Modelling the KF/KW car transporter wagons

The project

We are modelling the Victorian Railways (VR) KF / KW Car Transporter Wagons with 11'6" wheelbase for which, unfortunately, there are not many photographs. However, refer [Editor note: for Photos 1 to 21 refer to AMRM issue 353 April 2022] Photos 13, 14 and 15 of the prototype wagon KF 1 which is empty and shows the framework and posts. Photos 16, 17, 18 and 19 show KF 1 with Fairlane 500 Ranch Wagons being craned on at the Ford factory Geelong.

The only two drawings I have located are a VR line drawing titled ”KW” on www.pjv101.net and VR’s GA Drawing No. 15230 KF Wagon of 2July1959, either available in PROV Victoria. Both these drawings give the dimensions of the top and lower frames that car bodies are mounted on and placement of on the wagon.

We therefore can model four variations of these VR ‘four-wheel’ wagons for transporting cars and bodies as follows:

Note: The main focus though of this article is the first variation (a) below:

• (a) Geelong to Broadmeadows (Upfield) KF / KW wagons – with framework for:

• Type A – 2 Bodies double stacked and one truck cab on floor.

• Type B – 2 Bodies only double stacked.

Note: These mainly ran as dedicated Ford trains. However, in the first couple of months of this Ford traffic, or if loading was not sufficient, then the wagons were marshalled into the Geelong to Melbourne goods and then from Melbourne yard into the Coburg–Upfield goods, see Photo 1.

• (b) Broadmeadows (Upfield) to Albury KW wagons – with framework as in (a) above but only one complete car (on