Sunday March 9th, 1969 411 Express at Wingham NSW photo by Peter Neve

These versatile little 40'2" Vans were introduced in 2 batches to the South Australian Railways from 1968.

An initial batch of 56 wagons were built by the SAR Islington Workshops in 1968 and were numbered LX 1 - LX 56

These wagons had pressed metal ends and a low mounted inverted ratchet handbrake at the 'Long' end.

A subsequent batch of 100 vans were also produced at the workshops from 1969 onwards, numbered - LX 57 - LX 156.

These featured strengthened end panels with a mid mounted ratchet handbrake on the 'Short' end.

While similar to the Victorian VLF / VLX L40's" Louvre Vans, they differ in a number of ways.

The Victorian Vans feature welded seams on their roof line, the South Australian ones had riveted roof sheets and a different top door runner channel.

In another departure from the norm in which the Victorian Vans had either timber floors in the case of the VLF, and steel on the VLX Vans.

South Australia opted for a hybrid design of only using steel plates between the door openings and timber beyond that.

The bogie centres were also a foot longer at 29'2".

Introduced in the standard SAR Wagon Grey of the time, some were repainted ANR Oxide Red in the late 1970's

Following the launch of the rebranded Australian National in 1980, these were steadily painted AN Green & Gold and recoded to ALGX.

Two wagons were repainted Australian Southern Orange in the late 1990's

These Bogie Exchange Vans have seen service all over the Australian Mainland on both Standard Gauge and Broad Gauge Networks, from Perth thru to Melbourne and all the up to Brisbane and everywhere in between.

Production photos will be added shortly

* Sunday March 9th, 1969 411 Express at Wingham NSW, photo by Peter Neve OAM

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