LMS Route: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street

LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Saltley Shed: mrsalt103a

Close up of image 'mrsalt103' showing the labour intensive method of coaling locomotives by hand prior to the introduction of mechanical coaling plants. This close up shows the final stage of the process of coaling, the first being the off loading of the coal to be stacked in piles by the approach roads (see image 'mrsalt84'). Whilst some coal would be directed straight to the coaling stage, the railway stored coal to take advantage of lower prices available during the summer period as well as being a strategic reserve. When the time came to move the coal, it could not stand in stacks indefinitely as this impacted on the quality of the coal, it would then be reloaded by hand into the wagons to be transported to the coaling stage. Finally the coal would again be unloaded by hand into the small trucks seen above to be wheeled out over the tender or bunker and tipped.

back