OTHR is assembling a rake of goods wagons similar to those utilised on the line in the past in it’s heyday. These will be used for display and interpretive purposes within the Oberon Railway Yard.
History of S-Trucks
S class vehicles are 4-sheel open freight wagons which were used to carry general freight on the NSW rail system. They were built between 1907 and 1958, with a tar weight of 8T and a capacilty of 16T
More than 10,000 of these 4-wheel open wagons were built, forming the backbone of the NSW freight service for some 70 years, and were loaded with almost any freight except livestock.
A full load could be 51 bales of wool, or 188 bags of grain. Only about 30 of these trick remain in existence today. These wagons are known colloquially as “S Trucks”.
Information courtest ARHS-ACT Div.
Covered Vans
Covered vans were used in NW since 1855. From the mid-1880s the design of the vans changed with louvred construction and were clasified as C or LC wagons.
The LC vans were build between 1880s and the mid 1920s with iron or stell underframes.
By 1940 most of the original C vans had een condemned, but a need for covered vans had developed so a number of 4-wheel cattler wagons were converted CV (Covered Vans). They retained their timber underframes and had tongue and groove timber flooring inserted. The side doors were moved to the centre of the wagon.
OTHRs collection of goods wagons
(Click on the images below for a large-size gallery view)
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- The ABV ‘Arnott’s Biscuit Van’, and it’s legendary contents made the ABV a very famous class of railway vehicle. Their sole reason for being was to transport the products of ‘Arnott’s Biscuits’ from their Nth Strathfield factory to all over NSW. The reason behind their introduction was due to a packaging change made by Arnott’s in 1962. Previously biscuits were bulk packed in metal tins and were sold in shops by weight, the waterproof tins would adequately protect the biscuits whilst being transported in general louvred vans. In early 1962, Arnott’s began to pack their products in smaller quantities and in transparent packets, which were then packed into cardboard boxes, these boxes now needed to be kept dry, and this bought about the need for a weatherproof vehicle. The vans were modified from CV covered vans, their interiors were lined with masonite and sealed from the elements. External diagonal bracing was added to strengthen the aging wagons. This bracing was an easy way to spot an ABV on a train. These vans hold a special place in NSWGR history, they were the last class of 4-wheeled vehicles to be commissioned into service. They were coded ABV upon conversion, which aptly described their duty and cargo. Even though they lasted into the ROA recoding period, they were not given a 4 letter code. Colour Scheme: As introduced, they received the standard NSWR gunmetal grey livery with white lettering. Some vans received the PTC blue livery from 1974. A few vans were repainted into the SRA red livery with white lettering from 1981. Similar Vehicles: A TRC refrigerated van was modified for Arnott’s traffic, the ABC. Modifications: As converted the vans were fitted with transition automatic coupler and buffers, the buffers were later removed. Most ‘tongue and groove’ sheathed wagon, later had their sides covered in plywood as they began to deteriorate. Period of Service: 1963 – 1983. Operation: The van was allocated for exclusive use by ‘Arnott’s Biscuits’. It transported boxed biscuits from Arnott’s North Strathfield plant to many locations across NSW. Source: http://www.nswrollingstock.com/ABV.htm
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- Design Drawings for the Cattle Wagon – NSWGR.
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- OTHRs Cattle Wagon has been generously donated by TRAK. This van is to be restored to form part of a rake of goods wagons to showcase a typical “period” working train on the Oberon branch. Four Wheeled Cattle Wagon Livestock (horses, cattle, sheep and pigs ) were an important part of the traffic conveyed by NSW railways from 1855 to the 1980s. Most cattle would have been conveyed in wagons similar to this for delivery to the State Abattoir at Homebush (now the Olympic Site). They were designed to carry 12 cattle.
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- (photo ©Peter Culley ) The Covered Van (CV) 14698 as first unloaded at Oberon yard 18 Oct 2009. Purchased by OTHR from the Central West Railway Society at Orange. Complete but needs restoration. Underframe good, body largely complete to allow copies of component parts. OTHR plans to restore the van to display condition to replicate similar Covered Vans used on the line.
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- S-Truck L987 with timber floor (Photo ©Steve Preston)
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- WANTED: GSV 4 WHEEL SHEEP WAGON. If anybody has seen the remains of one or has a complete GSV hiding on a property somewhere, we would love to give it a home. There were dozens of these used on the line at many times (photos ©S. Preston Collection) A restored GSV or a replica reconstruction will form part of a rake of goods wagons to showcase a typical “period” working train on the Oberon branch.
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- NSWR GSV
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- LV Truck Frame
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- S-truck S12815 with timber floor. (Photo ©Steve Preston)
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- Wagon S12815 ws build by Ritchie Brothers in Oct 1907 as an all steel wagon – steel floor, sides and drop doors with angle iron corner pieces and fited with buffers and screw couplings. It received automatic couplings in Aug 1940 and went on to receive a new uderframe in the railway goods wagon workshops at cyde in August 1956. It remained in service until May 1983. The wagon was transferred to Oberon from Orange.
