GWR Routes: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Routes: North Warwickshire Line

Moor Street Station: gwrms1211

View of a demonstration showing how wagons are moved on a traverser whilst in the background the second wagon hoist to lower shed 'B' can be seen. On the left behind the wall is the Snow Hill to Paddington main line with the higher section marking where Park Street passes under the yard. The 25 ton capacity traverser sits above the siding set of rails and is mounted on small wheels running on its own dedicated set of rails running at 90° to the siding's track. The traverser is moved until it aligns with the siding and then the wagon is rolled forward and then 'climbs' the tapered end of the traverser's rails until its sits centrally on the traverser. This manoeuvre is carried out by using powered and dumb capstans in conjunction with ropes attached to the hook of the wagon.

The need to move wagons without locomotive power is amply demonstrated in this view. Any locomotive operating in the confined yard would be forever shunting wagons just to reach the wagon that needed moving. The solution was to either use horses to pull the wagons forward or as in Moor Street's case, use powered and dumb capstans to pull the wagons with the aid of ropes and chains. In front of the wagon hoist seen above are two powered capstans that would revolve winding the rope or chain. Either side of the traverser are dumb capstans which are used by placing the rope from the powered capstan around it and back to the wagon.

back