GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Leamington Shed: gwrls3978

Two views from the coaling stage platform showing the short length of railtrack for the tip-wagons. This lead to the discharge point which overhang the locomotive’s tender. There is a hinged steel flap here, which dropped down when the tip-wagon was pushed against it. In the first photograph this hinged flap is in the raised position, while in the second photograph it has dropped. Once the hinged flap had dropped the tip-wagon could then be pushed fully out until its wheels came up against two curved stops. The front end of the tip-wagon had a full width door, hinged at the top. The door was kept closed by a simple catch, which could be operated from the rear of the tip wagon. When required the door catch was released, the wagon was tipped up to discharge its contents into the awaiting tender. The coalmen were typically expected to unload and discharge between twenty and twenty-five tons of coal per man in their eight hour shift

Robert Ferris

back