Inside Sputnik carriage 4790, the past lingers in every detail. The venetian blinds, slid up at differing heights by the last hands to adjust them, remain in place as if waiting for the next journey. Rows of timber armrests frame the aisles, their carved details a reminder of a time when even utilitarian spaces were built with craftsmanship. Above, glass lamp shades still hang from the ceiling, a delicate contrast to the raw steel and riveted panels that define the carriage’s structure.
Built between 1955 and 1958 by Commonwealth Engineering in Granville, the Sputnik cars were the last single-deck trailer cars produced for Sydney’s rail network, earning their name from their target plate designation “S” for suburban. They were also the first train sets to introduce powered doors, replacing the manual ones that had been standard for decades. A “Non-Smoking” sign still clings to the wall, a small detail that hints at the division that once existed between smoking and non-smoking compartments, a feature long vanished from modern trains.
An upturned seat in the foreground is not the result of vandalism but part of an ongoing restoration effort. Its leather upholstery, though aged, survives as a testament to durability, a material that would be unthinkable in today’s public transport. With 80 Sputnik cars built, they carried Sydney’s commuters for decades before being replaced by the double-deck fleet that dominates the system today. The Granville factory, where these trains were constructed, closed in 1989 before being demolished. Now, 4790 sits in quiet preservation, a rare survivor of a fleet that once defined Sydney’s suburban rail.
This print is a striking addition for any rail enthusiast, celebrating the craftsmanship and history of Sydney’s single-deck suburban trains.