At the Sandown Exhibition I purchased a Bendigo Models Flat Top T class from the seconds bid on the Auscision stand.
T321 was one of two flat top T's fitted with the distinctive Beclawat windows, replacing the original side window arrangement (the other was T345). It also had cut out side valances, a modification to improve access for maintenance (which was applied to T333, 342, 343 and 345).
T321 also had yellow painted handrails. From around 1980 a number of the first series T's had their handrails painted yellow. This included T324, 333, 337, 342, 343 and 345.
T321 also retained its original fabricated bogies until it's withdrawal in 1986.
These changes made T321 easily recognisible from the other members of its class. I remember seeing T321 on a couple of occasions during 1983. One was on on an Up Kyneton pass with a consist of BW-BW-AE-CW. I also witness it from the footbridge at Werribee struggle through the station with a lengthly rake of VBCW vans on the Ford car parts trains.
On another occasion it was sighted in the yard at Dandenong (most likely from a goods off the Great Southern Railway) whilst in a Harris set on school excursion to the city.
On the layout T321 will mainly see use on goods and passenger trains on the Mildura line and occasionally on a branchline goods to Skipton and Newlyn.
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| T321 rests outside the fuel point at Ballarat East locomotive Depot. |
T321 was one of two flat top T's fitted with the distinctive Beclawat windows, replacing the original side window arrangement (the other was T345). It also had cut out side valances, a modification to improve access for maintenance (which was applied to T333, 342, 343 and 345).
T321 also had yellow painted handrails. From around 1980 a number of the first series T's had their handrails painted yellow. This included T324, 333, 337, 342, 343 and 345.
T321 also retained its original fabricated bogies until it's withdrawal in 1986.
These changes made T321 easily recognisible from the other members of its class. I remember seeing T321 on a couple of occasions during 1983. One was on on an Up Kyneton pass with a consist of BW-BW-AE-CW. I also witness it from the footbridge at Werribee struggle through the station with a lengthly rake of VBCW vans on the Ford car parts trains.
On another occasion it was sighted in the yard at Dandenong (most likely from a goods off the Great Southern Railway) whilst in a Harris set on school excursion to the city.
On the layout T321 will mainly see use on goods and passenger trains on the Mildura line and occasionally on a branchline goods to Skipton and Newlyn.
Another brilliant series of modeling. Thanks
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