ARX Cement Hopper

NGCF 33321F stored at Werris Ck in 2007.

These wagons were the first purpose built cement hopper on the NSW railway, however were to designed to early to be fitted with pneumatic discharge equipment. Up until their introduction, generally wheat hoppers had been converted for cement traffic, The wagon is of aluminum construction, has 3 round ‘cement type’ roof hatches along its centre-line and 4 hand-operated discharge doors.

Builders:

Commonwealth Engineering built 50 hoppers in 1968-69 and numbered them 33301-33350.

Length: 11.43m Tare: 17t Gross: 76t Capacity: 59t Equiv Length: 1.9

Bogies: 2CG, later fitted with XCH and XCF bogies.

Running numbers:

In 1993 the breakdown of remaining members were:

- NPMX - No’s 7, 17, 28, 33-35, 37 and 43-45.

- NGCX - No’s 21-27, 29-32, 36, 38-42 and 46-50.

- NGUX - No’s 1-6, 8-16 and 18-20.

Coding:

- Originally coded ARX, they were recoded NPAX after 1979.

- In 1983, they were recoded NGCX, NPMX and NGUX.

- Last recoding was in 1989 when the NGCX became NGCF.

Similar Vehicles: WH wheat hopper, ARH cement hopper.

Colour Scheme:

- Originally they entered service with unpainted aluminum with black bogies and lettering. They weathered in cement traffic and, to date, it does not appear that they were ever repainted.

Period of Service: 1966 – ?, currently stored in the north-west.

Operation:

Most spent their last years working the Manildra grain shuttles in the north-west.

Modelling: Plan Here

Hanovale Model Casting produce a HO scale model.

NPAX 33328L in cement traffic.

A high shot of NGCX 33327N at Werris Ck in 2007.