The Train of Knowledge was an Australian school camp on wheels, allowing students and teachers to visit multiple locations around Victoria without having to organise accommodation or transport.
The first run was organised by Macleod High School, which chartered a train in March 1958, taking 200 students from Melbourne to Warrnambool, Hamilton, Portland, Stawell, Bendigo, Echuca, Kyabram and back.
[2] The train was formed originally with whatever rolling stock was available, but within a few years it had settled to a standard consist, made up to carry between 80 and 90 school children, six teachers and four railway staff members.
During the early 1980s, the Victorian and New South Wales railway authorities were looking at merging the two overnight standard gauge trains, the Spirit of Progress and Southern Aurora, which would have freed some sleeping carriages for The Vinelander service to Mildura.
[9] Moorabool was stripped internally at Ballarat Workshops from November 1983, and the former kitchen door was sealed as part of the works, as had been done to sister car Tanjil when it was converted to standard gauge.
[10] 43BPL was retained as a standby carriage in case the work on Moorabool took longer than intended, but it was finally withdrawn in November 1984 and allocated to the Australian Railway Historical Society for preservation.
Previously, Carey, Melville, Avoca and Sleeping Car No.5 had been painted blue with yellow stripes, while the rest of the train was in a faded red.
[15] A photo, dated 28 September 1985, shows the train with three sleepers either side of the shower car, followed by Moorabool, Avoca and Melville at the west end.
[16] Students and school staff members were expected to supply their own bedding for fitting to the carriage berths,[17] but much of the rest of the requirements were provided as part of the service.