 and 184 seats respectively.
• The FSH sets, 24, 25 & 28 each had 247 seats.
• The VSH sets, 22, 23, 26 & 29 had 310, 314, 314 and 311 seats respectively.
• The VLH sets, 32 & 33, had 376 and 383 seats respectively.

With the deliveries of the VLocity fleet, the H sets were largely replaced by railcars on the longer runs, and so they began running more frequently on Melton and Bacchus Marsh, Sunbury and Kyneton, and Seymour services.

From 2012

In conjunction with a new timetable of 18 November 2012, the H set fleet was reorganised to give three six-car sets as well as twelve semi-permanently-coupled three-car sets, giving an effective total of nine six-car sets in service. These trains usually provided peak-hour services to Bacchus Marsh, Wyndham Vale and Seymour, hauled by N and P class locomotives. Stock shortages of other classes mean there were almost daily runs of H carriage sets to Marshall and Traralgon.

All carriages have now been recabled to allow a single head-end-power unit to operate the entire train from one end, rather than requiring a separate power source for carriages beyond the fourth or fifth.

The current capacities are:

• SH21 SH27 and SH23 SH24, 364 seats; SH25 SH30, 368 seats
• SH29 SH35, 378 seats; SSH sets 22, 26 and 28, 377 seats each
• SH31 LH33, 433 seats; LH32 SH34, 443 seats

Loose carriage BH141 (63 seats) is currently stored at Newport Workshops, along with unused MTH 101, 103 and 104.

2015 roster

Refurbished H type carriage

From July 2015, there were no regularly scheduled H sets on the Northern or Eastern regions, or anywhere at all on weekends, though occasional carriage shortages saw these sets filling in for other services. Quite often, H sets filled in on Geelong & Shepparton runs, resulting in first class and buffet facilities being unavailable. H sets were used on Seymour, Wyndham Vale and Bacchus Marsh runs from this time. All these rosters were hauled by N or P class locomotives, occasionally aided by A66.

From January 2017, one H set resumed operations along the Geelong line, having been moved from the Seymour Line. This set ran the 7:36 am Geelong to Southern Cross, and the 6:18 pm Southern Cross to Geelong.

In late August 2017, some of the H sets were altered to account for the withdrawal of the P class locomotives. The two SH-LH sets alternated between Geelong and Bacchus Marsh; the SSH set (with A66 and a PH power van) and one SH-SH pair were captive to Bacchus Marsh runs; and the three remaining SH-SH pairs cycled around three rosters, either Bacchus Marsh to Southern Cross, Southern Cross to Geelong and Geelong to Southern Cross over the course of a day. The ex-Bacchus Marsh roster included a trip to Seymour in the afternoon.

In January 2021, H sets were re-rostered exclusively on the Bacchus Marsh and Shepparton lines, alongside occasional unscheduled runs to Geelong and elsewhere. However, from October 2022, due to the replacement of loco-hauled services on the Shepparton line, it was necessary to reinstate a daily trip to Geelong, while Shepparton services are now operated by VLocities. Thus, from 23 October, the 7:23am Geelong to Southern Cross and 4:18pm Southern Cross to Geelong have been operated by H sets.

Post-Covid

In the era after Covid significant quantities of VLocity carriages were delivered; this in conjunction with the general replacement of locomotive-hauled trains across the board led to some minor set reconfigurations. Generally speaking, the sets previously formed were retained, with reclassifications around the time the sets entered the workshops for refurbishing into the PTV shard livery.

The sets formed were 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32 and 33, each six carriages. Of these, sets 22, 26 and 28 had a single BTH and BCH car each with the middle four cars assorted BIH and BH types; the other sets had two BTH, two BCH and one or two of the BH and BIH types. Long-van cars BCH134 and BCH135 were used in the middle of sets SSH27 and SSH31, and the 75ft long cars formed the east end of sets SLH32 and SLH33.

IEV102 remained in use by Metro Trains as an inspection vehicle. MTH101, 103, 104 and BH141 remained stored at Newport Workshops.

On 26 July 2023 a train hauled by N Class locomotives N465 and N460 transferred H sets SSH28 and SSH27 to Shepparton for storage; these had returned to Newport by November for disposal. Also in late October and early November, sets SSH31 and SSH23 were transferred (separately) to Echuca for storage.

As of November 2023, the master train plan only required one SLH set and no SSH sets. This set ran on weekdays from Maddingley sidings at 7:17am, picked up at Bacchus Marsh at 7:26am and arrived in Melbourne at 8:20am, then stabled. In the afternoon, it left Southern Cross at 5:21pm, ran to Melton, arriving 6:02pm, then was overtaken by a Wendouree service and continued as a separate service at 6:12pm for Bacchus Marsh at 6:28pm, finally running empty at 6:31pm to Maddingley at 6:37pm. Neither the locomotives or carriages from this roster were used on weekends.

As of March 2024, the last ever revenue H set service was on 2 February 2024, formed of SSH25 and SLH32, hauled by N456 "City of Colac", leaving from Southern Cross Station at 19:18, and then running to Waurn Ponds Station.

N456 hauling the final revenue H set service seen at Wyndham Vale Station.

The LH Cars from SLH32/33, have been set aside for preservation and will be transferred to a heritage group in the coming months.

Set history

Note: Colours are representative only, and do not directly correlate to liveries worn in the era.

Code	Set No.	From	To	Car F	Car E	Car D	Car C	Car B	Car A (East end)	Capacity	Weight	Length	Changes to achieve	Notes
SH	21	1984-07-09	1985-30-10				BTH161	BH141	BCH121	180	105t	58m	As Built
"SH"	21	1985-30-10	By 1986-03-27					BTH161	BCH121	113		36m	Lose BH141 to "SH"28
SH	21	By 1986-03-27	By 1987-08-01				BTH161	BH141	BCH121	180	105t	58m	Regain BH141 ex "SH"28.
SH	21	By 1987-08-01	By 1988-02-07			BTH167	BH147	BH141	BCH121	180	105t	58m	Lose BTH161 to SH27; gain BH147 & BTH167 ex SH27.
SH	21	By 1988-02-07	1989-07-05				BTH161	BH141	BCH121	180	105t	58m	Regain BTH161 ex SH27 and lose BH147 & BTH167 to SH27.
FSH	21	1989-07-06	2006-10-xx			BTH161	BH141	BIH181	BCH121	247	138t	77m	Add BIH181, new build.
SH	21	2006-10-xx	2012-11-26				BTH161	BH141	BCH121	180	105t	58m	Remove BIH181 to Newport Workshops
SH	21	2012-11-26	Circa 2022				BTH161	BIH181	BCH121	184	104t	58m	Add BIH181 ex Set #25, remove BH141 to Newport Workshops	Paired with SH27
SH	21	Circa 2022	Current										Set absorbed into SLH33
SH	22	1984-05-31	By 1987-08-01				BTH162	BH142	BCH122	180	105t	58m	As Built
SH	22	By 1987-08-01	1988-xx-xx (before Easter)										Set dissolved into SH27 & LH32
FSH	22	1989-07-17	1999-09-xx			BTH162	BH142	BIH182	BCH122	247	138t	77m	Reformed; add BIH182, new build
VSH	22	1999-09-xx	2012-11-xx		BTH162	BH149	BH142	BIH182	BCH122	310	172t	96m	Add BH149 ex Set #29
SSH	22	2012-11-xx	Circa 2021	BTH162	BH149	BIH184	BH142	BIH182	BCH122	377	205t	116m	Add BIH184 ex Set #24
SSH	22	Circa 2021	Current	BTH162	BH149	BIH184	BH142	BIH182	BCH122	377	205t	116m	Repainted
SH	23	1984-06-21	1989-07-13				BTH163	BH143	BCH123	180	105t	58m	As Built
FSH	23	1989-07-13	2007-09-25			BTH163	BH143	BIH183	BCH123	247	138t	77m	Add BIH183, new build
VSH	23	2007-09-25	2012-05-xx		BTH163	BIH181	BH143	BIH183	BCH123	314	171t	96m	Add BIH181 ex Newport
FSH	23	2012-05-xx	2012-11-xx			BTH163	BH143	BIH183	BCH123	247	138t	77m	Remove BIH181 to Set #25
"FSH"	23	2011-11-xx	By 2021-01-31				BTH163	BIH183	BCH123	184	104t	58m	Remove BH143 to Set #26, BIH181 to Newport	Paired with SH24
SSH	23	By 2021-01-31	Current	BTH164	BH144	BCH124	BTH163	BIH183	BCH123	364	209t	116m	Absorbed SH24	Stored Echuca circa November 2023
SH	24	1984-06-26	1989-07-27				BTH164	BH144	BCH124	180	105t	58m	As Built	First set to have suspension upgraded for 115 km/h running.
FSH	24	1989-07-27	1997-09-15			BTH164	BH144	BIH184	BCH124	247	138t	77m	Add BIH184, new build
FSH	24	1997-09-15	2012-11-xx			BTH164	BH144	BIH184	BCH124	247	138t	77m	Repainted
"FSH"	24	2012-11-xx	By 2021-01-31				BTH164	BH144	BCH124	180	105t	58m	Remove BIH184 to Set #22	Paired with SH23.
SH	24	By 2021-01-31	Current										Set absorbed into SSH23
SH	25	1984-06-07	1987-12-04				BTH165	BH145	BCH125	180	105t	58m	As Built
"SH"	25	1987-12-04	1989-xx-xx (after October)			BTH167	BH147	BH145	BCH125	243	139t	77m	Remove BTH165; add BH147 and BTH167 ex "SH"27
FSH	25	1989-xx-xx (after October)	2012-05-xx			BTH165	BH145	BIH185	BCH125	247	138t	77m	Add BIH185, new build; regain BTH165 ex "SH"27.
VSH	25	2012-05-xx	2012-11-14		BTH165	BH145	BIH185	BIH181	BCH125	314	171t	96m	Add BIH181 ex Newport
"VSH"	25	2012-11-14	2012-11-xx			BTH165	BIH185	BIH181	BCH125	251	137t	77m	Remove BH145 to Set #28
SH	25	2012-11-xx	Circa 2022				BTH165	BIH185	BCH125	184	104t	58m	Remove BIH181 to Set #21	Paired with SH30
SSH	25	Circa 2022	Current	BTH170	BIH190	BCH130	BTH165	BIH185	BCH125	368	208t	116m	Absorbed SH30
SH	26	1984-08-02	1989-06-28				BTH166	BH146	BCH126	180	105t	58m	As Built
FSH	26	1989-06-28	1999-09-xx			BTH166	BH146	BIH186	BCH126	247	138t	77m	Add BIH186, new build
VSH	26	1999-09-xx	2012-11-xx		BTH166	BIH188	BH146	BIH192	BCH126	314	171t	96m	Remove BIH186 to Set #32, add BIH188 ex Set #26, add BIH192 ex Set #35. Fitted with rubber inter-carriage diaphragms in 2010.
SSH	26	2012-11-xx	Circa 2022	BTH166	BH143	BIH188	BH146	BIH192	BCH126	377	205t	116m	Add BH143 ex Set #23
SSH	26	Circa 2022	Current	BTH166	BH143	BIH188	BH146	BIH192	BCH126	377	205t	116m	Repainted
SH	27	1984-10-10	By 1987-08-01				BTH167	BH147	BCH127	180	105t	58m	As Built
SH	27	By 1987-08-01	1987-12-04			BTH161	BCH122	BTH162	BCH127				Lose BH147 & BTH167 to SH21; gain BTH162 and BCH122 ex SH22 and BTH161 ex SH21
"SH"	27	1987-12-04	1990-07-20			BTH165	BCH122	BTH162	BCH127	234	142t	77m	Add BTH165 ex SH25, lose BTH161 to SH21
FSH	27	1990-07-20	2004-12-xx			BTH167	BH147	BIH187	BCH127	247	138t	77m	Add BIH187 new build
SH	27	2004-12-xx	2005-03-xx				BTH167	BH147	BCH127	180	105t	58m	Remove BIH187 to Newport
FSH	27	2005-03-xx	2006-10-xx			BTH167	BH147	BIH187	BCH127	247	138t	77m	Add BIH187 ex Newport
"FSH"	27	2006-10-xx	2012-11-xx				BTH167	BH147	BCH127	180	105t	58m	Remove BIH187 to #28
SH	27	2012-11-xx	Circa 2022				BTH167	BH147	BCH127	180	105t	58m		Paired with SH21
SSH	27	Circa 2022	Current	BTH175	BIH186	BCH135	BTH167	BIH147	BCH127	374	209t	116m	Absorbed SH35	Stored Shepparton late July 2023; to Newport November 2023
SH	28	1985-05-29	1985-10-30				BTH168	BH148	BCH128	180	105t	58m	As Built
SH	28	1985-10-30	By 1986-03-27			BTH168	BH148	BH141	BCH128	247			Gain BH141 ex SH21, due to set LH33 not permitted in service.
SH	28	By 1986-03-27	1990-09-29				BTH168	BH148	BCH128	180	105t	58m	Restored to original configuration
FSH	28	1990-09-29	1999-09-xx			BTH168	BH148	BIH188	BCH128	247	138t	77m	Add BIH188, new build
SH	28	1999-09-xx	2006-04-03				BTH168	BH148	BCH128	180	105t	58m	Remove BIH188 to Set #26
FSH	28	2006-04-03	2012-11-xx			BTH168	BH148	BIH194	BCH128	247	138t	77m	Add BIH194 ex Set #34
SSH	28	2012-11-xx	Circa 2021	BTH168	BH145	BIH194	BH148	BIH187	BCH128	377	205t	116m	Add BH145 ex Set #25, BIH187 ex Set #27
SSH	28	Circa 2021	Current	BTH168	BH145	BIH194	BH148	BIH187	BCH128	377	205t	116m	Repainted	Stored Shepparton late July 2023; to Newport November 2023
SH	29	1984-12-19	1992-06-26				BTH169	BH149	BCH129	180	105t	58m	As Built
FSH	29	1992-06-26	1999-09-xx			BTH169	BH149	BIH189	BCH129	247	138t	77m	Add BIH189, new build
VSH	29	1999-09-xx	2012-11-xx		BCH135	BTH175	BTH169	BIH189	BCH129	311	175t	97m	Remove BH149 to Set #22, add BCH135 & BTH175 ex Set #35
SH	29	2012-11-xx	Circa 2022				BTH169	BIH189	BCH129	184	104t	58m	Remove BCH135 & BTH175 to Set #35	Paired with SH35
SH	29	Circa 2022	Current										Set absorbed into SSH23
SH	30	1984-05-06	1992-06-25				BTH170	BH150	BCH130	180	105t	58m	As Built
SH	30	1992-06-25	2003-xx-xx				BTH170	BIH190	BCH130	184	104t	58m	Add BIH190, new build; Remove BH150, convert to BTH174
SH	30	2003-xx-xx	20xx-xx-xx				BTH170	BIH190	BCH130	184	104t	58m	Repainted
SH	30	20xx-xx-xx	Circa 2022				BTH170	BIH190	BCH130	184	104t	58m	Repainted	Paired with SH25
SH	30	Circa 2022	Current										Set absorbed into SSH25
SH	31	1985-08-14	1992-06-24				BTH171	BH151	BCH131	180	105t	58m	As Built
SH	31	1992-06-24	20xx-xx-xx				BTH171	BIH191	BCH131	184	104t	58m	Add BIH191, new build; Remove BH151, convert to BTH175
SH	31	20xx-xx-xx	Circa 2022				BTH171	BIH191	BCH131	184	104t	58m	Repainted	Paired with LH33
SSH	31	Circa 2022	Current	BTH174	BIH193	BCH134	BTH171	BIH191	BCH131	374	209t	116m	Absorbed SH34	Stored Echuca circa November 2023
LH	32	1985-03-08	By 1987-08-01				BTH172	BH152	BCH132	249	118t	70m	As Built
"LH"	32	By 1987-08-01	1999-09-xx			BTH172	BH142	BH152	BCH132	316	151t	90m	Add BH142 ex SH22.
FLH	32	1999-09-xx	2006-04-30			BTH172	BH152	BIH186	BCH132	316	151t	90m	Remove BH142; add BIH186 ex Set #26
VLH	32	2006-05-01	2012-11-xx		BCH134	BTH174	BTH172	BH152	BCH132	376	189t	109m	Remove BIH186 to Set #33, add BCH134 & BTH174 to Set #34	First roster Roster #8306 & #8323 M-F (0701 up / 1732 down SEY)
LH	32	2012-11-xx	Circa 2022				BTH172	BH152	BCH132	249	118t	70m	Remove BCH134 & BTH174 to Set #34	Paired with SH34
SLH	32	Circa 2022	Current	BTH169	BIH189	BCH129	BTH172	BH152	BCH132	433	222t	128m	Absorbed SH29
LH	33	1986-02-28	1992-07-03				BTH173	BH153	BCH133	249	118t	70m	As Built	Fitted with Socimi bogies, allowed to run at 160 km/h
FLH	33	1992-07-03	2006-04-xx			BTH173	BH153	BIH193	BCH133	316	151t	90m	Add BIH193, new build
VLH	33	2006-04-xx	2012-11-xx		BTH173	BIH186	BH153	BIH193	BCH133	383	184t	109m	Add BIH186 ex Set #32	Position of BIH186 unclear
LH	33	2012-11-xx	Circa 2022				BTH173	BH153	BCH133	249	118t	70m	BIH186 to Set #35, BIH193 to Set #34	Paired with SH31
SLH	33	Circa 2022	Current	BTH161	BIH181	BCH121	BTH173	BH153	BCH133	433	222t	128m	Absorbed SH21
?H	34	1990-10-04	1992-07-10						BCH134	64	37t	19m	As Built
SH	34	1992-07-10	2006-04-03				BTH174	BIH194	BCH134	194	104t	58m	First formed
SH	34	2006-04-03	2012-11-xx							Nil	Nil	Nil	Split - BIH194 to #28; BCH134 BTH174 to #32
SH	34	2012-11-xx	Circa 2022				BCH134	BIH193	BTH174	190	105t	58m	Reformed - BIH193 ex #33; BCH134 BTH174 ex #32	Reversed; paired with LH32
SH	34	Circa 2022	Current										Set absorbed into SSH31
?H	35	1990-10-04	1992-07-10						BCH135	64	37t	19m	As Built
SH	35	1992-07-10	1999-09-xx				BTH175	BIH192	BCH135	194	104t	58m	First formed
SH	35	1999-09-xx	2012-11-xx							Nil	Nil	Nil	Split - BIH192 to #26; BCH135 BTH175 to #29
SH	35	2012-11-xx	Circa 2022				BCH135	BIH186	BTH175	194	104t	58m	Reformed - BIH186 ex #33; BCH135 BTH175 ex #29	Reversed; paired with SH29
SH	35	Circa 2022	Current										Set absorbed into SSH27
MTH	101	1984-06-18	Current						MTH101	63	39t	19m	As Built	Stored since 26 April 2008
MTH	102	1984-06-29	2011-12-07						MTH102	63	39t	19m	As Built	Stored since 26 April 2008
IEV	102	2011-12-07	Current						IEV102	Nil	39t	19m	Modified ex MTH102	Track and Overhead inspection vehicle; restricted to 80 km/h
MTH	103	1984-07-27	Current						MTH103	63	39t	19m	As Built	Stored since 26 April 2008
MTH	104	1984-08-21	Current						MTH104	63	39t	19m	As Built	Stored since 26 April 2008

Gallery

• 
  H type carriage in the V/line red livery at Ardeer.
• 
  The interior of a refurbished H type carriage in 2007.
• 
  H type carriage at Wallan.
• 
  H type carriages at platforms 2A, 3A, and 4A, Southern Cross.
• 
  Refurbished H type carriage at Southern Cross.

Further reading

• V/Line carriages stored in regional rail yards Vibewire
• H Cars information Vicsig
• H Type Carriages V/LineCars.com