TME Pipe Wagon

 

Picture required of a TME/TMX (NZTA/NZTF/NZTX)

 

            These wagons were converted from UME flat wagons for the conveyance of pipes and tubes. The TMX version was converted from HMX type flat wagons. Two hardwood cradles were fitted to the deck, each with 6 recesses milled into them to hold the pipe. The TME first appeared in 1964/65 with 4 listed, others, including the TMX, were added by 1969. By 1982 there were 8 TME and 4 TMX wagons ‘on the books’.

 

Running Numbers:

TME (1963/64) – 11365, 29506, 29512, 29515 and 29529.

TMX (1969) – 26365, 26391, 26395, 26419, 26423, 26436, 26440, 26458 and 26462.

TME (1969) – 11365, 26327, 26331, 26338, 26339, 26342, 26343, 26357, 26361, 26372, 26376, 26379, 26381, 26383, 26385, 26386, 26417, 26418, 26421, 26422, 26446, 26450, 26474, 26478, 26499 and 26503.

 

Length:            11.8m              Eqilivent Length: 1.8

TME    -           Tare:    20t                   Capacity:         42t                   Gross:  61t      

                        TMX   -           Tare:    22t                   Capacity:         42t                   Gross:  73t

 

Bogies:

-                      TME noted as having 2BT plain bearing bogies fitted

-                      Some TME’s were fitted with roller bearing bogies 2CF

-                      TMX were fitted with any type of exchange bogie, commonly XCF.

 

Coding:

-                      TME originally

-                      TMX for bogie exchange version

-                      From 1979, plain bearing bogied TME became NZTA and roller bearing bogied ones became NZTF.

-                      The TMX became NZTX.

 

Colour Scheme:

-                      Only seemed to have been painted in standard NSWR gunmetal grey with white lettering.

 

Operation:

These wagons were developed to move pipes and tubes from the Pt Kembla Steelworks to customers within and outside NSW via bogie exchange. They were added to trains as required and were rarely moved in block loads.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

 

Modifications:

-           Apart from bogie changes, no modifications appear to have been made to these wagons.

 

Modelling in HO:

-                      AR Kits have a basic kit available of the MLE flat wagon, which can be converted into a TME/TMX.

-                      Sydney Hobbies produce a kit of the TME/TMX and is available from Casula Hobbies.

-                      Austrains produced a RTR HO scale model in 2008.

 

Further Reading:

-                      The August 2004 AMRM has a great article on the TME/TMX.