GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Moor Street Station: gwrms3883

Two official letters dated 10th December 1913 from Roger T Smith (Electrical Engineer for the Great Western Railway from 1905 to 1924) authorising Stothert & Pitt Ltd to commence construction of the Jib Cranes and Capstans for the Moor Street Goods Depot. This equipment was of a conventional mechanical design, but was electrically powered. The equipment in the two letters includes:

1. 6 ton Jib Crane – A conventional 6 ton jib crane on a fixed base was located adjacent to the upper goods shed for lifting heavy and bulky items directly from wagons. This jib crane had a maximum radius of fifteen feet and if required could complete a full revolution in 30 seconds. The electrically powered hoist could raise or lower a load at twenty feet per minute and was fitted with automatic electric brake. See 'gwrms1212' for a photograph of the 6 ton jib crane at Moor Street Goods Depot.
2. 1 ton Jib Cranes - There were two 1 ton jib cranes located in the larger lower goods warehouse (Shed B) at Moor Street. See 'gwrms1215' for a photograph of one of these Jib Cranes in Shed B at Moor Street Goods Warehouse. The locations of these two cranes are marked on the plan of the lower level sheds 'gwrms1205'.
3. Cylde Capstans – There were twenty seven of these electrically powered capstans positioned around the Goods Depot - thirteen capstans were provided in the upper level yard, with four more capstans in lower level shed A and a further ten reduced speed capstans in lower level shed B. Steel hawsers were attached by hooks to rail wagons and wound around these capstans, which then could be rotated by an electric motor to move the wagons. Reel posts were provided to guide or reverse the direction of pull of the steel hawsers. The work of hauling wagons in large goods depots would previously have been undertaken with shunting horses. See 'gwrms1213' for a photograph of an electrically powered Cylde capstan being demonstrated at Moor Street and 'gwrms1696' for a poster detailing the regulations for use of these Capstans.

Robert Ferris

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