*Please note a limited run of the following items will only be done* - An expression of interest will be taken in July 2011
'Weedex Train' - The "Weedex" train comprised of tank wagons, crew cars and a weed spray van. It toured the entire system every 2 - 3 years and sprayed all main tracks.
A picture of a complete weedex train would be grateful..
VC 08 a VR Weedez Spray Van
ETA AUGUST 2011
ETA AUGUST 2011
Victorian Railways
HZ 1/ WZ 1
HZ 1/ WZ 1
F 25 was converted during December 1954 and placed into service as HZ 1. It was fitted with pumping gear and spray nozzles to spray along the track and along each side. It was coupled to WX tank wagons fitted with poison.
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| WZ 1 - http://www.pjv101.net/ |
In 1959 HZ 1 was recoded to WZ 1 to clear the 'HZ' letters for a new type of open wagon. The van was also placed into a special train of WX/ WA bogie tankers. It travelled throughout Victoria on a two-three year cycle, spraying country and metropolitan tracks. By 1982 an new van was built to replace the horsebox. ZL497 was rebuilt and renumbered to WZ 2. WZ 1 was placed into storage at Newport Workshops and remained there until 1996 when it was scrapped and the underframe transferred to Seymour for preservation work.
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VC 08 b VR Weedex Tankers
TBA
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| WA 22 - wwwpjv101.net |
Victorian Railways
WX/ WA
WX/ WA
During the early 1950's fifteen tank wagons were placed into service for weed spraying. The wagons were rebuilt long wheelbase I and IA open wagons. The bodies of the open wagons were cutoff and tanks added to the underframes. The wagons were coded WX and the I/IA numbers were retained.
These wagons were numbered WX 7850, 8193, 8262, 8858, 9074, 9948, 10425, 10465, 11357, 11591, 12023, 12560, 13288, 13358, 13902.
Between 1955 and 1959, twenty five tank wagons were placed into service. Nine wagons were bogie tanks with E underframes. The remainder were of a type with cylindrical tank mounted on a fixed wheel underframe. These wagons were to replace the existing WX wagons which were removed from service between 1955 and 1959.
The new WX tank wagons were numbered 1 - 25. They were attached in blocks and used in a weed spray train with then new weed spray van HZ/ WZ. WX 10-11, 12-13, 14-15, 16-17, 18-19 were issued to service coupled in pairs as numbered. It is presumed that the pairs were connected with some sort of piping to assist weed spraying. All these paired tanks were scrapped in 1959. WX 20 - 25 were issued in 1959 as single fixed wheel tanks built from scrap underframes. In 1963, the WX class was relettered to WA. This was because the code conflicted with the introduction of letter 'X' indicating bogie exchange and so the class was relettered to WA.
The number group was 1 - 9, 20 - 25. Numbers 10 - 19 were WX vehicles scrapped prior to WA reclassification. The fleet of tanks in active service was reduced to WA 1 to 9. The remaining four wheelers were scrapped or stored with the exception of WA 22 . Several of the WA's in the group 1 - 9 were fitted with replacement underframes in the late 1970's. This work was done at Bendigo Workshops with an ELX design underframe being used.
WA 22 became a liquid fertiliser tank. Manure that was washed out of cattle trucks at the Brooklyn Livestock Sidings was transported away for disposal. During the late 1970's it was given routine maintenance and the pump was moved from top of the tank to one side down on the underframe.
Of the various types of WX tank wagons, two types became WA:
- WA 1 - 9 Were bogie tankers with E bogie open wagon underframes
- WA 20 - 25 Were four wheel tank wagons
VC 08 c VR Weedex Train Crew SupportTBA
Victorian Railways
HW 1 and 2
HW 1 and 2
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| Bogie HW 1 - http://www.pjv101.net/ |
