On Track Models

VR 40ft Box Cars

There were 129 box vans built for the Victorian Railways by Newport Workshops between 1960 & 1962.

Vans 23 - 119 were initially coded BB, while some 13 were recoded BF in Oct 1961. These were recoded BLF by January 1962.

The remaining van numbers 120 - 151 were introduced as BLF's. The entire fleet of 129 vans was recoded BLX between 1963 & 1965.

In 1970 BLX 86 was specially painted for the first standard gauge train from Adelaide to Sydney via Broken Hill for Stephens Railex.

Vans BLX 23 - 120 & BLX 145 - 151 were reclassified VBBX from 1979.

Between September 1967 & June 1968, 24 vans number BLX 121 to BLX 144 were reclassified to BLF for Palletised Bagged Cement traffic. Initially retaining their original bogies at least 17 and up to 22 vans were refitted with the heavier aligned bogie.

These 24 vans were recoded VBBY in the 1979 reclassification, and in 1987 changed for the last time to VBBF.

Door styles over the years changed from the original plain panel doors, to single louvre, then twin louvre, and finally VHX style doors.

Combinations of the first 3 doors are common.

These vans include Genuine Kadee (R) Couplers, and AMRA profile wheels.

Features include opening sliding doors, simulated timber floors, cargo barriers, a combination of either plain pattern, twin louvre doors, or VHX style doors.

These wagons have no end louvre on the roof.

Some of the later BLF / VBBY / VBBF vans also include the aligned bogie.