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GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Hockley Station: gwrhd693

A Great Western Railway two horse tilt van in Hockley Goods Station driven by Mr Jack Jackson

A Great Western Railway two horse tilt van in Hockley Goods Station. The seated driver is Mr Jack Jackson, while Mr William Steddan is standing on the right. Drivers would serve their apprenticeship as van-guards and be gradually trained and advanced from that grade to chain horse drivers, then in successive stages to Carmen with one horse, pair-horse, three horse and eventually four horse. The two horse tilt van was the standard cartage vehicle used by the Great Western Railway with large numbers built at the Swindon workshops. The cart was rated to carry a load of 4 tons 10 cwt. The axles rested on lever springs and after 1915 ‘Artillery pattern’ twelve spoked wheels became the standard. The wheels were dished to reduce the strain on the axle. They had oak spokes and an ash felloe (inner rim) held in place by a steel tyre, which was hydraulically applied. These carts had a rear wheel rim brake that was operated by a foot brake.

Robert Ferris

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