LP2 to LP2A

[Luke R]

G'day all,
Would anyone happen to know when Victorian railways changed from making LP2 to LP2A carriers.
As in what Hull number they got to before the switch?

Thanks all
Luke.

[Luke R]

Well can anyone give me a rough idea, as in some time between hull number X and hull number Y?

[Dale Jordan]

Hi Luke . My carrier 2225 and Rick's 2250 both vic rail are 2A's 1942 . so I think it depends on when the ran out of stock 1939 diffs

[Luke R]

Thanks Dale.
Can anyone else add to the list.
Highest VR hull number LP2, Lowest number VR LP2A

Cheers Luke.

[Lynn Eades]

When the249th carrer was built , changes were made to the diffs
The first LP2a from V.R. was 405
From Met Gas, 841
From SAR, was 1207
and by Ford Homebush, was 1763
All this from a parts book.

[Darrin Wright]

My hull is Vic rail 731 and it is a LP2, released to the Army 2nd week Dec 1941 (Vic Archives)

I have Bob M database (parts there of) on my other computer, not sure if that has the detail that you require.
let me know...

[Lynn Eades]

To add to that, The LP2's are:
V.R. 161 to 270A ( yes there was one 270 and a 270A) (only one with a suffix)
From Met Gas, 271 (271A, 271B, through to 284, and then 284A (no other suffixes)
and from SAR 285 to 404.
So theres something to chew on.
BTW.
With the LP2A's there will be later ones that never were listed in the parts book.
Darrin, I guess Dale has it covered.

[Mike Cecil]

Curious Darrin, as hull 731 is shown as a LP2A in the registration books, with engine number 2G19111F. Not that the books are infallible by any means. Do you think the carrier as you found it was still fitted with its original diff? If so, what ratio was marked on it?

With regard to Lynn's numbers, Hull 405, the first of the VR batch after South Aust Railways contract for hull 285 to 404, was listed as having a '40-640' differential, ie a 1940 differential with ration 6.66 to 1, so an LP2A. I don't have any reference to carriers built by VR with '38 diffs after that number (except a couple of much later 'specials'), but Darrin has raised the probability that there were some, given his is hull 731.

However there are certainly much later vehicles from SAR than hull 1207 which are listed as having '38-640' differentials, ie 1938 diffs, so LP2. Hull numbers 1668, 1674, 1680 to 1726 fall into this group.

Some Ford Homebush carriers after 1763 also have 1938 differentials, for example hull 1847 to 1885 are listed not only with 1938 axles, but the higher 5.83:1 ratio, denoted by '635' stamped into the housing, rather than '640'. So again, these are LP2, not LP2A models.

So it would appear that, despite the manuals, the installation of 1938 differentials continued is some manner, possibly depending upon availability, and it was not a matter of stop using '38 diffs and start using '40 diffs exclusively.

Mike

'38 type: splined pinion.
'40 type: plain tapered pinion & woodruf key