To provide for a weed spraying van, an _F__ horsebox was modified.
F 25 was converted during December 1954 and placed into service as HZ 1.
It was fitted with pumping gear and spray nozzles to spray along the track and along each side. It was coupled to tank wagons fitted with poison.
In 1959 HZ 1 was recoded to WZ 1 to clear the 'HZ' letters for a new type open wagon.
The van was placed into a special train of _WX_ / _WA_ bogie tankers. It travelled throughout Victoria on a two-three year cycle, spraying country and metropolitan tracks.
By 1982 an new van was built to replace the horsebox. _ZL_ 497 was rebuilt and renumbered to WZ 2. It too was fitted with pumps and spray gear. Most unusual was the van was painted in a very light grey colour.
WZ 1 was placed into storage at Newport Workshops and remained there until 1996 when it was scrapped and the underframe transferred to Seymour for preservation work.
No photos found for HZ
No diagrams found for HZ
Photos for 'WZ '
FileID Description................................................BO181 WZ - on Weedex train, Flinders Street, 16/10/1984, [oPJV]AR945 WZ 1, North Melbourne C&W Shops, 24/6/1975, [oPJV]DK386 WZ 1 - on spray set, North Melbourne C&W Shops, 22/4/1977, [oPJV]AR944 WZ 1 - spraying, Dandenong, 1978, [oPJV]B1566 WZ 1 - spraying on train rear, North Melbourne, 3/4/1978, [oPJV]CN378 WZ 1 - stripped, s1e1c, Newport Workshops, 1980s, [oBAU]CN379 WZ 1 - stripped, s2e2c, Newport Workshops, 1980s, [oBAU]BK372 WZ 1 - sXp, Bunyip, 16/3/1980, [oPJV]BK371 WZ 1 - sXq, Bunyip, 16/3/1980, [oPJV]BD030 WZ 1 - van end, North Melbourne C&W, 17/10/1976, [oRXO]BQ016 WZ 1 - with ZL 479 WZ 2 conversion, Arden Street, 3/3/1982, [oPJV]BO974 WZ 2 - ceXq, North Melbourne C&W, 28/7/1982, [oPJV]BO985 WZ 2 - cupola end pipe connections, North Melbourne C&W, 28/7/1982, [oPJV]BO979 WZ 2 - cupola end pipe connections to WA, North Melbourne C&W, 28/7/1982, [oPJV]AW378 WZ 2 - e2p, pipes, North Melbourne C&W, 21/11/1984, [oPJV]AW379 WZ 2 - e2q, pipes, North Melbourne C&W, 21/11/1984, [oPJV]AR946 WZ 2 - grey, ex ZL, North Melbourne C&W Shops, c1983, [oPJV]BO984 WZ 2 - lettering: NOT TO BE LOOSE SHUNTED, North Melbourne C&W, 28/7/1982, [oPJV]BO184 WZ 2 - on Weedex train, Flinders Street, 16/10/1984, [oPJV]BO986 WZ 2 - sX part side, North Melbourne C&W, 28/7/1982, [oPJV]BO975 WZ 2 - sX(1), North Melbourne C&W, 28/7/1982, [oPJV]BO976 WZ 2 - sX(2), North Melbourne C&W, 28/7/1982, [oPJV]BO983 WZ 2 - sX, with ZL, North Melbourne C&W, 28/7/1982, [oPJV]BO978 WZ 2 - sXp, North Melbourne C&W, 28/7/1982, [oPJV]BO982 WZ 2 - sXq, North Melbourne C&W, 28/7/1982, [oPJV]BO981 WZ 2 - van end spray gear, North Melbourne C&W, 28/7/1982, [oPJV]BO980 WZ 2 - van end spray pipes, North Melbourne C&W, 28/7/1982, [oPJV]BO977 WZ 2 - veXq, North Melbourne C&W, 28/7/1982, [oPJV]AL494 WZ 2B, [oGRE]
No diagrams found for WZ
File c257m compiled by Peter J. Vincent, updated 11/9/2007
