Class RD and RM Wooden bodied bogie open wagons |
The standard R class bogie open wagon had one 10'-0" wide drop door at the centre of each side. In 1910 thirty of these wagons were modified so that the whole side would drop in three sections. These wagons were eventually reclassified RD but it is not clear when. |
This image, blown up from State Library of WA 010239PD taken in 1922 near Wubin, a 4 door R wagon at left and one of the R's modified to have full drop sides (later class RD) at right. At this stage it still seems to be just class R. |
By 1920 a whole new area of business had opened up - transporting motor cars. Some of the RDs were modified for this traffic by being rebuilt to a width of 8'-0". At some point after 1930 the motor car wagons were reclassified RM. Two of these wagons (RD686 & 1307) worked on the isolated Port Hedland - Marble Bar line from 1937. |
RD1308 in a train on the Midland Line. This photo suggests that 1308 either never was classified RM or reverted to RD. (RHWA collection) |
Conversion of the classes were as follows: | |
1910 | 684-688,1304-1309,1310-1313,1315-1328, 4896 converted from R to RD but probably not reclassified at this time |
1920 | 1308, 1313 altered to carry motor cars |
1930 | 1323 altered to carry motor cars - possibly reclassified RM |
? | 1308-1311, 1322, 1323 All believed rebuilt to 8'-0" width and to have become class RM. However 1308, 1310 were listed as an RD at write off. There is some doubt as to whether 1313 was modified to 8'-0" width. |
1937 | RD686, 1307 vacuum brake removed and transferred to Port Hedland - Marble Bar line |
1939 | R2176 reclassified as RD |
The photo below (enlarged from an old postcard) shows R2176. It has full drop sides and four stanchions on the end rather than two so has clearly been converted to RD standard and yet the postcard dates from the 1920s at the latest so clearly the 1939 reclassification of R2176 to RD2176 was at best a catching up exercise. The record card for class RD has the note, "Apparently reclassified RD some years previously but not recorded as a separate classification until June 1970"!! This is not unusual for WAGR record keeping but does make life "interesting" for the historian. |
Disposal of the classes were as follows: | |
1951 | RD1306 to JETTY 863
RD686, 1307 transferred to PWD Port Hedland |
1953 | RD1312, RM1323 written off |
1954 | RD1318 written off |
1957 | RD1304 written off |
1958 | RM1311, RD1319, RD2176 written off |
1959 | RD685, RM1309, RD1320 written off |
1964 | RM1313?, RM1323 written off |
1965 | RD1321 written off |
1967 | RD687, RD1305, RD1325, RD4896 written off |
1968 | RD1327 written off
Written off 1305, 1325 to JETTY 338, 339 RD684, RD1317, RD1328 to JETTY 349, 341, 343 |
1970 | RM1310, RD1315 written off |
1971 | RD1316 written off |
1972 | RD688, RM1308, RD1324, RD1326 written off |
The WAGR outline diagram for the RD is shown below. |
Frank Stamford's photo shows RD1326 at Geraldton in February 1966 as a "White cross" wagon not in general use. |