Ninety seven gravity discharge cement hoppers were built or converted to transport cement powder from Fyansford to Melbourne.
Twelve wagons were converted from the bogie open hopper wagons purchased in 1925 coded _J__. The J wagons were used unsatisfactorily in coal, ballast and grain traffic.
In the mid 1960's the capacity for CJ wagons was raised and the modified vehicles were recoded to CJF_. As the "brake force to load" ratio was incorrect for 'F' designated vehicles, the class were recoded back to CJ.
The two most interesting wagons were CJ 16 and CJ 46. They both went into North Melbourne for conversion from CJF to CJ and were returned to traffic with swapped numbers. So CJ 16 in running during 1975 was built as CJ 46, and CJ 46 at 1975 was built as CJ 16.
The 1979 recode for these vehicles was VHCA.
CJ wagons 9, 52 and 58 were removed from service 1983 / 1985 and were not recoded.
The CJ wagons were recoded to VHCA between 1979 and 1984.
The wagons coded to VHCA were numbers 1 - 8, 10 - 51, 53 - 57, 59 - 97.
In 1981, VHCA 83 was modified and recoded to VHLA.
Between 1984 and 1993 VHCA wagons had the top covers removed and were placed into gypsum traffic as open top hoppers.
In 1985 VHCA 48 and 64 were scrapped. Some records show VHCA still coded CJ.
VHCA 55 was sighted at Ararat painted in grey during 1996.
By 1975 there were three main types of CJ:
These were numbered 1 - 5, 7 - 13, 15 - 50, 55 - 79, 88 - 97
These were numbered 6 and 14. Both vehicles feature a 'Mansard' roof type top. From the conversion dates these were the first two vehicles done which leads me to speculate they were a trial modification
There were 12, numbered 51 - 54 and 80 - 87.