Code and brief description

NDFF Ballast Hopper

NDFF 02985S in Enfield Yd Graham Baker

Five batches of NDFF ballast hoppers were delivered between 1991 and 2003. The NDFF has several major improvements on previous ballast hoppers, not least is the provision of heavier (2.2MN) drawgear, allowing heavier and faster ballast trains. Earlier ballast wagons dumped more-or-less indiscriminately, the final ballast placement depending on the plough.

There is much more control available with the NDFF as the operator has the ability to select which group of hopper doors is opened. The first two groups of doors comprise a pair of doors outside the track on each side of the wagon. A group of four doors that dump between the rails forms the third group. These three groups allow the operator to dump selectively to either side of the track or to the area between the rails. The doors, which can be inched open for controlled discharge, can be operated from any corner of the wagon. The NDFFs also have lights to assist in night operations

Builders:

- Electric Power Transmission (EPT) designed and built the 1^st batch of 15 wagons 1991.

They were numbered NDFF 02975 – 02989.

- The 2^nd batch (30 wagons) was supplied by ABB/EPT in 1993 – 1994 and were numbered NDFF 2201 – 2230

- The 3^rd batch (50 wagons) came from Adtranz in 1996 – 1997 and were numbered NDFF 2231 - 2280

- RIC Goulburn Workshops built the 4^th and 5^th batches (each of 25 wagons) in 2001 – 2003.

They are numbered 3001 – 3050.

Measurements of the first batch are:

Length: 11.86 m over couplers Tare: 22.0 t Capacity: 54 t Gross: 76.0 t

Width (max) 3.05 m Height (no load) 2.90 m

Bogies: CQB/CQC The first batch used overhauled bogies derived from old BBW ballast wagons.

Coding:

The wagon coding has not been altered. Of note is the fact that the first series numbers include the leading zero in the wagon number. Other series don’t.

Colour Schemes:

For a relatively young wagon the NDFFs have worn quite a variety of colour schemes. Some wagons are still painted in the earliest paint schemes today.

The 1^st batch was released in the State Rail deep indian red and chrome yellow diagonal stripe. They had a two-tone red/yellow L7 logo on a white rectangular background.

The 2^nd batch of hoppers entered traffic painted in Freight Rail blue with a yellow diagonal stripe, and a ‘Freight Rail Quarries’ logo on a white rectangular background.

A couple of wagons from the earlier batches were fitted with small RSA Mk I logos, but retained their original colours.

NDFF 02981F in SRA Indian red and chrome yellow was one, and NDFF 2230W in blue and yellow was another.

As some of the first and second batch wagons became covered with graffiti, they were repainted in the green and white livery with an RSA Mk II logo. These wagons did not have the red diagonal stripe, which was fitted to NDFF 2231 to 2280 when they entered traffic. Many of these wagons were hand painted, and examples include NDFF 02976T, 02978Y, 2984J, 02985S, 2208B, 2210G and 2219S.

The 3^rd batch of hoppers entered service in the RSA green with white livery. They had a white diagonal band, which featured a red stripe on the right hand side. The wagons were fitted with the RSA Mk I logo, which had the letters ‘R.S.A’ in red.

In July 1998, the Railway Services Authority was corporatised. The name changed to Rail Services
Australia. With this name change came a new RSA Mk II logo, which had ‘Rail Services Australia’
in teal coloured lettering and a teal and yellow coloured Wedge-Tailed Eagle symbol. Many green and white hoppers from the third batch had the RSA Mk I logos replaced with the RSA Mk II logos. Examples include NDFF 2234M, 2237Q, 2239L, 2249T, 2253T, 2255Y, 2256A, 2258S, 2261J and 2280Q.

Many members of the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd batches were sold to ARTC when they commenced their lease over many rail corridors in NSW in January 2005. Most remaining members of the earlier batches still in RailCorp ownership have progressively been repainted into the orange and silver livery.

The first wagon of the 4^th batch, NDFF 3001W, entered service in August 2001.It was delivered in the RIC orange with silver ‘Safety Vest’ livery. It featured a silver diagonal band on the side with a ‘RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE CORPORATION’ logo on a white rectangular background. All wagons entered service in this livery.

In mid to late 2005, NDFF 2272D was repainted into an all-orange livery without any logos. Currently, in 2006, all RailCorp owned wagons are being stickered with ‘RailCorp’ signage.

Operation:

The introduction of the NDFF’s sounded the death knell for the NHWF (BBW) type ballast hopper that had been around for many years. The new hoppers are commonly seen with ballast ploughs at each end of a rake of hoppers. They are not generally operated with the NHBF type hoppers. Initially the NDFF’s were planned for suburban ballast trains but as their numbers have increased they can be seen all over the state.

Operationally, the NDFF hoppers are used to transfer ballast all over NSW. Ballast has been sourced
from Bombo Quarry, Ardglen Quarry and Martins Creek Quarry, together from loading sidings at Talbragar (near Dubbo), Marulan, and Namoona (near Casino).

Modelling:

No model of the NDFF is currently available although Auscision have announced a ready to run version and Hanovale a urethane kit