Weekly Notice 31/73 dated 9th of August 1973 gives their introduction to the network and provide the following information. One hundred (100) “HO” wagons will soon be progressively placed in traffic. These wagons are of the open goods type with 4ft 1in high sides. Two pair of outward swinging doors are provided on each side, giving 10ft 6in door openings.
The floor is part timber and part steel and is suitable for securing loads with chocks and is designed to carry fort lift trucks of 5,000 lb. (2 270 kg) capacity, or pneumatic tyred vehicles with a 6,000 lb, (2 730 kg) wheel load. External brackets are provided, as well as internal fitting brackets with 1in bolts for securing of loads. Two 20’ 0” overseas containers may be carried on short hauls such as Hamilton to Clapham without the need for anchor fittings, and where top lifting equipment is available.
Basic
Features are:-
|
Classification |
HO |
|
Gross
weight |
62 tons
(63 tonnes) |
|
Tare
weight |
20 tons
9 cwt. (20.8 t) |
|
Carrying
Capacity * |
19 tons
11 cwt. (19.9 t) all lines |
|
|
41 tons
11 cwt, (42.2 t) S and A class lines |
|
|
27 tons
11 cwt. (28.0 t) Some B class lines. |
|
Drawgear
Classification |
D1. |
|
Length
over couplings |
49ft
8¾ins (15 157.45 mm) |
|
Unit
length |
2.9
imperial. (3.0 metric) |
|
Length
inside body |
45ft 11
ins (13 990 mm) |
|
Width
inside body |
8ft 5
ins (2 565.40 mm) |
|
Bogies |
Bradford
Kendall QR 27A |
|
Draft
gear |
Auto couplings
with buffer and transition link |
|
Red
Circle Wagon |
Available
for express freight trains |
|
Diagram
No. |
P - 320 |
|
Running
Numbers (C1) |
37102 –
37201 inclusive (Jul 73 – Mar 74) |
|
(C2) |
38104 –
38178 (Sep 74 – Mar 75)
|
|
(C3) |
38655 –
38729 (Sep 75 – Apr 76) |
At the time the wagons were
built, this a short explanation of the class of track for the wagons carrying
capacity above.
All lines are a 10 ton axles
load (TAL) track, mainly Branch lines. Restricted to 60 Ton Deisel Locomotives
“A” class lines 15 TAL. Main
Lines. Brisbane to Cairns, Mt Isa, Roma etc. available to 90 ton Deisel
Locomotives.
This photo shows the difference between the standard all side door wagons and the new HO wagons.
Note. The ribs on the ends are different to the sides.
The wagon entered service at the time Australia was changing from imperial to metric measure. In short, the wagons were known as gondola’s and had been in use and were the main stay in goods traffic in the southern states and the US railroad for many decades.
One could say, finally QR has catch up with the rest of the world. However, QR for on 100 years had used low side drop door wagons, most wagons had these doors the full length of the wagon. Wagons that had one or two doors along the length of the wagon were not popular with loaders and could not be used for all general goods traffic. Plus, QR stations and goods facilities were set up for low sided wagons, single boomed yard cranes with 1 to 5 ton lifting capacity being the only mechanical equipment available at some country stations. Most station loading and unloading of wagons was manual handling. The HO wagon in general goods traffic was very limited, Freight Forwarders being the only operators having the equipment to load them.
Liftable
“C” channel kept the doors closed.
The slide bar connected to the handle pushed the “C” channel up to open the doors.
The
wagon did have something to crow about, part timber, part steel floor.
With the introduction of all steel wagons in the 1950’s did bring some challenges. These is quite a lot force up and down the train length, stating, stopping, run in, bunching up and running out as a train travel up and down the hills and valleys. Plus, there is screw couplings and buffers adding slack into the train. On the shunting side it was all loose shunting, the only brake on a wagon was the hand brake if it worked and if it did, was not used that often. Wagons were given a push (hit up) by the engine and allowed roll freely until they stopped or hit another wagon. How far they went was subject to if the bearing were hot or cold, like a wagon arriving on a train as to a wagon that has been sitting in a siding for a day or two. Roller bearing wagons would pick up speed on the slights of slope in the yard. All of this caused goods to move up and down the wagon, the good had to be secured against these forces to prevent damage to the goods and wagon.
Wooden
wagon with wooden floors a sleeper with a chock nailed into the floor did the
job quick and easy. But with steel floor additional bracing was needed to wedge
the load/goods to both ends of the end of the wagon. Steel floor didn’t provide
the same resistance as wooden floor, steel on steel required less force to move
than steel on wood. The other issue was weather, water on the floor. If water
came in under a tarpaulin or threw a tear onto a wooden floor it would run out
between the floor boards, not of a steel wagon, it covered the floor until it
ran out the sides causing additional damage to the load/goods. The part wood
and part steel was a step in the wright direction.
Don’t
look at the track the wagon is sitting on ???
In 1974 around 70 were fitted with tipping blocks and were used in phosphate traffic on the Mt Isa line until the arrival of the GO wagons. The first trains consisted of 1460 class DEL, 20 wagons and a van. In 1978 a further 40 wagons were modified. The wagons were indorsed Mt Isa Line, but no classification change. Some did have straight brake fitted indicating sizable trains did run, no classification change has been found. In 1985 some were allocated to Mt Isa Mines traffic and were reclassed HOC.
In
1976 over 100 wagons were modified for fertilizer traffic and reclassed HOF. The
wagons were fitted with tarpaulin supports and tarpaulins. The rounded corners
on the end were painted black to identify the wagons. After a couple year tarpaulin
supports were add to the doors. Over time the fertilizer corroded the wagon
bodies.
From
1987 the bodies were removed and the wagon were made into platform wagons and
reclassed PHO. A few had steel floors and carried PHOS class. The wagons were
fitted stanchion pockets along the sides and across the end similar to QFX/C
wagons. QFX/C stanchions were used when needed. Securing bars for wheeled
vehicles were also fitted to the wagons the same as “M” wagons. These wagons
had a similar carrying capacity as the QFX/C, however could not carry heavy
loads like bulldozers. This was the time when wooden wagons were being withdrawn
from service, PHO replaced the ‘M’ car wagons. From the early 1990 the buffers
were removed and the wagons were reclassed PHOA, During the late 1990’s some
were reclassed PHOB, not sure why, possibly to identify business group
ownership.
Over
length rail on PHO and two PHO were used as runners.
PHO’s
being used as runner for a QFC load of overlength rail.
Around
1983, approximately 30 were converted to carry concrete sleepers, HOS was the
class given. The wagons carried 144 sleepers. The wagons were used with Track
Laying Machine (TLM). In the early 1990’s gantry rails were added, these wagons
were given HOSM class. Early 2000, the gantry rails were modified again and
given a new classification, HOSN.
In
1986 three were converted for bulk cement traffic and classed HOQ. Around 1996
these were converted to platform wagons. 37125 was classed QFXS, 37149 was
classed QFXC class. 37166 was written off in 1994.
In
1987/88, about 30 wagons were modified with side gates to carry pelletize
traffic, these were classified HOA wagon. The gates were very robust and needed
a fork lift to fit them into place on the wagon. Some WHO wagons were similarly
modified and given WSO classification. Both QRX and Q-Link used the HOA wagons.
HOA
38128 is loaded with pallets. Gate bows when not covered with tarpaulins needed
to tied down with rope to prevent them from popping out of their mounting
sockets. When the bows came out during travel they would swing around outside
the side of the wagon. When swing they were a similar height as a locomotive
windscreen. Yes, one or two windscreens did get smashed by swing bows.
HOA
37184
During
1991, approximately 20 had their doors removed for BHP steel traffic, these
were classified HOE. Quite a few were written off in 1995 following a level
crossing derailment in Townsville.
In
1995, 16 wagons (mostly PHO wagons) were converted to carry 27.5 metre lengths
of rail from Acacia Ridge to Banyo Butt Welding Plant. The rails were butt
welded into 110 metres lengths. These were classified IROA/IROB wagons and ran
as a two-wagon set bar coupled. The wagons were also used to carry the same
rail to Mackay for the manufacturing of points and crossing. Most of these
wagons are still working out of the Yeerongpilly Rail Welding Plant. I think
one set is owned by QR and the others are owned by Aurizon.
25 wagons were allocated to gypsum traffic that was conveyed from Winton to the Burdekin area in 1996 and were given HGO classification. This traffic was later transferred to containers.
In 1986 and couple wagons were allocated to maintenance traffic, MHO and MHOF. Two wagons form part of the Central Division weighbridge test train.
HO
38668 for OBY 43898 (Previously 124)
HO
37131 for OBY (125) 43899 (Previously 125)
HO
37134 for OBY (126) 43900 (Previously 126)
PHOA
37135 for OCO 44647
PHOA
37151 for OCO 44648
PHOA
37178 for OCO 44649
PHOA
37157 for OCO 44650
HO
38664 for OVY 44527 (Previously 71)
HO
38705 for OVY 44528 (Previously 72)
HO
38690 for OVY 44529 (Previously 73)
Some of the class carried three (3) or four (4) different classification over their life span. Looking through the history cards, which are no way 100% correct, only about 20 were never modified over their life span.
The first of the class was written off in 1984 following the Cooroy – Eumundi derailment. The rest remained until the early 1990’s.
A small number remained in BHP steel traffic until about 2008. Then stored at Normanby later being moved to Gympie for long term storage.
Six
(6) were allocated to the Perth Units (Maryborough to Acacia Ridge) for rear of
train braking and returning slave bogies to Maryborough. I understand that
these six were sold to Downer EDI. These wagons were also used in later
contracts hauled by PNQ.
Some
other loads carried in HO wagons.
Lime
in 1 tonne bulka bags from Tamaree. Note the modified sheeted end.
Wool from SW Queensland.
Tyres are used to secure the load.
Not
sure how effective these tarps would be. Mite make a good swimming pool??
The Model.
The model was built using styrene sheet, Evergreen sheet and strip, Southern Rail bogies, Caintode Flats buffers and brake cylinder, AR Kits brake detailing parts, brass rod and Kadee #178 scale whisker couplings and draft box.
The
sides are Evergreen Sheet # 4529 Metal Siding.
(·100”
spacing (2.5 mm, ·040” Thick (1.00 mm)
Evergreen
strip was added to the back to give the flute stamping as the prototype.
Measuring templates were made from styrene sheet for the sides, ends, doors and
mid-section. This would give uniform parts for the model and future models down
the track. Evergreen “C” channel # 261 (·060”, 1.5 mm) was used to join the
parts together. Evergreen strip was used to detail the sides as per the
prototype.
Likewise, for door mechanism, handle and handrails. Half round strip was used for the rounded ends. The ends have different ribs to the sides and were made from square strip as the inside has a timber bulkhead hiding the fluting. Square strip was sanded down to form a triangle for the outside ends. Scribed styrene was used for the timber bulkhead on the inside.
The timber inserts in the floor were cut from 5 thou styrene sheet, four different sizes were required, all up 100 timber inserts required wood grain texturing. One thing I did miss was the tarpaulin supports mounts on the top gunnel.
0.3 mm brass rod was used for tie down rails, a jig was made scrap wood to ensure they were all uniformly the same and to assist with soldering the four pieces together. 18 tie down rails, nine (9) a side were required. The same rod was used for the three (3) tie down rails and coupler release levers on the ends.
Once the body was complete, the focus moved to the underframe details. Plumbers sheet lead was tucked in between the solebars to the model some weight. A load could provide this weight. Only brake parts visible when the wagon is on the track are applied.
To finish the wagon off, the wagon was airbrushed with PGC acrylic lacquer Rollingstock Grey. These wagons were a lighter shade of grey than the steel wagons of the 1960’s. The decals came from various manufactures. The QR logo was Wuiske Models, red circle and some underframe decals came from Ted’s Decals. The black decals including the number, carrying capacity etc. were home made using an ink jet printer. Gloss coat sealed the decals.
The floor was hand painted with Vallejo Model Colour #70.864 Natural Steel. Model Air #71.044 Grey RLM02 was stamped on the timber inserts using cosmetic puffs. A form rubber, soft cotton velour used by our ladies to apply makeup. To finish the timber insects, the wet water method was used to apply Model Colour # 70.941 Burnt Umber. Water is applied to the timber floor section and Burnt Umber is applied and allowed to spread over the wet section.
Two removable loads were made for the wagon. The load of steel was made from Evergreen strip and painted. Pallets were fixed to the wagon floor and the load placed into position. Some old tyres and dunnage were added for realism. The wagon then formed part of the steel train on the layout.
The second load was two tanks, these are Wathers kits. The tanks were painter two different colours. The tanks were placed into the wagon, dunnage and types provide the securing. The wagon then becomes part of Amby West shunting layout for now. I don’t think it will stay on the layout, as short wagons are better suited.
All up
a quick count of parts used to make the wagon was around 500.
The
load has been moved to one side to show the floor.
The latest issued of the Australian Model Railway Magazine is in the paper shops. What an awesome front cover.
Until next time, enjoy the hobby and have fun.
Arthur H.
Acknowledgements.
QR Plans
QR Weekly Notices
AMRA Qld Library
Photos from various Modelers and Historians
Queensland State Library.