Class WG, WGX, WOAS, WOAX and WODX Open wagons

WAGR official photo of WGX33077. (RHWA collection)

The WG class formed the original bogie open wagon fleet of the WAGR standard gauge lines. The wagons in this class were built in four groups at Midland Workshops between 1966 and 1973. The first batch (unlike later members of the class) had end doors as can be seen in the photo above.

The first batch WG 33001-33100 were built in 1966 (33001-33050) and 1967 (33051-33100).They were reclassified WGX in November-December 1967. Ninety-three of the first batch were reclassified WGS in 1969-1970 and dedicated to superphosphate traffic although five were quickly returned to WGX in 1970.

Two more were converted to WQX

1969 WGX 33007, 33009, 33012, 33013, 33014, 33018, 33022, 33024, 33030, 33034, 33038, 33040, 33041, 33043, 33047, 33057, 33061, 33062, 33063, 33064, 33065, 33068, 33070, 33071, 33073, 33074, 33077, 33082, 33084, 33085, 33091 to WGS

WGX 33050, 33100 to WQX

1970 WGX 33001, 33002, 33003, 33004, 33005, 33006, 33008, 33010, 33011, 33016, 33017, 33020, 33021, 33025, 33026, 33027, 33028, 33029, 33031, 33032, 33033, 33035, 33036, 33037, 33039, 33042, 33044, 33045, 33046, 33048, 33049, 33051, 33052, 33053, 33055, 33056, 33058, 33059, 33060, 33066, 33067, 33069, 33072, 33075, 33076, 33078, 33079, 33081, 33083, 33086, 33087, 33088, 33089, 33090, 33092, 33093, 33094, 33095, 33096, 33097, 33098, 33099 to WGS

WGS 33007, 33027, 33051, 33065, 33091 back to WGX

WAGR official photo of a second series WGX. (RHWA collection)

The second series wagons had no end doors as can be seen above. They were built in 1969 (33101-33158) and 1970 (33159-33208) at the same time as earlier wagons were being reclassified WGS. For a short period a small number of wagons were coded WGN for use on Nickel concentrate traffic but these had all returned to WGX by 1977 (including 5 that had been class WGS)

The final 25 wagons WGX 33209-33233 were built in 1973.

1975 WGX 33121, 33143, 33147, 33205,33207, 33212 to WGN
1976 WGN 33022, 33047, 33052, 33077, 33099,33121, 33143, 33147, 33205, 33207, 33212 to WGX

WGX 33047 to WGN

1977 WGN 33047 to WGX

From 1979 the WGX class were recoded WOAX under the 1979 ROA system. The WGS were included in this too and so returned to the fold as WOAX. However, another small fleet was created for wagons dedicated to Gypsum traffic which became class WGG. Later there was a steel carrying conversion WOSF.

1979 WGS 33001, 33004, 33005, 33008, 33013, 33018, 33028, 33029, 33038, 33039, 33043, 33045, 33055, 33056, 33058, 33064, 33069, 33081, 33085, 33086, 33088, 33089, 33097, 33098 to WOAX
1980 WGX 33141, 33147, 33178, 33184 to WGG

WOAX 33056, 33137, 33143, 33170 to WGG

WGG 33021, 33084, 33137, 33170 to WOAX

WGS 33002, 33003, 33006, 33010, 33011, 33012, 33014, 33016, 33017, 33020, 33024, 33025, 33026, 33030, 33031, 33033, 33036, 33037, 33041, 33042, 33044, 33046, 33049, 33053, 33057, 33060, 33061, 33062, 33063, 33066, 33067, 33068, 33070, 33071, 33072, 33073, 33074, 33075, 33076, 33078, 33079, 33083, 33087, 33090, 33092, 33093, 33094, 33095, 33096 to WOAX

1981 WOAX 33006, 33038, 33169, 33182, 33213 to WGG

WGG 33143, 33147, 33169 to WOAX

WGS 33009, 33032, 33034, 33035, 33040, 33059, 33082, to WOAX

1982 WOAX 33216, 33225, 33231 to WGG

WGG 33216, 33225, 33231 to WOAX

1983 WOAX 33079, 33091, 33135, 33164, 33177 to WGG
WOAX 33015, 33023, 33087, 33119 to WOAS for superphosphate traffic in 198? and then back again to WOAX.
1987 WGG 33056, 33091, 33135, 33141 to WOAX

WOAX 33016, 33045, 33046, 33077, 33069, 33089, 33110, 33121, 33134, 33139, 33145, 33162, 33173, 33224 to WOSF steel wagons

A rather grubby WOAX 33010. (RHWA collection)

From 1988 disposal started. Some wagons were reclassified for Nitrate traffic and labelled for "Dangerous Goods" as class WODX. There was also a steel carrying conversion (WOSF) and a single wagon converted to class WOO.

1988 WOAX 33109 written off

WOAX 33001, 33003, 33010, 33011, 33017, 33022, 33029, 33030, 33031, 33054, 33055, 33063, 33066, 33067, 33072, 33077, 33098, 33103, 33108, 33117, 33131, 33132, 33133, 33140, 33143, 33146, 33156, 33160, 33169, 33174, 33180, 33186, 33199, 33200, 33205, 33218, 33219, 33231 to WODX

WODX 33077 to WOAX

1992 WOAX 33171 written off
1994 WOAX 33018, 33037, 33044, 33062, 33093, 33107, 33113, 33122, 33124, 33128, 33150, 33193, 33204, 33211, 33220 written off

WOAX 33008, 33019, 33021, 33028, 33033, 33035, 33046, 33047, 33049, 33058, 33059, 33080, 33081, 33084, 33090, 33092, 33104, 33106, 33114, 33116, 33125, 33129, 33135, 33141, 33148, 33181, 33183, 33187, 33198, 33206, 33225 to ROAX

WODX 33003, 33098 scrapped

WODX 33001, 33072, 33108, 33132, 33133, 33160, 33174, 33200 to ROAX

1995 WOAX 33012 to WOO
1996 WOAX 33005, 33021, 33035, 33036, 33041, 33042, 33043, 33046, 33059, 33064, 33065, 33074, 33087, 33090, 33095, 33096, 33106, 33111, 33114, 33116, 33125, 33126, 33142, 33147, 33148, 33149, 33159, 33161, 33176, 33181, 33183, 33187, 33195, 33198, 33202, 33225, 33227, 33228, 33233 written off

WODX 33022, 33029, 33066, 33103, 33146, 33180, 33200, 33218, 33219, (066, 146 listed twice) written off

WOAX 33087, 33159 reinstated

WODX 33066, 33180, 33200 reinstated

WOG 33146, 33212 reinstated

1997 WOAX33115, 33135, 33206, 33211 to WFB (nickel bin wagons)

WODX33117, 33133, 33156, 33205 to WFB

WOSF33121, 33173, 33178, 33213, 33216 to WFB

WOSX33184 to WFB

WOG33119, 33169, 33201 33127, 33127, 33158, 33209 to WFB

2007 28 WOAX/ROAX sold to Silverton in 1997 including

33012, 33021, 33032, 33043, 33046, 33047, 33059, 33095, 33126, 33148, 33163, 33196, 33198, 33202, 33207, 33218, 33225, 33227, 33233

By June 2010 there was only one WOAX left on QR's books (33152). Others had been converted and reclassified and some sold so I'm not sure what the complete situation looked like. It appears that at least 28 were converted to WFB later AFBF flats (33063, 33069, 33076, 33115, 33117, 33119, 33121, 33127, 33133, 33135, 33137, 33156, 33158, 33162, 33166, 33169, 33173, 33178, 33180, 33184, 33194, 33201, 33205, 33206, 33209, 33211, 33213, 33216), 15 cut down to AOXY opens for Nickel matte (33007, 33047, 33051, 33053, 33067, 33075, 33082, 33101, 33104, 33123, 33153, 33188, 33214, 33221, 33229).  The two WQX conversions were still around as AQEX container flat (33100) and AZEY departmental wagon (33050). I believe that the Silverton wagons had gone by 2012.  Eight of the AOXY were listed for scrapping by Aurizon in 2014. 

A rather grubby WODX 33146. (RHWA collection)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/malleeroute/6678583221/in/set-72157628823246139/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/malleeroute/6678582587/in/set-72157628823246139/

WGX Series 1 Diagram

WGX Series 2 Diagram

WGX Series 3 Diagram

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