NZZA 600 Transformer Wagon

NZZA 600 at Ravensworth in April 1996. Norm Bray

This special purpose vehicle was built in 1961 by A.E Goodwin. It was designed to carry transformers to power stations then under construction. TW 600 consists of two triple-bogie carrying units and carrying beams No.5 & 6. Beam No.5 is 20m long and provides an open load carrying space 11.1m long and 2.26m – 2.87m wide. No details of beam No.6 are known at this time.

Length: 27.43m Tare: 98t Capacity: 183t Gross: 281t

Carrying unit centres is 18.29m

Bogies: 6 x 70t DAA. Max speed 65km/h.

Coding:

- TW as delivered

- NZZA in the ROA system.

Colour Scheme:

- As built, the wagon was painted all over gunmetal grey with white lettering.

- It was painted PTC blue with white lettering in the mid 70’s.

- Sometime during the 1980’s, the load beam was painted yellow and the bogie units were painted black

Period of Service: 1936 – mid 1990’s

Operation:

This vehicle transported transformers to power stations within NSW. In October 1991, NZZA 600 with No 6 side beams was used to carry the 210t transformer from Cooks River to Wallerarang where it was offloaded to road for delivery to the new Mt Piper power station. The special ‘out-of-gauge’ train was numbered W391 and it was hauled by loco 4475. A photo appears on the cover of the June 1992 issue of AMRM. The wagon is currently stored in Clyde Up Yard.

Similar Wagons: NZZA 440 and NZZA 530.

Modelling:

- Northern Models produced a HO scale kit of the wagon, but it is no longer available.

NZZA 600 in storage in Clyde. Josh Beveridge

A close-up view of one of the triple-bogied carrying units. Josh Beveridge

TW 600A and B bogies at Albury in 1979. Rob O’Reagan