Historical information

The NQRs were the standard Medium open goods wagon. Generally the sides and ends were removable thus providing a totally flat truck.
Three long drop-down doors formed the sides thus allowing easy loading and unloading.
218 of these goods vehicles were built between 1898 and 1914 ? numbered 1 - 218​.
Originally, these wagons carried the code letter R​ as they were built with sides and ends. They later had the R removed.

Unlike the Broad Gauge, VR's 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge network never had four-wheeled wagons (aside from a handful of trolleys). Because of this, a single design of open wagon emerged and this was the only type of wagon ever used on these lines. This was the NQR class, a wagon with the same length and loading capacity as a Broad Gauge four-wheeled open wagon to make transferring freight between the gauges easier. The wagons, numbered 1 through 218, were built between 1898 and 1914.
The wagons used the same underframe as most other non-locomotives on the VR Narrow Gauge.
Letters and numbers were originally painted only on the end bulkheads and doors, both of which could be removed as traffic dictated, and this made wagon identification difficult until the decals were transferred to the underframes of each wagon
In the 1910s some NQRs were provided with removable wood and steel frameworks with canvas roof canopies and side curtains, and internal seating to supplement the rest of the passenger stock during busy holiday periods.
Puffing Billy has re-created these for emergency capacity. Five more NQRs, numbered 219-223​, were built between 1990 and 1992 initially for passenger use so were fitted with the removable frames
In the 1960s the Puffing Billy Railway added grids in the floor of some to enable them to be used to drop ballast on the track where needed.

Vehicle Length 25 feet 2 inches ( 7671 mm)
Coupled Length 27 feet 4 inches (8330 mm)
Width 6 feet 3 inches (1905 mm)
Weight 5 tons
Capacity 11 tons
Built 1898 - 1915 (1992)
Number Built 218 (223)
In use 14 To be restored 6

203 NQR at Clematis - Open Medium Truck

203 NQR - Open Medium Truck (11)

VR Service History -
NQR 203.VA - 5/12/1913 NWS Built new -
/ /1926 - To NQ 203.VA -
NQ 203.VA - / /1973 NWS Stored minus bogies, NR4/73

Puffing Billy Service History or Notes
Untrafficable at Clematis

Significance

Historic - Victorian Railways - Narrow Gauge Rolling Stock - NQR Open Medium Truck

Physical description

203 NQR at Clematis - Open Medium Truck
made of Steel and metal

Inscriptions & markings

203 NQR