NTFF McWilliams Wine Tankers

Rivitted underframe NTFF 3454L. Casula Hobbies Collection

11 tankers were converted to carry bulk wine on behalf of McWilliams Brothers wines. They were modified from various NTAF petrol tankers and renumbered 3451-3461. The first tanker to enter McWilliams traffic was No. 8866 (later NTFF 3451H) on 22/12/1943.

The tankers were kept locked after loading to ensure its contents made it to its destination. The large roman numerals painted on the tank sides relate to the last digit of the wagon number.

Numbers	Numeral	Length	Tare	Capacity	Cpts	Domes	Builder	Into Service	Registration No.	Folio/Drawing No.
3451H	I				3			1943	8866	80/39 WW-1
3452Q	II	11.84m	23t	27000L	1	1	Tulloch 1951		9653	81 WW-2
3453C	III		23t		3				9654	81 WW-2
3454L	IV	8.84m	20t	30000L	1	1	Tulloch 1963	1950	9964	82 WW-3
3455U	V	“	“	“	1	1	“		10168	83/41A WW-4
3456G	VI	“	“	“	1	1	“		10169	83/41A WW-4
3457P	VII			45000L	3		Tulloch 1964	1964	11160	84 WW-5
3458B	VIII				1				11311
3459K	IX								11420
3460G	X			46000L	1	1			11475
3461P	XI								11476

- Line drawing 83/41A has “8-10-56 – Proof Copy”.

- Car I seems to have acquired Reg. No.11323 at a later stage, which suggests that the wagon may have been converted and/or transferred to a later form or from another owner.

Bogies: They retained their petrol tanker bogies as well as being fitted with XCG and XCF bogies.

Coding:

- They have only ever been coded NTFF.

Colour Scheme:

- They remain in the usual tanker livery of black all-over with white lettering. They distinctively feature large roman numerals on the sides of the tank in white

Period of Service: 1943 – mid 2005.

Operation:

The tankers are used to transport wine from the McWilliams, Yenda (Griffith) processing plant to their bottling and distribution plant at Pyrmont. The Sydney plant was moved to Chullora after the closure of Darling Harbour goods yard in 1985. They are attached to trains on an as required basis. They were a common inclusion on the twice-weekly Bowman fuel train (1327/3128) to Wagga and Griffith Speedfreights until mid 2005. They were attached/detached at Cootamundra and conveyed by wheat or general freight to Yenda. The last tankers to see service were No. 3/4/5 and 10. No’s 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 are currently stored in the McWilliams siding at Yenda.

Modelling:

No model is available, but could be easily scratchbuilt from available tank wagon parts.

NTFF 3452Q at Yenda. Josh Beveridge

NTFF 3453C McWilliams Bros No.3 tanker in Cootamundra in 2002. A.Browne

Both sides of NTFF 3454L – McWilliams Bros tanker No.4. Casula Hobbies collection

NTFF 3455U at Yenda. Josh Beveridge

NTFF 3457P at Yenda. Note the long handrailing. Josh Beveridge

NTFF 3458B at Yenda. Josh Beveridge