R10 UP Van Kit
During the 1930s there was a program to fit the six wheel U vans with automatic couplers and as part of the process they were converted to four wheel underframes. In order to retain the capability of operation as luggage vans on passenger trains, sixty vans were rebuilt with bogie underframes utilising 6'0' wheelbase swing motion diamond frame bogies and coded UB. Lamp irons were added to the comers of the van as well as to the headstocks at each end, with provision made by the simple expedient of hammering the louvres flat in the general area. UB vans remained on diamond frame bogies until 1958-1960 when there was a program to change to bar frame bogies. A further change was made to transfer many of the UB vans to 40 ton cast steel bogies in 1973-1975. They were largely withdrawn and scrapped in the mid to late 1970s.
Problems with the ride quality of the diamond frame bogies led to a directive in 1949 that UB vans were not to be attached to passenger trains where the speed would exceed 40mph, effectively limiting the vans to goods train use. This loss of luggage van capacity led to eight vans being fitted with TT30 bogies in 1955/56, allowing them to be used on passenger trains once more. These vans were also fitted with locomotive style folding tail discs at each end and a large P was stencilled on the upper right side / upper left end corners to denote suitability for use on passenger trains and the van code was changed to UP. The UP vans were painted with passenger car red enamel in 1958/59, but the arrival of the larger capacity VP vans spell the end of the UP vans and they were placed back on freight bogies in late 1960/early 1961, reverting to UB code and goods train operation.
This kit includes wide doors and a corrugated roof, so it is representative of vans numbered 1-41, 43, 44 and 50. A more detailed history of these vans can be found in the October 2000 Australian Model Railway Magazine.
*Models illustrated have been fitted with couplers (not included).