| Class FA (15-0") and FB louvred vans |
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The picture above shows FA18. It is a blow up of a small part of State Library of WA 5323B/284 |
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The 17'-0" all steel FA class vans don't seem to have been an unqualified success as in 1904 a new type of F class louvred van appeared from Midland Workshops. They were 15'-0" long and used a GB type wooden underframe. In 1907 they were all reclassified FA. The WAGR outline diagram is shown below.
Further wagons seem to have been built to replace old F's over the next few years taking the same numbers as their F class predecessors. However, it is possible that the some of these vans were merely reclassified rather than rebuilt. In particular FA4317 was eventually reclassified back to F and may have retained its original 14'-0" long configuration throughout. In 1910 a batch of FB class fruit vans (externally identical to the new built FA meat vans) was built. More FBs followed in 1911 with a final batch of FAs in 1913. By 1942 all of these vans with the exception of FA18 (written off) and FA4317 were reclassified FB. In the table below the numbers shown in red are the odd F class rebuilds (F4555/6 had 16'-0" AI underframes) whilst the ones in blue are the F class rebuilds which (as F's) had a 15'-0" NZR type chassis. It is possible that these rebuilds retained the original underframe but I feel this is unlikely (photographic evidence is needed). |
| 1904 | F18 - 23 built Midland Workshops |
| 1907 | F18 - 23 reclassified FA |
| 1909 | FA4555 rebuilt(?) from F4555
FA2023 rebuilt from F2023 |
| 1910 | FB7463 - 7477 built Midland Workshops |
| 1911 | FB7478 - 7512 built Midland Workshops |
| 1913 | FA 9754 - 9778 built Midland Workshops
FA2020, 2021 rebuilt from F2020, 2021 |
| 1914 | FA4317 rebuilt(?) from F4317 |
| 1915 | FA3893 rebuilt from F3893 |
| 1916 | FA2018 rebuilt from F2018 |
| 1917 | FA2019 rebuilt from F2019 |
| 1918 | FA2022 rebuilt from F2022 |
| 1920 | FA3898 rebuilt from F3898 |
| 1921 | FA3894, 3896 rebuilt from F3894, 3896 |
| 1925 | FA2020, 3898 |
| 1928 | FA9761 to FB |
| 1932 | FA18 written off |
| 1934 | FA4556 rebuilt(?) from F4556 |
| 1936 | FA19, 22, 2022, 4556, 9754, 9755, 9758, 9759, 9762, 9767, 9768, 9770, 9771, 9773, 9774, 9775 to FB |
| 1937 | FA4317 reclassified as F
FA23, 2023, 3895, 4555, 9756, 9760, 9763, 9765, 9766, 9778 to FB |
| 1938 | FA21, 3893, 3894, 3896, 9757 to FB |
| 1939 | FA20, 9764, 9772, 9776 to FB |
| 1940 | FA2021, 3897, 9769 to FB |
| 1941 | FA2018, 2019 to FB |
| 1942 | FA9777 to FB |
| The arrival in vast numbers of the new FD class louvred vans finished off the FBs. Although some lasted until the early sixties it seems unlikely that they saw much use. The disposal of the FB class wagons is shown below. A grounded body at Bunbury is shown in a photo in the Weston Langford collection. |
| 1937 | FB9754 written off |
| 1940 | FB20 written off |
| 1941 | FB9761 written off |
| 1945 | FB9769 written off |
| 1948 | FB7511 written off |
| 1950 | FB7500, 9772, 9773 written off |
| 1953 | FB19, 2018, 2022, 7466, 7469, 7473, 7475, 7477, 7479, 7484, 7493, 7495, 7496, 7503, 9756, 9757, 9760, 9762, 9770, 9774, 9775 written off |
| 1954 | FB21, 22, 2019, 2021, 3897, 3898, 7463, 7465, 7467, 7468, 7470, 7472, 7478, 7480, 7485, 7486, 7487, 7488, 7489, 7497, 7498, 7499, 7506, 7507, 9764, 9766, 9767 written off |
| 1955 | FB2020, 3896, 7464, 7474, 7476, 7481, 7482, 7483, 7504, 7505, 7508, 7509, 9768, 9771, 9777 written off |
| 1956 | FB2023, 7494, 7502,9755, 9765 written off |
| 1957 | FB23, 3894, 4555 4556, 7471, 7490, 7492, 7501, 7510, 7512, 9763, 9776, 9778 written off |
| 1958 | FB9759 written off |
| 1959 | FB9758 written off |
| 1960 | FB7491 written off |
| 1962 | FB3893, 3895 written off |
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Other louvred vans Other 4 wheel louvred vans in this group can be found in classes F , FA(17'-0"), FA(15'-0"), FB, FC, FD, FDF, FDM, FDP MRWA BL, MRWA BLA whilst their bogie counterparts are in classes VA(exV), VA(long), VB(Composite frame), VB(Steelframe), VD, VDA, VDB, VDL, VDR, VF, VFA, VFL, VG, VGA and VH |
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