NHYH 120t ‘Bat Girl’ Coal Hopper

 

 

A shiny new NHYH 92041F at Carrington.                                                                   Stephen Carr

 

These 120t capacity coal hoppers are the newest type in the Hunter Valley coalfields. They are assembled in permanent rakes of 4 hoppers connected by a solid drawbar with standard automatic couplers at each end. Although similar to the original ‘Batwing’ coal hopper, they have a more rectangular cross-section. They also have a more curved hopper top and are being colloquially referred to as the ‘Bat Girl’ hoppers.

 

Builders: Bradken are building 328 hoppers. They are being numbered 92001 – 92328.

            -           300 being built at Karrabin, near Ipswich in QLD.

            -           28 being built at Braemar in NSW.

 

Individual hopper Length: 15.3m                                   Tare: 21.88t                             Capacity: 98t                            Gross:  120t

4 pack set                    (61.448m)                                (87.52t)                                                (392.48t)                                  (480t)

 

Bogies: Planned for max speed of 100km/h empty and 80km/h loaded.

 

Coding:

-                     NHYH as delivered

 

Colour Scheme:

-                     As introduced, the stainless steel body was unpainted. Bogies are painted black. PN logos appear on the No.2 wagon of each 4-pack.

 

Period of Service: December 2007

 

Delivery Patterns

-                     Ipswich built Hoppers are delivered by road to Acacia Ridge yard were they first join their bogies and get final adjustments and bars connected between hoppers prior to delivery to Port Waratah in the consist of BW4, these movements occur up to 4 times a week.

-                     Braemar built hoppers are delivered to Clyde Yard’s on #2134 Cement and onto Port Waratah on #1423 cement/sugar train, these movements occur generally 1 a once a week

 

Operation:

            These hoppers will be pooled into the export coal train rakes until sufficient numbers enable full trains of NHYH’s to be assembled.

 

Similar Wagons: NHWH

 

Modelling:

-                     No model is available at this stage.

 

 

 The 2nd wagon of a 4 wagon rake.

 

 

NHYH end, note the curved top of the sides

 

         

 

Door Detail……………….…and……………………….…Hand Brake Detail on NHYH 92052W.              Brad Coulter

 

 

 

4 wagon set of new ‘Bat Girl’ hoppers glisten in the sunshine at Carrington!

 

 

A rake of new hoppers, showing off their curves! It provides a comparison between the NHYH

and the older ‘Batwing’ design NHPH at Ravensworth.                                     Brad Coulter