Q Class Bogie

One of the original Q bogie wagons made from wood and wire with SEM bogies, with a crawler tractor and Milicast Rolls Royce Armoured Car (1920 model) as alternate loads.

Historical Accuracy Note: Some of the original Q wagons remained in use through the period of the layout, however no proof is to hand they were used for military loading at this time. While the Australian Army used RR Armoured Cars in WW1, I can find no evidence they brought them back home after use in the Middle East theatre. In any case the model here (1920) is a later version and I can't find records this version was imported, though they were common throughout the Commonwealth. However Australia did possess and develop several kinds of armoured cars during the layout period, to which the RR here is visually similar. So this pairing is plausible but not probable, rather it has been assembled to represent the era.

U Class Van (Steel)

One of the 6 wheel vans with corrugated iron roof prior to change to four wheels or bogies in the late 1930s. Modified from a SEM standard 4 wheel U van.

My second steel U van represents one of the short 10 ton versions, and is notable in that it is the first wagon I have rebuilt from one of my Shelley Railways - Cudgewa wagons. Some of the modifications are shown in the pre-repainting shot below, and by comparison with the original NG version also below. Not so noticeable in the backdating is the replacement of the handrail cut-outs at the end with the original louvre - the handrails only appear to have been added once automatic couplings were introduced, to assist Shunters.

IB Class Open Wagons (Wooden)

Wooden versions of the IB, scratchbuilt from wood and styrene on SEM chassis, 2 with MJT compensation units.