68 PATERSON STREET - PAINE'S CARRIAGE WORKS

PAINE'S CARRIAGE WORKS

Paine's Carriage Works were established in Launceston by George Paine who emigrated from England in 1860. The original works were at 192 York Street (with showrooms in Wellington Street), but moved to Paterson Street in 1902, by which time George's son Frederick was in charge.  The construction of the new building was overseen by architect Edwin Laidlaw.  Paines built the first brougham and hansom cabs in Launceston and won many prizes.


The business made the transition from horse-drawn vehicles to the motor car. An article in the Examiner (08th October 1914) comments that Mr Paine had already had twelve years experience in this area! Paines built a bus to service areas where the tram didn't go, and made the first two seater car built in Northern Tasmania, as well as an ambulance and fire engines.

Their cars sound like quite something to see. The same article says: “Two of the latest five-seated bodies ... are painted blue, picked out black, with a fine gold line, which harmonises with blue leather trimmings. The vehicle is mounted on a 15-20 Fiat chassis, supplied by the Fordyce Motor Company, and is indeed worthy of inspection.”

But if the cars were impressive, their bus promised to be a marvel. Here is the description published in The Examiner of 25th August 1905: “The car is built of English ash and cedar, varnished, and both woods can be distinguished as one enters. The long cedar panels are beautifully let into solid pilars, and the platform on which the conductor stands to receive passengers and parcels is shut off from the car when necessary by a sliding door. The seats are spring cushions of the most modern design, covered in moss-green Russian leather. On the outside the car panels are painted in pretty green, picked out in black, and lined with orange. In front of the ladies' car is a smoking compartment, which has seating and accommodation for eight passengers. It may be closed right off from the hind car by glass windows. Those on board can see all round, as the windows facing the driver's box are circular in shape. One of the improvements is the attachment of two nickel handles to hold as one enters either compartment., The driver's box is fitted up with a tool cabinet of polished wood. There are 34 windows in cedar frames,so there is no lack of ventilation, and every window has a spring catch, which works automatically. When necessary, the curtains, which are fixed to every window on brass rollers, may be let down. The nickel-plated funnel and brass ventilator in front sets off the appearance of the 'bus greatly. The whole of the work, with 'the exception of the undercarriage, is being carried out at .Mr. Paine's factory, and when completed it will reflect great credit upon the designer and builder.”

The firm seems to have been very innovative. If no one has done it already there is a local history book waiting to be written here!!!!! A search on TROVE will turn up many other fascinating snippets of information. The Examiner of Friday 7 June 1895 has an interesting article about the carriageworks. You can see some photos of buses at http://nonsequitur.freeforums.org/lkcs-lesser-known-coachbuilders-t58-90.html and of their two-seater car at http://catalogue.statelibrary.tas.gov.au/item/q=paine&format=Images&avail=Online&i=3&id=LPIC147-1-65#urls.

Interviews with Fred James and Rex Case who worked for Paines in the early 1920s can be found in Launceston Talks - Oral Histories of the Launceston Community.