BMF Milk Wagons
/f
Ex MLK u/f on Peters Milk BMF 21143.
This rag-tag collection of wagons were
converted from many wagon types and configured differently for individual
companies.
There appears to be 3 types of wagons used for
the BMF:
-
Ex
MLK/NLMA underframes – from the mid 1970’s onwards, the bodies were
progressively removed exposing the tanks on the underframe.
-
Ex
SE/E wagon underframes – surplus from service as general-purpose flats.
-
BHG
guards van welded underframes on Oak Milk BMFs.
Wagon Dimension and Carrying Capacity:
|
Running No |
Tare |
Gross |
Length |
Underframe from |
Recoded to |
Company |
Tank Cap |
|
1559 |
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
NZFF |
Dairy Farmers |
2 x 2000 gal |
|
4081 |
|
|
12.19m |
E |
NZFF |
Peter’s Milk |
2 x 2000 gal |
|
5270 |
|
|
9.15m |
|
|
|
1 x 5000 gal |
|
5637 |
|
|
13.72m |
BMF |
Dairy Farmers |
2 x 2000 gal |
|
|
7508 |
|
|
9.15m |
BHG 22593 |
NZFF |
Oak Milk |
1 x 5000 gal |
|
7512 |
|
|
9.15m |
BHG 22544 |
NZFF |
Oak Milk |
1 x 5000 gal |
|
10861 |
|
|
9.15m |
|
|
|
1 x 5000 gal |
|
12005 |
|
|
12.19m |
E |
BMF |
Peter’s Milk |
2 x 2000 gal |
|
12250 |
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
|
|
3 tanks – 10,300 6,300 and 4,000 lt |
|
19012 |
|
|
12.19m |
E |
BMF |
Norco |
2 x 2000 gal |
|
19025 |
16t |
38t |
10m |
|
BMF |
Hunter Valley Co-op |
1 x 5000 gal |
|
21127 |
16t |
38t |
10m |
|
BMF |
Hunter Valley Co-op |
1 x 5000 gal |
|
21143 |
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
BMF |
Peter’s Milk |
2 x 2000 gal |
|
21147 |
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
|
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
|
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
|
21166 |
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
|
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
21167 |
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
NZFA/NZFF |
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
21177 |
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
NZFF |
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
23270 |
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
|
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
24377 |
|
|
13.72m |
UME 24377 |
NZFA |
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
24396 |
|
|
13.72m |
MLE 24396 |
NZFF |
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
24415 |
|
|
13.72m |
UME 24415 |
NZFF |
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
24423 |
|
|
13.72m |
UME 24423 |
|
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
24436 |
|
|
13.72m |
MLE 24436 |
NZFA |
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
25657 |
|
|
13.72m |
JME 25657 |
NZFA |
Peter’s Milk |
2 x 2000 gal |
|
25665 |
|
|
13.72m |
JME 25665 |
NZFF |
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
25667 |
|
|
13.72m |
MLE 25667 |
NZFA |
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
25680 |
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
|
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
25681 |
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
|
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
25686 |
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
NZFA |
Dairy Farmers |
2 x 2000 gal |
|
25688 |
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
|
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
25694 |
|
|
12.19m |
MLK |
|
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
26320 |
|
|
13.72m |
JME 26320 |
NZFA |
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
26341 |
|
|
13.72m |
UME 26341 |
NZFF |
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
26360 |
|
|
13.72m |
UME 26360 |
NZFA |
|
2 x 2000 gal |
|
26387 |
|
|
13.72m |
UME 26387 |
NZFF |
|
2 x 2000 gal |
Bogies: 2AE
then 2CF
Coding:
-
Recoded
from their former louvre van and flat wagon codes to BMF, and most didn’t last
long into the ROA era to receive a 4-letter code.
Those that did last were recoded after 1979,
as:
-
Ex
E wagons recoded NZFF,
-
Ex
MLKs recoded NZFA.
Colour
Scheme:
-
Peter’s
Milk has silver tanks with red/white logo. Underframes were gunmetal.
-
Dairy
Farmers generally had white tanks with no signage. Underframes were black or
gunmetal.
-
Oak
Milk had a variety of tank colours from white, to black to grey with various
forms of signage and logo. Underframes were black.
Modifications:
Eventually the tanks were removed from the
underframes when they became uneconomical to repair. The tanks were converted
with ISO containerized fittings and transported on conventional 40ft container wagons
– mostly NQIX and NQSF types.
Period of
Service: Mid 1970’s until mid 1980’s, in this configuration.
Operation:
Milk was railed from Illawarra, Main South and North Coast Milk Co-op sidings
to Pittipa, Darling Harbour and Granville.
The Oak Milk BMFs originally only
ran between Muswellbrook and Hexham, however in the late 1980s they also
discharged at Peter’s Siding at Enfield.
Modelling:
-
Rails
North produced a kit for the Peter’s Milk oval tank BMF
-
SDS Models produce a RTR model
of the Oak Milk tanker.
Another picture of Peters BMF 21143
Peters’s Milk NZFF 4081
Unique BMF 12005 with dual filling and discharged points.
BMF 25657 at Nowra in 1979. Rob
O’Regan photo
BMF 1559 at Nowra in 1979. Rob
O’Regan photo
BMF 5637 at Berry in 1979. Rob
O’Regan photo
NZFA 25686 at Broadmeadow in 1985. Roman Fergusson photo
BMF 10861 at Nowra in 1979. Note MLE u/f with
close tank placement. ROBX photo
An Oak Milk version - BMF 7508 at Mossvale. Rodney James Collection
Further reading on the OAK Milk tankers can be
found on the SDS Models
website.
Underframe from an Oak Milk wagon at Enfield
Yard in 2008. Josh Beveridge photo
The last evolution of milk transport – BMF
leading an ICX type container wagon with
ISO containerized tank bases, Mossvale late
1980s. Bob Richo
photo