H / HJ Wagons

H / HJ wagons.

The eight wheeled open goods wagons on Queensland Railways were classified as “H” class wagon. Over the years, they were built in various lengths, 20ft, 26ft, 30ft and 32ft. If you were to summarise the standard “H” wagon in the 60’s, it would be the 30’ version.

Most had a standard ends and sides of four planks that measured 2” 7½’ high. In the early years some had a single centre door, the shorter wagons have two drop down doors, and most wagons have 3 doors. The H class had a tare around 8 tons and carried around 12 tons given them a 5 ton axle load. The all timber frame rode on 4’ bar frame bogies fitted with 2’ 2” wheels. HJ wagons had 5’ bar frame bogies, early wagons had 2’ 2” wheels, whereas the later wagons had 2’ 9½” wheels. These wagon had a tare of around 10 tons and carried 22 tons, a gross of 32 tons (8 T axle load). The maximum speed of the vehicles was 35 mph and were restricted to Goods Trains.   

The wagon carried various types of general goods which included, timber, steel, iron, pipes, farm machinery, tractors, motor vehicle, fuel/oil in drums, tanks, pallets, kegs, ash, bones, bottles, coke, firewood, loco coal for western/branch depots. Track and Bridge materials, sleepers, bridge timbers etc. Many loads were covered with tarpaulins, this included wool, hay, chaff etc.  During the late 60’s they carried sheep. In short, if the load did not fit through the doors of a box wagon, an open wagon was used.

Plan P 112  Drawing # 1313.

Underframe	Bogie Centres	Outside Width	Over Buffers	Height
30’ x 6’ 10”	21’	7’ 6”	33’ 5”	5’ 8”

Inside Length	Between Doors	Between Stanchions	One Centre Door	Drawing Date
29” 8½”	7’ 2½”	6’ 10”	8’	5/1/14

Plan P 113  Drawing # 2250.

Same as above, except wagon has 3 x 10’ Doors. Floor height above rail 3’ 2”.

 Plan P 114  Drawing # 2555. Dated 0578/16. The wagon is 7’ 9” wide and fitted with movable stanchions. 7’ 1” between the stanchions.

Plan P 115  Drawing # 3705.    H and HJ wagon  (2’ 2” wheels) 

Underframe	Bogie Centres	Outside Width	Over Buffers	Height
32’ x 7’ 4”	23’	8’	35’ 5”	5’ 8”

Inside Length	Between Doors	Between Stanchions	Doors	Drawing Date
31” 8½”	7’ 8½”	7’ 4”	3 x 10’ 8”	12/2/26

 

H Wagon

Average Tare	Average Capacity	Journal	Floor above rail	Bogies
8 T 18 Cwt	11 T 2 Cwt	7” x 3”	3’ 2”	4’ 0”

H J Wagon

Average Tare	Average Capacity	Journal	Floor above rail	Bogies
10 T 3 Cwt	21 T 17 Cwt	8” x 4”	3’ 3”	5’ 0”

 1969 the carrying capacity was reduced to 9 T 17 Cwt. (Less than the “H” wagon).In 1971 the carrying capacity was increase to 12 T and the classification altered to HH.

Plan P 116  Drawing # 1700.    High sided (6’10¼”) with a single 2’ 6” high door with 4’ 9” bogies with 2’ 9½” wheels.  (Covered under Jumbo HJ a few months ago).

Plan P 117  Drawing # 2208.    Date 5/1/14 HJ Wagon.

Much the same as P 115 for HJ Wagon. Floor height above rail 3’ 4”. 21’ Bogie Centres

Cubic Capacity 571 cu.ft. 1971 carry capacity reduced to 12 T and classed HH.

Plan P 118  Drawing # 4864.    H and HJ wagon  (2’ 9½” wheels)  Date 14/1/44

Much the same dimensions as P 117.  Height of wagon above rail 5’ 9½”

Allowable over load for H wagons 1 T 10 Cwt, HJ wagons 2 T. Cubic Capacity 640 cu.ft.

1971 carry capacity reduced to 12 T and classed HH.

Plan P 119  Drawing # 4864.    UHJ wagon  (2’ 9½” wheels)  Date 14/1/44

Length	Bogie Centres	Outside Width	Over Buffers	Height
32’	21’	7’ 6”	35’ 5”	5’ 9½”

Inside Length	Between Doors	Between Stanchions	Doors	Cubic Capacity
31” 8½”	7’ 2”	6’ 10”	3 x 10’ 8”	600 cu.ft.

Statement of Rollingstock 30^th June 1960 shows the following wagon in service.  

Eight wheeled, low-sided goods wagons – 20 tons gross.  H wagons 1,766 (b) 
(b) Three have steel underframes # 11879, 11881, 13926.

The documents also shows 109 on the 2’ Innisfail Tramway, all 12 t gross except 2 that were 20 t gross.

Eight wheeled, low-sided goods wagon – 32 tons gross.   HJ wagons 746 (d)

(d) HJ 19325 is an all steel wagon.
(60 are 32’ long and have bodies 3‘ 6” high. # 6909 – 7005) (Jumbo H wagon P 116)
(61 are painted grey and reserved for Mt Isa traffic)  (UHJ)   
(52 are fitted with molasses tanks) (Mackay sugar Tfc). Reclassed HM in 1973.

With the exception of the UHJ wagons, H and HJ wagons were painted Red Oxide to 1969, then grey. The class lasted until the withdrawal of wooden wagons in 1986/8.  Bundaberg and Ipswich museums have one in their collection on display.

The wagon had drawhooks, H and HJ were classified as “Ordinary” drawgear which later (1973) became D4. UHJ had “Select: drawgear which became D3. The wagon length for train marshalling was equal to 2 F, which later became 2 units. When train lengths went metric, they were 2.1 units. Later that became 10.5 metres, by which time the class was gone.   

Conversions:-

Mainly the “H” Class were used for conversions

CH  Covered wagons during WW II.                         (30/06/60. 185 in service)

HC for stick sugar cane                                             (30/06/60. 38 in service)
HW for water
HK  Cattle wagons                                                     (30/06/60. 57 in service)
Travelling Crane. (Mainly around Workshops)

The H class continued into the modern steel era, HJS in the early 50’s, HSA in the mid 60’s, and HWA (Steel wagon with wooden floor) in the early 70’s. 

Bogies

H wagon. Bar Frame Bogie with 4 foot axle centre with 2 foot 2 inches wheels.

HJ wagon. Bar Frame Bogie with 5 foot axle centre with 2 foot 2 inches wheels.

H wagon. Bar Frame Bogie with 4 foot axle centre with 2 foot 9½ inches wheels.

  H wagon with wool load. Note no securing rings for securing the trap. Ratline tied to door stops, buffers, truss rod, hand brake frame (not hand brake lever or bogies).

I think this photo is a state library photo, the caption indicated the wagon is loaded with 12 ton of wheat. I think wheat is about 12 bags to the ton, around 200 lb each. May be it is chaff. Note, no door stops. (Door stops stop the doors hitting and damaging the axle boxes). Plus, the height of the load beside the attached box wagon ????   

 On a side loading bank, the doors double as a ramp for loading wheeled vehicles.   

This photo was taken about 1973/74 highlighting wagon markings in both metric and imperial.

Some “H” has a sprung canter lever on the centre door. This assisted greatly with closing the door. The standard timber door was very heavy, a two man job. One man could close a door on the steel HJS wagons. One man could close a canter lever door.  

 HC wagon.

 HW Wagon.

 H Crane Wagon.

 HJ Molasses Wagon.

 CH Wagon.

Loading Diagrams

 Wool Load   

Hay Load arrangement

Chaff Loading Arrangements

 The first train I worked out of Mackay at the 67 sugar season was 8 Up. The train ran 3 days a week from Mackay to Netherdale as the Branch Goods. During the sugar season it ran every day and was made up to a full load with cane, sugar or molasses wagons to fill orders up the track. At Marian we picked up a long string of H wagons from the sugar mill to fill cane orders. We changed at Mirani to return to Mackay on another train with a PB up front.  

8 Up was a popular train number around the state, various depots had a train with that number.

 Previously, I indicated I could be short on for open goods wagons when I compare numbers of covered wagons to open wagons shown in the annual rollingstock statements.  Recently I was able to pick up 3 H type wagon kits at “Buy & Sells”. One was a PGC HJ Kit, the others two were Ian Lindsay UHJ Kits. Both are still shown on the internet as being available. The Ian Lindsay costs $ 29.00 and requires bogies and decals. The PGC Kits costs $ 39.50 which includes etched brake lever, bogies, brass air hoses, and decals. Coupling are required for both kits. Both kits have two sides, two ends and a floor/underframe. That is were their similarly finishes. The height of the underframe/sides were different, bogie bolsters were different, one has inside detail, and the others did not.

I like to have my wagons at the correct height above rail so as to look the same as the prototype when mixed with other rollingstock , plus buffers need to be at the same level, and the coupling also need to be all the same level. Wagon heights can very from wagon to wagon within the same class, some wagons have new wheels, others have last turning, some are loaded, others are empty or lightly loaded, this could be four inches plus. As shown in the plans, the bogie type can also alter the height.  

 

 

The drill press with a milling bit go a work out. All were to be H wagons with open loads.

 

  Train 8 Up on Westgate with the three new H wagons in service.

This wagon has a front end loader/back hoe tractor. This is a GHQ # 61-010 pewter kit, the rear legs were modified to make the tractor fit into the wagon. The wheels are chocked to prevent the tractor from moving during travel. A tyre was inserted between the back hoe bucket and the wagon end for the same reason. If the tractor moves during travel this could damage the unit resulting in claims being made for repairs. Also, if the load moves this could make the wagon unstable and cause a derailment. The tractor was airbrushed with Tamiya X8 Lemon Yellow enamel. The lack of inside door detail is noticeable.   

 

 

These machines in wagons are often outside the loading gauge. A loading gauge was made from styrene to test clearances.

Not a lot of QR stations had loading gauges, high loads were often gauged using a locomotive cab or a QLX/ALY wagons.

 
This wagon has a tractor crane and ships tanks. About 12 months ago I saw the crane sitting on a farm near Taree when on holidays. A few photos were taken for “a someday” project.

 

  

 

The tractor was located in the scrap box without front wheels. The front wheels were also located in the scrap box. The crane jib was scaled out on graph paper to suit the tractor and made from styrene “Evergreen” strip. Like wise for the front frame. The unit was airbrushed with Humbrol # 47 “Sea Blue” gloss enamel. The ship tanks, I bet you are thinking old uncle Arty has lost his marbles. Back in the 70/80’s, Rural Fires would have them made and they would send them all over the state to assist with water storage for bush fires. Again, the crane and tanks are secured with timber to prevent movement during travel. After I finished the model of the tractor crane I was advised there was two similar units just down the road at Rocklea.  Mates ??? I guess that is the plus in hosting meetings and having others around to discuss things.

 

The final wagon is loading with farm machinery. The bailer is a Wiking model I picked up at an exhibition on sale. The stump jump and disc plough is scratch built using photos found on the internet. They were make from styrene, wire and Kadee coupling springs.  The stump jump plough was airbrushed with Tamiya X7 Red and the Disc plough painted with Humbrol # 47 gloss. Some parts were hand painted with black to finish the model. A few boxes of parts was added to the floor to finish the load. This wagon has inside door detail and adds to making it all look real.

The wagons were airbrushed with PGC “QGR Oxide”, below the solebar was hand painted black. On the prototype, some wagon the inside was painted the same as the outer sides, other it was just bare timber. There are many articles on how to achieve stained/weathered//bare timber, at the end of the day the model is viewed from a distance. For these I was looking for something quick and simple. I used Model Color # 70.988 Khaki (acrylic), and dry brushed some AK 723 Dust to add a little texture.

In trying to be too simple and quick to finish off the exterior of the wagon, being lazy I guess. I ended up with a poor finish. After applying the number decal I tried to dull the gloss lacquer finish by applying weathering pigments with a water wet brush, what a mess. A few days later I applied Dullcote with a brush, you guessed it, and most of the pigments came off.  The price one pays for taking short cuts, next time I have the compress out I will consider the usual method with the airbrush. Of late I have been trying Tamiya enamel instead of the Humbrol paints. It comes in a screw top glass bottle as opposed to the tin. Getting paint out of a tin is messy and I end up with paint on everything.   

     

After finishing the wagon with the inside detail, there is a good chance at the May show I will try to purchase two wagon with the inside detail. The tractor loads have not been glued in. Then the two without inside detail will get a trapped or a full load.   Maybe a couple of wagons loaded with wool would be nice??

 

This wagon of timber has been on the layout for some time, it’s a Far North Hobbies kit with the larger wheels.

 

Trust you find the information helpful.