SDS Models HO QQAY Aurizon Container Wagon 4 Car Set

As part of the mainline upgrade program in the mid 1990’s, QR introduced three new triple-slot container wagons to its fleet.  All three wagons shared a similar “60ft” design capable of carrying three 20ft containers, or one 40ft container together with one 20ft container.   The wagons were to be largely used on intermodal services along the Queensland coast.  The three wagon classes were to be coded BAZY, BCZY, and BEZY.

The first of the new triple-slot container wagons to be introduced was the BCZY Class, with the first delivered from QR’s Ipswich Workshops in 1993.  A total of 170 BCZY’s were built with the last delivered in December 1994.  The BCZY’s were followed by the BAZY Class which 88 were built by Redbank Workshops during 1988.  The main difference between BAZY and the earlier BCZY was the fitting of auto twistlocks for securing the containers in place of spigots.

The BEZY was the last of this family of triple-slot container wagons to be introduced.  A total of 299 BEZY’s were built between November 1999 and November 2000 at QR’s Redbank Workshops.  Running numbers for the BEZY were 47554 to 47852.  The BEZY Class is equipped with a conventional QR59 bogie which easily identifies them from the earlier BAZY and BCZY which was fitted with a long wheelbase QR54A bogie.

In July 2004, BEZY 47612 was selected for conversion to standard gauge for trial use with QR’s expansion into interstate standard gauge intermodal operations.  The trial proved successful and a further 32 were converted in late 2004, followed by a further 40 in late 2005.  When converted to standard gauge they were classified as QQAY Class with each wagon also receiving a check letter after its number.  The QQAY wagons are fitted with a uniquely modified 1435mm gauge QRWEH 70T bogie where a 12-inch centre bowl has been welded above the standard 14-inch centre bowl.  

Aurizon announced on 14 August 2017 that it would be exiting the Intermodal business with the non-Queensland operations to be wound down by the end of the year. Seven of the remaining 70 QQAY class were allocated to the Sydney ports shuttle, which continued into 2018. The other 63 were transferred to the Aurizon Bulk West operation in WA, for use in their container wagon fleet. The first of these entered service in December 2017.  The Sydney Ports shuttle was sold to LINX Cargo Care Group at the end of March 2018.  

During 2018 Aurizon announced the sale of its Queensland intermodal business to Linfox.  This deal also included the sale and transfer of all remaining BAZY, BCZY, and BEZY wagons to Linfox who continue to operate the fleet in 2024.

Model Features:

• Highly detailed Ready-to-Run 1/87 scale model
• Factory painted and decorated
• Injection moulded high quality plastic bodywork
• Die-cast metal center beam
• Full brake rigging and underfloor detail
• Semi scale metal wheels
• Genuine Kadee scale head whisker coupler
• 18” Minimum radius recommended