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Commencing in the early 1960s the
Victorian Railways undertook the construction of a new series
of bogie open wagon slightly longer than their previous E
class open wagon. These new wagons (measuring 45’ inside
ends) provided slightly greater than double the loading
capacity of a GY four wheel wagon.
Between 1961-63 Newport and Ballarat North Workshops delivered
64 wagons with light duty side panels and 24 wagons with heavy
duty side panels. Most were delivered as ELF coded wagons,
except the final 15 wagons of the heavy duty contract as these
were coded ELX from delivery. By 1964 the earlier built wagons
had received the new ELX coding.
Between 1964-65 an additional 26 wagons were built with
strengthened end panels and open sides. These wagons were for
steel pipe traffic, they also carried concrete poles and
milled timber. These wagons were coded ESX.
Many plain sided open wagons later received the more modern
and stronger rolled corrugated side panelling. Service saw
them operate across the VR and SAR networks as well as the
Standard Gauge System from Brisbane to Perth.
These wagons are based upon the earlier Austrains models
however they have been upgraded to contemporary standards with
new finer detailed sides and ends, improved chassis, bogie and
brake gear. Our future re-release program will also encompass
the corrugated sided versions, the SAR plain and corrugated
versions and the many variations found on todays
railway.
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