Craig Warton and I are working on an article about stock
wagons. It is an amalgamation of the two talks Craig gave
at recent Early Days Conventions and the talk I gave at the
recent Branchline Forum. Here is an early draft for comment
by interested members of the newsgroup. There will, of
course, be photos and drawings in the final article, but
none appear here for the following reasons;
1. We haven't scanned any yet.
2. This isn't a binaries newsgroup. ;-)
You will just have to buy AMRM when the article is
published!
If any one has photos that might be suitable to illustrate
the article, particularly, the GSVs and CWs, and would be
willing to allow us to use them in the finished article, we
would greatly appreciate hearing from you.
DPC James McInerney
STOP! In The Name Of The Lore!
--------------3D1421AD451667CA8D977433
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; name="MODELING STOCK TRAINS.txt"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Disposition: inline; filename="MODELING STOCK TRAINS.txt"
MODELING STOCK TRAINS IN THE STEAM ERA OF THE NSWGR
By James McInerney and Craig Warton
Introduction
This article is a brief overview of the operation of stock wagons in NSW =
from the 1940s to the end of the "steam era", which, in terms of the way =
the system actually operated, I regard as having finished with the "Fuel =
Crisis" of 1974, even though the last steam loco ceased operation the pre=
vious year. I intend to briefly describe the types of stock wagons in u=
se in this period, how to model them reasonably accurately, and how to re=
produce the traffic patterns of the full size system in model form. =
Overview
The movement of animals by rail was traditionally a very important source=
of traffic for the NSW railways, and much time and effort, by the standa=
rds of the times, was put into developing suitable rolling stock and util=
ising it in ways that gave a fast and convenient service. The main anim=
al traffic was in sheep and cattle, with lesser flows of pigs, calves and=
other small farm animals. In the days when there was no real alternati=
ve to rail transport the system evolved by the railways served the state =
reasonably well, but as the convenience and speed of road transport, comb=
ined with the changing patterns of rural land use and city consumption, c=
hanged the demand for stock transportation services, the railways, as in =
many other areas, failed to compete, and stock transport by rail declined=
and finally ceased altogether in the early 1990s.
The Stock Wagons
GSVs
At one stage sheep vans were the second most numerous group of wagons in =
service - second only to the ubiquitous S and U/K families of wagons, and=
cattle wagons weren't far behind in numbers either. Interesting to conte=
mplate in this day and age when stock transport has disappeared from the =
railways altogether. Luckily, or unluckily however, depending on how yo=
u look at it, despite the large numbers of stock wagons in use post-war t=
here were only a few variations in stock wagon design in use.
There was one class of 4 wheel sheep vans coded GSV, which came in two su=
b types, the timber underframed version, built or re-built from earlier d=
esigns, post 1930, which was by far the most common, and the steel underf=
rame version of 1948, which Camco have modeled.
The post 1930 timber underframed GSVs.
The development of the grated and drained floor was a very significant de=
velopment in the history of sheep transport in NSW, allowing the stock to=
travel in more hygienic conditions and enabling the more efficient clean=
ing of the wagons between assignments. This development dated from about=
1910 and is responsible for the letters used in the code for sheep vans,=
Grated Sheep Van; such was its significance. A number of different desi=
gns were tried between 1910 and 1930. However, by 1930 it had been decid=
ed to standardise on one design of GSV, and all earlier sheep wagon desig=
ns were either scrapped, or converted to the new standard, by 1940. =
Some conversion dates and numbers are: -
August 1933, OSV to GSV, 1116, 14468, 14454, 14502 & 14950 =
September 1934, OSV to GSV, 6535, 7984, 9185, 12420, 14606, 14546 & 146=
13 =
November 1936, OSV to GSV, 7405, 7644, 12407, 12457, 14500 & 14590 =
SV to GSV, 22124, 22260, 22034, 22131 & 22189
November 1937, SV to GSV, 22241
February 1938, OSV to GSV, 14941
A number of the 1930 design of GSVs were built new during the 1930s. Som=
e introduction dates and some sample numbers are: -
February 1938, Clyde Wagon Works, 20 vans, (11828, 11837 and 11871)
August 1938, Ritchie Bros, 26 vans, (5762, 6266 and 6=
465)
September 1938, Ritchie Bros, 59 vans, (6475, 7292, 7531 a=
nd 7563)
October 1938, Ritchie Bros, 15 vans, (7570, 7661 and 7=
587)
Distinguishing features are, 10ft wheel base, timber underframe, hook cou=
plings with "Turton" bottle shaped buffers, and the extension of the corn=
er posts to the bottom of the buffer beams. This corner post length make=
s the 1930 timber underframed versions easy to distinguish in photos. =
=
The 1948 steel underframed GSV.
Then, starting in 1948, a further small batch of approx. 250 GSVs were bu=
ilt, the body style remained the same, but they were fitted to the postwa=
r standard 10ft wheelbase auto coupled steel underframe. These were quit=
e rare in real life, despite the number of models built, as there were 17=
93 GSVs on the books in 1949, and only 45 of the 1948 version had entered=
service by then.
They were numbered from 26532 to26774. This is the correct number range =
for the Camco GSV.
CWs
There was also only one class of 4 wheel cattle wagons, coded CW, which a=
lso came in two main versions, the timber underframed 1920 version with d=
iagonal planking, and the much less common steel underframed 1948 version=
, which most modellers would be familiar with from the Protype, Bergs and=
Camco models. There was also a minor variation in body design of the 1=
948 version around, and there were also a few unconverted 1903 types stil=
l around, but they were exceedingly rare. In the mid 1960s a number of s=
urplus 10ft wheelbase steel underframed GSVs and LVs were converted to ca=
ttle wagons, but the body style reverted to that of the 1921 wooden under=
framed CWs. =
The 1903 standard CW.
This was the first of the modern 4 wheel wagons. That is, the earliest wa=
gon type that most modellers will find familiar. The wagons are quite dis=
tinctive with high diagonal braced sides to the same height as the door. =
The majority were eventually fitted with the double roof although most ap=
pear to have had a single roof when new. They were fitted with features =
typical of rolling stock of the period- spoked wheels, cross type handbra=
ke wheel, Turton buffers (the "bottle" shaped ones) and screw couplings.
This design was built over a long period of time and there were several m=
inor changes to details, and they were eventually superseded by the 1921 =
design. While most were converted to the style of the 1921 wagons, or s=
crapped, some survived the war and there was at least one at Nyngan as la=
te as 1965.
Some numbers are:- =
12699-13748 Railway Shops -1908 (Qty=3D50)
13849-13948 Clyde-1908/1909 (Qty=3D100)
14661-14810 C1yde-1909 (Qty=3D150)
14861-14919 Ritchie-1909 (Qty=3D50)
16024-16043 Clyde- 1910 (Qty=3D20)
19310-19379 Clyde-1913 (Qt<70)
20991-20390 Meadowbank-1915 (Qty=3D100)
A few "random" numbers for these wagons are: 716, 1084, 2126, 2344, 2706,=
3583, 4252, 4676, =
5791, 7192, 7496, 7912 and 8138. =
During the early years of World War 2 there was a shortage of covered van=
s and a number of meat vans and cattle wagons were converted to vans. Thi=
s involved building a new body on the existing underframe. Some of the 1=
903 wagons that were converted are 106, 1084, 1793, 2556, 2829, 3067, 392=
2, 5466 and 7604.
The Bergs Hobbies CV kit is representative of these converted cattle wago=
ns. To model one in early 1950's condition, build the CV body as per ins=
tructions and then fit a scratchbuilt a CW wooden underframe or convert t=
he standard steel u/f to a wooden version. In one of those bizarre thing=
s the railways occasionally did, they fitted new bodies to 20 or 30 year =
old underframes in 1940 and 10 years later fitted new (steel) underframes=
to 10 year old bodies!
A number of the cattle wagons were also rebuilt to the body arrangement o=
f the "1921 " type cattle wagons. Craig does not know how many wagons wer=
e rebuilt to this form, when they were rebuilt or what the numbers of the=
wagons that were converted were. One wagon he does know of is 14756 whi=
ch is illustrated in the September 1975 AMRM. =
Craig states in his notes that the 1903 wagons had a very long life with =
many surviving into the 1960's. As I have only seen one photo of a 1903 =
type CW after about 1948, I think he means the 1903 types converted to 19=
21 types, but I shall have to check. =
Some random condemnations are: =
150 (11/1957)
218 (6/1963)
716 (6/1965)
2303 (5/1957)
2613 (11/1964)
2930 (11/1965)
4128 (3/1960)
4628 (3/1957)
5517 (3/1963)
6438 (9/1959)
6611 (2/1963)
7774 (11/1957)
8142 (7/1962)
9124 (5/1962)
10713 (5/1960)
13791 (7/1958)
13853 (9/1964)
13891 (10/1948)
13939 (11/1961)
14689 (7/1958)
14754 (8/1957)
14793 (11/1957)
15858 (6/1960)
17651 (9/1963)
19338 (12/1960)
20320 (12/1957)
20344 (2/1963)
20884 (7/1962)
20964 (11/1956)
The 1921 diagonally braced timber underframed CW.
The 1921 CW is an example of a class of wagon that has been all but forgo=
tten, even though in the steam era, this version was by far the most comm=
on. This was a development of the "1903" type, the main difference being=
differing height of the doors and the body sides, the "1903" type having=
doors and sides of the same height. There were also differences in the =
design of the ends. It was also decided to standardise on this design of=
cattle wagon, and most of the earlier versions were scrapped or converte=
d to conform to the 1921 design by the war. In 1950 there were approx 11=
00 CWs in service, of which about 850 were of this design. With their d=
iagonal bracing they are very easy to distinguish in photos. =
Some numbers for the 1921 CWs (some with condemnation dates) are:-
529 (to C. Van 12/41)
627 (5/60)
2238 (11/56)
2942 (1/65)
4778 (11/64)
5785 (7/1962)
9104 (7/ 1962) =
Some late survivors, listed in the 1969 wagon capacity book are: 3564, 45=
91, 4645, 5064 and 7202.
The 1948 steel underframed CWs.
Like their steel underframed GSV counterparts, this batch of 250 vehicles=
were the firsts CWs to be fitted with automatic couplings, all stock wag=
ons up to this time being fitted with hook drawgear and screw couplings. =
The major change, visually, apart from the underframe, was the alteratio=
n to the bracing of the sides. Instead of diagonal bracing, some were fi=
tted with short vertical braces in the middle of the side panels, and som=
e had no bracing at all. =
I have seen one very distant photo, p117, Ron Preston's 50 class book, th=
at indicates that originally, some had one diagonal brace in the middle p=
anel, so some further research is indicated to sort the bracing question =
out. However, for most of their life, they had the short bracing in the =
middle of the panels, but a significant number without bracing survived t=
ill at least the late 50s, early 60s.
They were numbered in a single block from 27775-28024. This is the corre=
ct number range for the Camco, Bergs and Lloyds/Protype models.
The 1965 diagonally braced steel underframed CW.
38 of these were converted from a number of surplus LVs and GSVs with the=
standard steel underframe around about 1965, and Craig has not been able=
to discover much about them at all. I would surmise that they may have =
been built from stores to replace some time expired timber underframed ex=
amples, but why they were built to the earlier design is a total mystery.=
Some numbers were 26603, 26703, 26729, 10, 16111, 17029 and 18546. =
Preserved 4 wheel cattle wagons
Sadly, few 4 wheel cattle wagons are preserved. The majority are of the "=
diagonal braced steel underframe" type. The least representative wagon t=
ype is the most commonly preserved. Craig has noted the following wagon=
s and their locations.
=
Dorrigo Steam Railway
CW 27946 (1948 type)
CW 2312 (1965 diagonal braced steel u/f type)
CW 26599 (1965 diagonal braced steel u/f type)
Rail Transport Museum, Thirlmere
CW 10 (1965 diagonal braced steel u/f type)
CW 17092 (1965 diagonal braced steel u/f type)
There are also 2 other CWs in existence, both 1921 wooden U/F types. The=
se are the "Ned Kelly" cars at Thirlmere. Beneath the plywood covering, =
much of the body is intact as it was mostly cut away from the "window" ar=
eas.
BSVs
There was also the bogie sheep vans, coded BSV, the oldest dating from 1=
895, which had disappeared by 1957, and the modern BSVs, dating from 1959=
, which most modellers should be familiar with.
The 1895 BSVs.
After a number of short lived early experiments, a batch of 60 bogie shee=
p vans entered service in December 1895, they were 36 feet long and carri=
ed 200 sheep, twice the capacity of a 4 wheeler. Unlike all other sheep =
vans before or since, they had only one set of doors on each deck, and wh=
ile this design was not repeated, they must have been reasonably successf=
ul, as the last of them was not scrapped until the late 1950s. They are=
quite distinctive and will make a great model.
One number is 207.
The 1959 BSVs
Consisting of two GSV bodies mounted on a steel underframe, these were th=
e ultimate development of the sheep wagon in NSW. They quickly replaced =
the 4 wheelers, and by about 1965, the number of GSVs on the system was q=
uite small. They are a tribute to the designers of the original grated a=
nd drained sheep van body, as they carried this design, perfected in the =
early years of the century, right through to the demise of stock transpor=
t in the early 1990s.
They were numbered between 29825 and 30009.
BCWs
The bogie cattle wagons were a bit more complicated, though they were als=
o all coded BCW. The earliest version entered service in August 1891. T=
he next version was introduced in 1927, and differed in detail appearance=
from the earlier BCW, but shared its basic design, and, of course, the m=
odern BCWs, introduced in 1959 with which we are all familiar. There wer=
e also a couple of more recent variations. =
The 1890s BCW
As with the original BSV, after a few relatively unsuccessful early exper=
iments, a group of 25 bogie cattle wagons, built by Benjamin Carne, (Bett=
er known for building Tramway rolling stock) entered service in 1891. Th=
e wagons were numbered 9894-9918. A further group of wagons (to a slight=
ly modified design) were built by the Railway Shops. These entered traff=
ic between 1896 and 1898. They carried random numbers, some of which wer=
e: 5891, 4553, 7943 and 5301. In total 35 of the bogie cattle wagons were=
built. All these wagons were 36', wooden underframes and had separate d=
oors to each compartment, but in the center of the body. The 1891 wagons=
were not air brake fitted as built and were fitted with a bogie very sim=
ilar to the Baldwin tender bogies. The later wagons were air brake fitte=
d and had arch bar bogies. As with the first BSVs these wagons had extre=
mely long lives. The first was not withdrawn till 1940, most were withdr=
awn in the late 1940's but 19 were still in use in 1950. The final wagons=
were withdrawn in 1957. =
By the 1930s the early series of Carne BCWs had been altered to conform t=
o the body style of the latter batch, the end panel acquired diagonal bra=
cing and the horizontal metal strapping along the lower part of the body,=
but they retained their original bogies.
The 1927 BCWs
In the late 1920's a new type of BCW entered service. These were an impro=
vement over the original BCWs. They were again 36' long, but they had a s=
teel underframe and steel bracing. Other features included arch-bar bogi=
es and parallel shank buffers. All were built by Tulloch Engineering and=
entered =
service between February and September 1927. Numbers for these wagons we=
re 22424, 22427-22477. In total 50 were delivered. The 1927 BCW also ha=
d long lives, with the first withdrawals not occurring until 1956. Major=
withdrawals commenced when the new BCWs were delivered from November 195=
9, although 12 were still in service in 1963. The final three wagons, 224=
66, 22455 and 22459 were condemned in =
1966.
The 1927 and 1890 BCWs were the only bogie cattle wagons till the introdu=
ction of the 1959 BCWs. =
The 1959 BCWs
The first of the "modern" BCW were delivered from November 1959 with the =
final wagon entering service in June 1960. The 100 wagons were all built=
by Goninans and were numbered 29725-29834. These wagons had two wooden =
compartments similar to the 1948 CW design mounted on a steel underframe.=
=
In 1971 Goninans delivered a further 50 wagons, numbered 30351 -30400. Th=
ese wagons were different from the 1960 type in that they had a steel und=
erframe and steel bracing. The final group of BCWs were an order of 100 =
wagons built by the Clyde workshops in 1971. These were numbered 30801-30=
900.
It should at this point be emphasised that bogie wagons were (until the 1=
950's) a very small part of the wagon fleet. Of the 1100 (give or take a =
few) cattle wagons in traffic in 1949, only 75 were bogie wagons. There =
was a similar ratio with sheep vans.
Modeling The Wagons
It is possible to model a fair cross section of the stock wagons in use a=
fter WW2, by use of available kits and a bit of modification and alterati=
on. It will be a lot easier when I get around to pulling my finger out a=
nd finish off the masters I am working on!
The easiest version to model is the 1948 steel underframed CW, available =
from Bergs Hobbies, Camco and Lloyds, who all produce models of this 4 wh=
eel cattle wagon. All need a little work to bring them up to "Lambing Fl=
at" standards. The Camco version needs the underframe reduced in height =
to the correct 9", moved in towards the center of the wagon, and some wor=
k done on the W irons. The gaps between the planks can be opened out, a =
double roof fitted and brake gear and other detail items added.
=
I have also converted a Bergs CW to a 1921 timber underframed version, ab=
out which I wrote an article in the April 1988 AMRM, and also a model of =
the version of the 1948 CW without the short bracing in the middle of the=
sides. I have discovered since I made the 1921 CW that the Bergs model =
is 6" to high in the sides, so the latest version has had the 6" removed =
and the horizontal planks replaced with "Northeastern" timber.
I am working on the masters to a 1921 and a 1903 CW, so these may be avai=
lable soon, but going on current progress, don't hold your breath.
The 1948 GSV is also available from Camco, but, unfortunately, the Camco =
model seems to have lost about a scale foot in height, and to my eyes, lo=
oks nothing like a GSV. However, until I get round to finishing the GSV =
project as well, you will have to make do with the Camco version.
The bars are quite nice, however, and I have used them in a number of mod=
els. I have made an OSV and a 1930 timber underframed GSV using the bars=
from the Camco kit. I am also working on an SV.
The basic technique is as follows, the bar sections of the side are caref=
ully separated and trimmed, and a new framework is constructed from timbe=
r, the bars are then inserted into the framework and the rest of the vehi=
cle constructed from timber and styrene. The 4 wheeler underframe is con=
structed from scratch and the detailing bits available from ILM and Steph=
en Johnson Models make construction a lot quicker and easier.
No early BSV is available commercially yet, but I believe that Peter Ford=
may be planning one as part of his Early Days range. The 1959 BSV is av=
ailable from Minimodels, or can be converted from the Camco 4 wheelers as=
per the recent article in AMRM. =
The two 1890 BCWs are available from Peter Ford, but you will have to com=
e to the Early Days Convention to acquire one! No 1927 BCWs yet, as far =
as I know, but Lloyds and Minimodels produce models of the 1959 BCW and S=
tephen does a model of the 1971 BCW type. =
So, accurate stock trains are possible, with a little work, and the situa=
tion can only improve in the future.
Modeling Stock Traffic Patterns
I will briefly describe the two main traffic patterns of stock movement, =
which I will refer to as "local movements" and "stock trains" and attemp=
t to describe how they can be reproduced on a layout.
Local movements are the movement of individual consignments of stock from=
one station to another, for example, Farmer Brown may buy a number of sh=
eep at the Orange sales and then have them dispatched (after first stunni=
ng them with his hammer) to his farm near Canowindra. The wagon load of =
sheep would be dispatched by ordinary goods train, detached at Blaney, ad=
ded to a train to Cowra, then attached to the Eugowra mixed and finally d=
elivered to the stock race at Canowindra for delivery. However, the "Coa=
ching and Goods Instructions" book does state that consignments of stock =
must be forwarded to their destinations with the least possible delay and=
they should be kept on the one train as far as practicable, so that the =
persons in charge may be able to attend to the whole of the stock in thei=
r charge during transit. So not too much shunting, please, as the "Coach=
ing and Goods Instructions" book also says that great care must be taken =
to prevent injury to stock during transit. Trucks must not be shunted any=
more than can be avoided and when it is necessary to shunt them the truc=
ks should be moved as gently as possible.
In operational terms on a layout, we treat stock wagons as individuals w=
ith destinations, just like any other wagon moving on the layout. This m=
eans that any goods or mixed may have any number of stock wagons in its c=
onsist. =
Dedicated stock trains, however, normally ran from a major yards in rural=
areas to the city stock markets as quickly as possible, and under specia=
l conditions. Regular market days for sheep and cattle were held at Fle=
mington (Mondays and Thursdays), Hanbury Junction (Thursday) and Telarah =
(West Maitland) on Mondays. Pig sales were held on Tuesdays at the abatto=
irs. Stock trains ran to co-incide with market days. Stock would be fed=
into a major rural station, such as Junee, by the various main and branc=
h line "pick-ups". The stock would then be remarshalled into a dedicated=
train, which would then run direct to the market station. Even though s=
tock trains were run to special timetables and loads, (usually 3/4 of th=
e full goods load for the engine concerned) if there was not enough loadi=
ng to make a full (3/4) load, then it was normal to "build up" the load w=
ith whatever urgent loading was available. When attaching goods traffic =
to stock trains to make up full loads, preference had to be given for thr=
ough traffic to Clyde Sidings, Enfield, Alexandria, Darling Island or Dar=
ling Harbour - "out ofs" were specifically forbidden from despatch by sto=
ck trains.
I reproduce this type of stock movement on Lambing Flat by having the two=
branchline trains from Wirrimah and Murringo detach any stock and perish=
ables, in my case fruit in lourve vans, at Lambing Flat, which the stock =
train from Bulla Creek to Harden then attaches and conveys to the South f=
iddle yard.
Another type of stock train is the movement of stock "cross country", fro=
m one rural area to another. This is similar to the "main line" stock mo=
vements to the city markets, except that the final destination is another=
rural center.
Another interesting aspect of stock trains that I have not seen modeled i=
s the movement of starving stock in times of drought. This was done in o=
rdinary stock wagons in normal conditions, but in times of extraordinary =
demand, as the stock was starving, and very weak, they were sometimes con=
veyed in open wagons, specifically high sided U and K wagons for cattle a=
nd ordinary S trucks for sheep.
Another important aspect of modeling stock trains is the brake van. The =
"Coaching and Goods Instructions" book clearly states that bogie brake va=
ns provided with passenger and lavatory accommodation must be provided fo=
r the accommodation of the drovers and other persons accompanying stock o=
n all stock trains. This was most often an SHG, as these vans were built=
specifically with stock train operation in mind, which is why they have =
two passenger compartments and only a small goods area in the Guard's com=
partment. =
As a final message from the Detail Police, only the 1948 GSVs and CWs, an=
d the post 1959 BCWs and BSVs has auto couplings, all other stock wagons =
had hooks and buffers, so please, no non buffered autocoupled vehicles, s=
uch as RUs, K etc, marshalled next to the older hook coupled vehicles. A=
nd that includes SHGs, as they were also hook drawgeared, as befitting th=
eir main use on stock trains. =
--------------3D1421AD451667CA8D977433--