QH / VFGA - Heavy Load Transport


QH

To assist with the transport of heavy loads, four flat wagons were constructed using 'S' steam engine tender underframes and bogies. The vehicles were originally classed _Q__ numbers 133 - 136 and were recoded to QH 1 - 4 to make a distinctive group.

Of interest, the railways created a group of heavy capacity transports during the late 1950's/early 1960's, partly for Hazelwood Power Station construction and the Snowy Mountains scheme in the Kiewa Valley, NSW. As there were a limited number of high capacity bogies, some vehicles were removed from bogies and stored on the ground to allow the others to run.

QH 1 was unique in construction. It featured plain flat sides. QH 2 - 4 had the sides strengthened sides at floor level.

In the 1979 recoding the class was relettered to VFGA.