ZMF guards van

The ZMF were the last guards vans built by Victorian Railways. These vans loosely followed a U.S.A practice for yard or transfer cabooses, a modular body fitted to an underframe. Ten vans were built at Newport workshops, numbered ZMF 1 - 10. Number 1, the prototype entered service in December 1980, with numbers 2 - 10 entering service during 1982.

The guards van consisted of a short bogie flatwagon fitted with a plastic cabin manufactured by Reinforced Plastics. The cabin shape included a verandah which was at the handbrake end of the wagon. The opposite end platform had gas and electrical fittings for heating and lighting.

ZMF 10 at Newport, Feb 4 1983

 Photo by Peter J. Vincent

There were variations in details between the prototype and the other members of the class.  1 ZMF had a handbrake below the modular cabin, while the others had dual handbrakes on the verandah end of the wagon. Other variations included the location of components on the underframe, size of cupola window and the size of the side steps.

1 ZMF, note the location of the brake wheel on the underframe below the cabin and the smaller guards window.

The vans were recoded from ZMF to VVEY in 1983. The vans had a short working life with all being withdrawn from service by 1987 with the phasing out of guards vans on goods trains in Victoria. In 1988 two vans had the cabins removed and the underframes converted to QD as transporters for the sleeper discharge equipment. Three of the modular cabins survive (2 at the Newport Railway Museum and 1 at the Yarra Valley Railway).

4 VVEY outside Ballarat North Railway Workshops. This van will receive V/Line logos.

3 ZMF destined for Stuart Hicks layout.

I originally built 2 ZMF guards vans about 15 years ago. These vans were built from styrene sheet and shapes, with brass wire and old athearn stantions for the handrails. 

1 ZMF built approximately 10 years ago.

The underframe details are a combination of SEM brake components and scraps from the junk box. The marker lights and small head dress pins. The most Fiddly bits are the handrails and the side cupola window. The window is basically a box out of clear styrene that strips are applied to to produce the metal frame.

The two additional vans follow the same techniques used for the first vans. One of these is destined for Stuart Hicks layout in Nhill, the other coded 4 VVEY will wear black V/Line logos (once I produce the decals). ZMF's certainly help reinforce the layouts setting as the early 1980's and look the part trailing a long rake of GH's.