TRC Refrigerator Van

TRC Refrigerated Van

New TRC 3235 on delivery from Tulloch’s. All photos SRA Archives.

The TRC is perhaps the most well-known class of refrigerated van. Their design and introduction was revolutionary in terms of running characteristics and refrigerant performance. The NSW railways had recently upgraded their fleet of MRC timber bodied vans with high speed 2AE bogies, the TRC’s augmented the MRC’s and the railways, for the first time since the 1930’s had the means to move the desired quantities of meat at the required high speed.

The all-steel TRC was refrigerated by way of 8 roof top bunkers in the roof. They required 2 tons of ice for this purpose.

Builders:

260 vans were built in 3 batches,

- 50 vans were built by Tulloch Ltd, Rhodes between May 1951 and April 1954. They were numbered 3235, later 31101, and 31102 - 31150.

- 60 vans were built by Metropolitan Cammell Car and Wagon Works, of Birmingham, England, between April 1952 and February 1953. These were numbered 31301 – 31360.

- 150 vans were built by Commonwealth Engineering between May 1953 and October 1955. They were numbered 31151 – 31300.

The TRC’s were one of the first classes of goods wagon to receive a ‘block number series’. Previously, new wagons were allocated ‘spare’ numbers vacated by condemned or scrapped wagons.

Length: 11.58m Tare: 27t Capacity: 32t Gross: 59t Equiv Length: 1.9

Bogies: Originally fitted with ‘Andrews’ 2BR ‘ride control’ bogies. Very few were fitted with roller bearing bogies, but 2CH, 2CF and 2AQ types have been used.

Coding:

- As introduced, they were coded TRC.

- From 1979, they were recoded NRTA (2BR bogied) and NRTF (roller bearing bogied). Only one vehicle is noted as being coded NRTF, 31247.

- In April 1974, 31320 was recoded ABC for its new allocated role for Arnott’s Biscuits.

Colour Scheme:

- Class leader, TRC 3235, when built, had a white painted roof and body, with black gutter, underframe and bogies. It is believed that when it was renumbered 31101, it was repainted silver to match the rest of the class.

- The majority upon delivery were painted all over in silver with black gutter, underframe and bogies. Lettering and code was black. They featured prominently a red diamond above the code to signify it’s suitability to be attached to or run at passenger train speeds.

- From the early-1970’s, many vans received MK1 PTC logos on the right-hand end of the sides. The application of the logos was varied, some had blue logos with white lettering, and others had a blue circle painted on with a white logo applied inside.

- Two vans, 31294 and 31320 were painted PTC Blue in the mid 70’s. TRC 31294 is well noted as being a long term resident of the Petersham ‘Shunters’ Training School’ did not have a logo applied. 31320 was painted blue when converted to ABC in April 1974.

- At least one was noted as being painted SRA red.

Modifications:

The first van, TRC 3235, and possibly earlier members was not fitted with buffers. They were soon fitted with buffers and additional lamp brackets to enable them to be attached to passenger trains.

The class didn’t receive much in the way of modifications, but later in their lives, many vans were used in restricted service as standard boxcars for metropolitan goods and departmental traffic.

After condemnation, some vans gave their underframes for use as departmental wagons, like concrete sleeper wagons.

Similar Vehicles: ABC 31320.

Period of Service: May 1951 to May 1987.

Operation:

Upon entering service, the vans took up operation on ‘top link’ meat and fruit express goods trains. These trains were given priority over all trains except the ‘crack express’ passenger trains. They performed gallantly in fast traffic service for more than 20 years before being superceded by superior refrigerator vans and the introduction of mechanically cooled containers. They were most commonly used on meat traffic from country abattoirs to city markets, and would usually be marshaled with other perishables traffic into the fast goods trains. Occasionally one or two would be attached to fast passenger trains to expedite their journey to the city. Iconic trains like the ‘Central West Express’ would be referred too as the ‘Central West Mixed’ when such vehicles were attached.

In the late 1970’s, 3 vans (31104, 31201 and 31241) were reserved for tomato traffic and stenciled with ‘Tomatoes Only’ adjacent to the vehicle code. The fleet began to deteriorate due to salt corrosion (an inevitable situation in their line of duty) and from the mid 1970’s, were withdrawn aggressively. Most remaining vans in service in the early 1980’s were by then restricted to metropolitan goods working and were stenciled as such.

Modelling:

- ‘Protype’ produced a multi-piece whitemetal HO model, but is no longer available.

- ‘Freidmont’ produced a resin bodied HO model and is still available from Iron Horse Models, Wagga.

- ‘Bergs Hobbies’ released a whitemetal HO model, but is no longer available

- ‘Trax’ originally produced a multi-piece injection molded HO kit and is available from Casula Hobbies under their ‘Silvermaz’ range.

- On Track Models produced an RTR HO scale model in 2014.