To maintain the rolling stock fleet, the three main Workshops of Newport, Ballarat and Bendigo serviced various types of equipment. Wagons were used to transport parts between these various places. As well large locomotive depots also maintained wagons and were part of the transport chain.
Some _HR_ wagons were used to transport small bins of auto couplers. By 1985, there were only three wagons in traffic. HR 2, 28 and 30 were recoded and renumbered to HZC 250, 251 and 252 by June 1985.
By the late 1980's, most of the traffic was being transferred to road trucks.