RU Wheat Hopper

A brand new RU 25161 with ‘Bulk Wheat Only’ lettering. SRA Archives

These all steel wagons have a pitched roof, on which, sit four hatches for loading. There are 8 discharge doors in the floor with slope sheets fitted inside. The RU was a development from U open wagons which had been fitted with tarps and coded CU for grain traffic. In 1941, U 2970 was fitted with a permanent roof at Clyde wagon workshops, and outshopped as CCU 2970. It was to become a prototype for the new RU. CCU 2970 was recoded RU before entering service and later became sand wagon L422 at Pt Waratah Loco.

They were the first wagons built from new, fitted with automatic couplers and no buffers, although mounting holes were provided. Having a high centre of gravity when loaded, the RU was well known for being very unstable and derailments were regular.

Although still in service when the ROA Coding system was introduced, they had been allocated ‘NGRA’ but never carried the 4-letter code.

Date Introduced: 1942

Builder: 650 wagons built by Waddington in 3 contracts –

- 250 wagons delivered in 1942, numbered 24100-24349

- 150 wagons delivered in 1943-44, numbered 24450-24599

- 250 wagons delivered in 1945-46, numbered 25100-25349

Length: 22ft (6.71m) Tare Capacity Gross Equilivent Length: 1.2

RU - 12t 24t 36t

UL - 11t 25t 36t

Colour Schemes:

- As built they were painted in Gunmetal Lacquer with white lettering.

- In the mid 1970’s 5 were painted PTC Blue with white lettering. No. 24294, 24457, 24477, 24513 and 24559.

- The wagons weathered to a dusty khaki brown.

Modifications:

- One RU was fitted with an experimental roof with all sides sloping towards the centre, it was numbered RU 24539.

- In 1967, 14 were modified internally and used to carry crushed limestone between Berrima and Botany. They were coded UL.

Period of Service: 1943 – 1982.

Operation:

From their introduction in 1943, the RU’s were run in block trains all over the state, to domestic destinations and export terminals at Darling Harbour and Newcastle. With the arrival of large numbers of bogie hoppers in the 1960’s and due to their slow speed, the RU’s were sent to the northern division where shorter distances were involved. This allowed the faster bogie hoppers to handle the longer mainline runs in the southern regions. The RU’s ended their days, allocated to short shuttle services from smaller silos to country sub-terminals and flour mills.

At times, they were mixed with BWH, and sometimes WH type hoppers, to make up a consignment of wheat.17 RU’s plus guards van, make up the full load for a single standard goods locomotive on all mainlines (1:40 grades).

Modelling in HO:

- Data Sheets produce an excellent HO plan.

- Trainorama has available RTR models of both the RU and UL wagons.

- Silvermaz has a well detailed kit, suitable for making up to any version of the RU.

- Sydney Hobbies have made a Urethane casting of the RU 24539 Sloping roof.

Remaining Examples:

- RU 24468 is preserved in running order at the RTM,

- LVR at Cowra have a few stored ‘out the back’

- and, there are 3 stored on Kooragang Island, Newcastle (ex sand and weighbridge test wagons)

Further information can be found in issue 197 of the AMRM.

A well weathered RU just after withdrawal.

The unique, sloped roof RU 24539, after withdrawal.

RU 24468 as preserved at the RTM Josh Beveridge