| Class Z Bogie Brake vans Z461-566 |
|
The type 16b vans built in 1955 were followed in 1956 by a modified version of the same design without the end platform. The first twenty vans (Z461-480) of this class (type 17a) had frames identical to the type 16b vans but the later vans (type 17b) Z481-566 had a modified underframe without the prominent angles to support the body and different V hangers for the vacuum cylinder. Notice the difference in the body support brackets between Z464 and Z512 in the photos as well as the V hangers for the vacuum cylinder.
|
| Built over a period of ten years these vans were the most numerous type of brake van ever owned by the W.A.G.R. and most lasted until the end of brake van operations on the W.A.G.R. in 1985.
One early casualty was Z491, which was written off after collision damage in March 1959.
|
|
In 1965 two vans (494 and 509) were rebuilt with lower roofs and buckeye couplers for bauxite traffic. From 1969 they were reclassified ZS and additional conversions followed although not all ZS class vans had the lower roof.
Z494 branded "FOR BAUXITE TRAFFIC ONLY" before reclassification to ZS. K Raynes (RHWA collection) |
|
Details of the fate of the vans are given in the table below. | ||||
| No. | Built | To ZS | To VW | Written off |
| 461 | May 1956 | September 1986 | ||
| 462 | May 1956 | ?Z | August 1985 | |
| 463 | May 1956 | November 1985 | ||
| 464 | May 1956 | August 1985 | ||
| 465 | May 1956 | November 1985 | ||
| 466 | May 1956 | August 1985 | ||
| 467 | May 1956 | ?Z | November 1985 | |
| 468 | May 1956 | July 1985 | ||
| 469 | May 1956 | August 1985 | ||
| 470 | May 1956 | November 1985 | ||
| 471 | May 1956 | ?Z | November 1985 | |
| 472 | May 1956 | November 1985 | ||
| 473 | May 1956 | November 1985 | ||
| 474 | June 1956 | November 1985 | ||
| 475 | June 1956 | November 1985 | ||
| 476 | June 1956 | August 1985 | ||
| 477 | June 1956 | November 1985 | ||
| 478 | June 1956 | November 1985 | ||
| 479 | June 1956 | November 1985 | ||
| 480 | April 1957 | July 1985 | ||
| 481 | May 1957 | August 1985 | ||
| 482 | May 1957 | ?Z | ||
| 483 | May 1957 | August 1986 | ||
| 484 | May 1957 | July 1985 | ||
| 485 | May 1957 | August 1985 | ||
| 486 | May 1958 | July 1985 | ||
| 487 | May 1958 | November 1985 | ||
| 488 | June 1958 | August 1985 | ||
| 489 | June 1958 | November 1985 | ||
| 490 | May 1958 | November 1985 | ||
| 491 | June 1958 | March 1959 | ||
| 492 | June 1958 | November 1985 | ||
| 493 | June 1958 | August 1985 | ||
| 494 | June 1958 | November 1969 | January 1985 | |
| 495 | June 1958 | November 1985 | ||
| 496 | June 1958 | November 1985 | ||
| 497 | December 1958 | August 1985 | ||
| 498 | December 1958 | November 1985 | ||
| 499 | December 1958 | November 1985 | ||
| 500 | December 1958 | March 1984 | ||
| 501 | December 1958 | August 1985 | ||
| 502 | December 1958 | July 1985 | ||
| 503 | December 1958 | November 1985 | ||
| 504 | December 1958 | November 1985 | ||
| 505 | December 1958 | June 1984 | ||
| 506 | February 1959 | November 1985 | ||
| 507 | February 1959 | April 1977 | November 1985 | |
| 508 | February 1959 | November 1985 | ||
| 509 | February 1959 | November 1969 | January 1985 | |
| 510 | November 1959 | December 1976 | January 1985 | |
| 511 | November 1959 | August 1985 | ||
| 512 | November 1959 | June 1984 | ||
| 513 | December 1959 | November 1985 | ||
| 514 | December 1959 | August 1985 | ||
| 515 | December 1959 | November 1985 | ||
| 516 | December 1959 | November 1985 | ||
| 517 | December 1959 | August 1985 | ||
| 518 | December 1959 | August 1985 | ||
| 519 | December 1959 | November 1985 | ||
| 520 | December 1959 | August 1985 | ||
| 521 | December 1959 | August 1985 | ||
| 522 | December 1959 | July 1985 | ||
| 523 | December 1959 | August 1985 | ||
| 524 | November 1960 | November 1985 | ||
| 525 | November 1960 | November 1985 | ||
| 526 | November 1960 | November 1985 | ||
| 527 | November 1960 | November 1985 | ||
| 528 | November 1960 | November 1985 | ||
| 529 | December 1960 | ?Z | November 1985 | |
| 530 | December 1960 | August 1985 | ||
| 531 | December 1960 | November 1985 | ||
| 532 | December 1960 | ?Z | August1985 | |
| 533 | December 1960 | November 1985 | ||
| 534 | August 1962 | August 1985 | ||
| 535 | September 1962 | September 1986 | ||
| 536 | September 1962 | March 1977 | January 1985 | |
| 537 | September 1962 | ? | September 1986 | |
| 538 | November 1962 | March 1996 | ||
| 539 | October 1962 | February 1970 | November 1985 | |
| 540 | November 1962 | February 1970 | November 1985 | |
| 541 | September 1962 | November 1982 | January 1985 | |
| 542 | October 1962 | November 1985 | ||
| 543 | October 1962 | November 1985 | ||
| 544 | November 1962 | May 1984 | ||
| 545 | November 1962 | March 1992 | ||
| 546 | December 1962 | November 1985 | ||
| 547 | December 1962 | September 1986 | ||
| 548 | December 1962 | October1986 | September 1986 | |
| 549 | December 1962 | ? | March 1992 | |
| 550 | December 1962 | May 1970 | January 1985 | |
| 551 | December 1962 | September 1986 | ||
| 552 | December 1962 | November 1985 | ||
| 553 | December 1962 | October 1976 | November 1985 | |
| 554 | April 1964 | November 1985 | ||
| 555 | April 1964 | November 1985 | ||
| 556 | April 1964 | September 1986 | ||
| 557 | April 1964 | November 1985 | ||
| 558 | April 1964 | September 1986 | ||
| 559 | November 1965 | November 1985 | ||
| 560 | November 1965 | August 1985 | ||
| 561 | November 1965 | November 1985 | ||
| 562 | December 1965 | April 1982 | ||
| 563 | December 1965 | November 1985 | ||
| 564 | January 1966 | August 1985 | ||
| 565 | February 1966 | November 1985 | ||
| 566 | March 1966 | August 1970 | November 1985 | |
| Vans marked as ? in the above table are known to have been reclassified as VW whilst those marked as ?Z were rebuilt and used as VW but still classed as Z after they were written off. There may have been others but those listed are the ones I have photographic or documentary knowledge of. |
 |
 |
| Z497 was written off after losing a ducket. This photo shows the interior of the guard's compartment nicely with the red vacuum brake handle prominent. | Z469 was one of the first twenty and the different arrangement of the Vacuum brake can be seen in this close up as can the body support brackets. |
|
The WAGR outline diagram is shown below.  |
 |
 |