Horse Box Wagons.

In the early days of Queensland Railway, horse boxes on trains were very common site with around 80 such wagons being built between 1866 and 1913. Another 10 were added to the fleet in 1914. The commissioners report 1960 shows just two wagons. History cards show the wagons in two blocks of numbers. 9812 to 9890 and 10466 to 10466. Early archived photos show different numbers suggesting at some point the wagons were renumbered. The history cards suggest that they could have had three different numbers over their life on the rails. All of these wagons were given an “Z” classification, over time as things changed other letters were add to identify their differences. Some of these were ZG, ZGX, ZX, ZXX, ZZ.

Let’s look at some of the cards to show the development of the class over their life span. Some had a number in red in brackets suggesting previous number. 

Z 9812	In service 1866 built by Ashbury & Coy. for £ 232.
	2 Stalls. 16 ft over headstocks, 7ft 6 wide.
1899	Rebuilt Ipswich Workshops fitted with Grovers bogies and reclassed ZG
1940	Written Off

 

Z 9813	In service 1866 built by Ashbury & Coy. for £ 232.
	2 Stalls. 16 ft over headstocks, 7ft 6 wide.
Nov 1912	Rebuilt with groom’s compartment
Oct 1918	Rebuilt Ipswich fitted with Grovers bogies reclassed ZG
1941	Converted to PG class Platform wagon wit 6in x 2 in rails
1942	Reclassed ZGR runner wagon
Oct 65	Written off

  

Z 9820	In service 1875 built by Ipswich Workshops
	2 Stalls. 16 ft over headstocks, 7ft 6 wide.
Jul 1899	Rebuilt fitted with dog box and Grovers bogies reclass ZG
Jul 1942	Converted to ZGR runner wagon
Jan 1945	Written off

 

Z 9828	In service 1885 built by Springall & Frost
	2 Stalls. 16 ft over headstocks, 7ft 6 wide.
Feb 1934	Fitted with Grovers bogies reclassed ZG
May 1939	Converted to cattle wagon reclassed ICG (8 head)
Aug 1957	Written off

 

ZG 9832	In service 1885 built by Springall & Frost
	2 Stalls. 16 ft over headstocks, 7ft 6 wide
May 42	Converted to PG platform wagon.
Jun 42	Reclassed ZGR runner
Dec 53	Collapsed Baddow, Repaired M’brough May 54. Wheels changed from 7 x 3 to 8x4 journals,
Feb 1955	Reclassed ZXGR
Nov 1960	Written off T’ville
IC 9857	Rebuilt from Z 9857 Mar 1822.
	Written off Nov 83

 

Z 9858	In service 1878 built by Rockhampton Workshops. For £250.
	Shown as 3 stalls, but could carry 2 horses. Also shown as being fitted with Grovers bogies. ??
Jul 1912	Sold to Department of External Affairs for £270.

 

ZG 9860	Built by G & E Negus in 1887
	2 stalls, 14ft over headstocks.
Feb 1923	Written off
Jun 1926	Rebuilt as IC
Oct 31	Rebuilt to carry elephant and reclassed EIC.
Oct 41	New body fitted Ipswich workshop
1973	Relettered LIC
Jan 1985	Written off T’ville

 

ZG 9861	Built by G & E Negus in 1887
May 1938	Rebuilt to ICG
Jul 1964	Written off

Z 9867	Built by Townsville Workshops in 1886.  2 stalls
Jul 1942	Converted to Flat top wagon with 6 in sides reclassed ZR
Sep 53	Written off

ZG 9875	Built by Queensland Carriage Co in 1889. 2 stalls
Nov 1920	Written off
May 21	B 12 tender No. 137 suitable altered and converted to water truck in Cairns.
Nov 23	Underframe smashed, tank placed on T 11349. Wagon written off
Jul 26	Rebuilt as an F wagon.
Mar 1970	Written off.

ZG 9879	Built by James Frost in 1897. 2 stalls
June 1940	Written off

ZX 9881	Built by Barbat & Co Ipswich in April 1903. 3 stalls
Oct 1940	Written off.

Z 9882	Built by Barbat & Co Ipswich in April 1903. 3 stalls
Oct 21	Reclassed ZX.
Oct 42	Converted to Runner ZR
Mar 43	Reclassed ZXR
Jul 46	4in x 2in side & end rails fitted at Normanby
Dec 1977	Written off

 

Z 9883	Built by Barbat & Co Ipswich in April 1903. 3 stalls
Nov 21	Reclassed ZX.
Nov 21	Body was removed and placed on # 98 carriage underframe along with body off ZX 9890 and returned to service as ZXX. (Fox bogies)
Oct 42	Covered to Goods van reclassed ZXXC
May 48	Written off

 

Z 9889	Built by W. Robertson & Co Ltd Townsville in 1902. 3 stalls
Sep 21	Reclassed ZG (Non Grovers bogie wagon reclassed ZX)
Aug 43	Converted to Runner reclassed ZXR.
Mar 60	Written off.

Z  10466	Built by Ipswich Workshops in 1914. 3 stalls.
Oct 21	Reclassed ZG and then ZXG
Oct 42	Converted to low sided flat in Townsville reclassed ZGR.
Mar 43	Reclassed ZXGR Maryborough
Apr 65	Reclassed ZGR Townsville
Feb 84	Written off

 

Z 10468	Built by Ipswich Workshops in 1914. 3 stalls.
Oct 16	Reclassed to ZG
Oct 21	Reclassed to ZXG
Aug 50	Reclassed ZG Normanby
Jun 55	Written off

 

ZXX 10470	Ipswich Workshops July 1926. 6 stalls
	ZXG 10470 & 10472 were placed on underframe of carriage # 83
Oct 42	Converted to covered goods wagon classed ZXXC
1946	Converted to Breakdown Van Toowoomba, at one end had a well 8ft 9in with sides and end doors somewhat similar to FM to accommodate a spare bogies.
Apr 58	Written off

ZXX 10472

Z 10475	Ipswich Workshops July 1926. 3 stalls
May 15	Reclassed ZG
Oct 21	Reclassed ZXG
Oct 42	Converted to ZGR Toowoomba
Nov 43	Reclassed ZXGR Maryborough
Oct 75	Written off

Z wagon body being used as a line side hut 

Z 23243	Built by Ipswich Workshops and entered service 02.08.1950
	17’ 6” long. Three (3) stall
	Same fittings and painted the same as ZZ 23244 below.
	Written Off April 1977.  (EWT 9 Electrification Work train)

ZZ 23244	Built by Ipswich Workshop and entered service 16.11.1950. Six stalls
	32 ft underframe from a condemned car (27, 29, 245,) Fox Bogies
	Tare weight 20 T 17 cwt. Carry 6 head, 11 Ton 3 cwt.  No dog box.

Suitable to run on Mail & Passenger Trains.
Fitted with electric light. (stalls, attendant’s compartment & lavatory).
Combined oil & electric side lights both ends located high up on sides.
Four bunks (top bunks form back of bottom bunk for day use), seat 6.
Sponge rubber throughout stalls. Water bottle & tumbler holders. Feed bins.
Lavatory with pedestal and washbasin. Two roof tanks.
Hand painted Dulux Tuscan Red externally, stone colour internally.
Battery box fitted, which is fitted with movable panel for servicing batteries.
Two ¾ in. water pipe ventilators carry fumes from batteries through roof torpedo ventilators.
July 1952 Side lights transferred to new position, standing beyond side at each end
1955 Painted Mayne April
Feb 1959 Spring label holders.  
Also shown on history card was ascending steps & handles each end ?? Don’t see them in the photos.
Written off Aug 1977. (EWT 14 Electrification Work train) 

 A colour photo in the red livery taken by Dennis Campbell in 1969 can be found in Railways of Queensland an album of Volume Two.

Goods rollingstock was painted grey from 1969 onwards. Around the same time goods wagon capable of higher speeds were fitted with signage showing what trains they were allowed to travel on. Wagons fitted with a Red Diamond could travel on passenger/mail trains at 50 mph/80Km/h and wagons with Red Circles were allowed of Express Freight trains (not passenger/mail trains) at 50 mph/80Km/h. This photo shows just how big the wagon is next to a Sunshine car. I’m not sure what the shunter is up to between the too??. The width over the roof gutters is 9ft 3½ ins. That’s just ½ an inch under the rollingstock gauge. The history cards show the wagon has electric light, it’s difficult to see this equipment under the wagon in the photos. This photo suggests the wagon was fitted with jumper leads similar to baggage cars. If that is the case, when occupied and lights were needed, the wagon would need to marshalled next to a Mail Van “MV” class for power. 

In later years like the 1960’s and 1970’s the two wagons were mainly used for race meetings and shows like the EKKA. During the EKKA both wagons were unloaded and loaded in the dock platform. Exhibition stock was also carried to the EKKA in “IC” four wheeled cattle wagons and eight wheeled “K” wagons. Some of the “K” wagons would have a make shift roof by fitting a tarpaulin. As a general rule traps were not permitted to be fitted to “K” wagons, but under certain conduction it was allowed.    

Runners.

During 1940’s most were converted runner and a number remained in service until the withdrawal of 4 wheeled timber wagon in the mid 1980’s. 

ZGR 9813 with 6in sides and ends.

ZGR 9844

ZGR 9849 with part sides & ends.

ZXGR 9853. 

These next two wagons were being used as Shunt Runner 

Ipswich Workshops.

The 1960 Commissioners Report 30^th June 1960 showed 36 ZR, ZXR &c. runners and 14 miscellaneous runners in service. 

Additional information can be found in John Armstrong book, Wooden Wagon of the Queensland Railway 1880 – 1980. The book is shown on the ARHS Qld website for $29.95. 

Model ZZ Horse Box. 

The wagon was constructed using a mix of styrene sheet, Evergreen scribed sheet and strips. There is a total of 22 hand rails on the model

 

The running boards (steps) were made from staples and brass strip.

The roof was made removable, used and washed tea bag was used to represent the canvas covering.  

The wagon was airbrushed using acrylic lacquer PGC QR Passenger Red. Photos in the late 1960’s suggests the wagon was painted rex oxide and sometime after 1969 was painted grey. The window frames were picked out with a brush painted with Vallejo Model Color “Burnt Umber”. The interior was airbrush painted with Vallejo Model Color “Medium Flesh Tone” 70.860 thinned with a drew of 70% Flow Improver, 30% Thinners and a few drops of Retarder.  Caintode Flats passenger car bogies were fitted to the model.

Figures were added to give that “in use” look to the wagon.

Caintode Flats detailing parts were used in the underframe construction of the wagon.  

Maybe not the best model, I did make a few blues on the way. Have said that the wagon will provided some additional operational tasks for passenger trains on the layout.  

Runners. 

The runners are a mix of Chivers Fine Scale Model underframes and styrene floors.

Under the floor was packed with plumbers lead sheet to give them a bit of weight, this has proved to be a winner and the wagons run great.

If I was building them today, I would use Caintode Flats white metal Grovers Bogies which I have used in other 4-wheeler wagons recently. 

Trust, you found the information helpful and provides some inspiration for your MR journey. Next time I will look at 40 ton 6,000 gallon tank wagons, this will include some kits I purchased at the Brisbane Model Train Show. 

Since the last post we visited The Great Train Show at Rosehill in Sydney, instead of a blog post of photos, this time around I did a movie and posted it on YouTube.

Also just arrived in Australia is the CGL models CCH/CCHP Prairie wagons, I had a couple on the layout to review, these wagons are super detail models and awesome runner. The canopy looks so real. They too are on YouTube running on the layout.   

Until next time, enjoy the hobby. 

Arthur H. 

Acknowledgements.

Australian Model Railway Association Queensland Library.
QR Plans.
Wooden Wagons of the Queensland Railways 1880 - 1980.
Historians, John Armstrong, Keith McDonald,
Queensland State Archives