In January 1965 the Western Australian Government Railway took delivery from the Commonwealth Railways of 50 ballast hoppers, 12 bogie underframe flat tops and 2 wagons for conversion to ballast ploughs, at a cost of £350 each.
The flat tops were: R 48, R 64, R 65, R 68, R 356, R 369, F 884 (was R 43), G 241 (was R 241), G 247 (was R 247), G 268 (was R 268), TD 262 (was R 262), TD 280 (was R 280), TD 499, SA 308.
It was intended that G 268 and TD 499(?) would be converted to the ballast ploughs.
The supplied ballast hoppers were all former Commonwealth Railways "BAS" class with road numbers: 508, 510, 511, 513, 515, 517, 519, 522, 523, 527, 529, 530, 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 536, 538, 540, 541, 543, 545, 546, 548, 549, 550, 553, 558, 561, 562, 563, 567, 568, 569, 572, 574, 575, 576, 579, 581, 586, 587, 588, 589, 590, 591, 594, 597, 599.
The flat tops were to be numbered 30601 to 30612, the ballast ploughs 30613 & 30614 and the ballast hoppers 30551 to 30600.
(Based on notes compiled by Philippa Rogers).
