50 VFNX bulkhead flat wagons were built at Newport workshops in 1979. These wagons were basically a flat wagon with fixed bulkheads and a moveable tarpaulin. They were a result of a test where SFX 100 was fitted with a moveable tarpaulin arrangement following European practice. These wagons share the same underframe/bulkhead design as VFTY timber wagons built at the same time. The main use of the VFNX was in freight centre traffic and paper traffic from Maryvale papermill in the Latrobe Valley.
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| A VFNX sits outside of the Ballarat Goods Shed having had its Freight Centre loading unloaded during the morning. |
These are kitbashed from the Lima model following the article by Peter Gibbs in AMRM No. 117 December 1982 (Volume 10, issue 117, page 18). The main modifications are filing the ends flat and then building the bracing out of styrene strip of various sizes. Brass wire is used for the steps. The fifth hoop from each end is filed flat and cover made out of 20thou styrene sheet. A strip of styrene is added to the bottom of the sides to replicate the frame. Styrene sheet is also used to fill in the fish belly underframe.
On the layout the two VFNX wagons are used in Freight centre service, arriving overnight on 9101 Melbourne Yard = Ballarat Fast Goods and then shunted to the goods shed for unloading by the yard pilot. Once unloaded they are usually shunted to one of the adjacent tracks before returning to the shed in the afternoon to receive the outward Freight Centre loading. It's then shunted into the consist of the 9170 Ballarat - Melbourne Through Goods, departing Ballarat at 8pm.
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| A VFNX is loaded with the outward Freight Centre loading. It will be forwarded to Melbourne on the evening 9170 Ballarat - Melbourne Through Goods. |
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