NGFF Tautliner Van
A pair of new NGFF’s. Phil
Collins
In conjunction with the 2nd NBJX conversion, Manildra Group
funded a fleet of curtain-sided ‘Tautliner’ vans which were built on GLX/NLGX
underframes. A new roof, reinforced ends and curtain sides were constructed. A
traverse bulkhead divided the vans internally.
Builders:
-
EPT
in Pt Kembla built 10 vans in 1991-92.
Running
Numbers: 29433G, 29454X, 31431Y, 31499T, 31508Y, 31509A, 31514J, 31523X, 31525D
and 31545T.
The vans retained their louvre van numbering
after conversion.
Length:
14.6m Tare: 22t Capacity:
54t Gross: 76t
Bogies: 2CL
Coding:
-
They
have only ever carried the NGFF code.
Colour
Scheme:
-
As
introduced, the body was painted SRA red. The curtain was painted Candy red
with black straps and silver buckles. Bogies were gunmetal grey.
Operation:
These vans were used exclusively by the
Manildra Group for the movement of bagged flour from the group’s plant in
Manildra (western NSW) to their distribution centre at Clyde in Sydney. They
did not last long in this traffic, as some were in storage as early as 1993,
however the last few were stored in 1998.
Plan: NGFF GA plan
Modelling:
A HO scale kit is available from Ian Lindsay Models.
Similar
Vehicles:
- The
NBJX was built in a similar fashion for the same duties.
A side
view of a clean NGFF. Phil
Collins
A pair of new NGFFs at Clyde. John
Miller photo
NGFF
31523X at Manildra in 1997.
Norm Bray photo