Transhipment/Exchange Yards

Hello,

Does anyone know of any examples of transhipment/exchange yards between standard and narrow gauge lines, specifically looking at chalk/coal etc. rather then slate?

Many thanks

Chris

 

Try the Leighton Buzzard light railway. There was a large tipping dock at Billington road for the sand industry.
see the Leighton buzzard light railway by Sydney Leleux and Narrow Gauge tracks in the sand by Rod Dingwall for Maps and Photos

Colin Green

 

Not strictly standard gauge to narrow gauge (rather standard to standard), but does meet the chalk / coal brief: Amberley, on the LBSCR Mid Sussex line, had a connection from the goods yard back to the chalk pits: coal, and occasional shipments of gunpowder in, lime out. The short branch to the chalk pits was serviced by a couple of privately owned engines, including an Aveling and Porter traction engine type engine. I suspect there was probably an internal narrow gauge system to get products too and from the kilns, though whether that originally had any motive power, or was operated by hand / horse, I don't know.

Another standard / narrow gauge concern in Sussex was at Sheffield Park, where there was a narrow gauge tramway serving the dairy. Would have been entirely hand propelled.

If you ignore chalk (but still not going as far as slate) there were numerous narrow gauge lines on Purbeck serving the ball clay industry, which had standard gauge transhipment facilities - the Swanage Railway people here could no doubt fill you in on the details. Also, further west on the Somerset levels, there were extensive peat workings that again had narrow gauge transport and transhipment to the S&D.

Tom

 

For the full range of exchange systems try the Grovebury Quarries system. also in Leighton Buzzard but not connected to the LBLR. Not only did it have a tip serving the big Railway, it also had a wharf on the grand union canal, 2 tips for road vehicles and 2 tips directly in to Redland Tile works.
A map and a small article on the system can be found in Roy C Links Industrial Narrow Gauge Handbook

Colin Green

 

Another was the Snailbeach District Railways which transshipped lead ore to the GWR at Pontesbury.

 

Also there was the Eaton Hall Railway (15" gauge) which had interchange/ exchange sidings at Balderton on the Chester-Shrewsbury line.

Frank

 

Eldon's siding at Norden on the Swanage Branch had an transhipment dock for transferring clay from the narrow gauge line's wagons to standard gauge wagons

 

Let's see, where else? There's the wharf between the Hendre Ddu Tramway and the standard gauge Mawddwy Railway at Aberangell - mostly slate but handled a lot of timber and general goods too. The Sand Hutton transshipped to the NER at Warhill. The Harrogate Gasworks railway connected with the standard gauge at Bilton Junction (Harrogate Gas Works Railway. 1952. | Flickr - Photo Sharing!) and saw a lot of coal going to the gasworks. The Eastwell ironstone line transferred ore via tipplers at the foot of an incline to the GN & LNW Joint near Harby Station. The Kettering ironstone railway also ended with tipplers transferring to the standard gauge. The Scaldwell ironstone railway had a simple loading dock to the standard gauge at Lamport. Finally on ironstone the Wellingborough railway transshipped to the standard gauge too. All these ironstone lines are covered in this IRS article: Ironstone Narrow Gauge.

There were more, but that should keep you going for a bit

 

Minffordd still has the sunken roads and chutes used for trans-shipping coal from SG wagons to the FR.

 

Can I mention the blindingly obvious - Barnstaple Town, with a transhipment siding between standard gauge and the narrow gauge L&B. Was used for general goods.

Another one (and à propos the Military Railways thread) was Porton, on the LSWR mainline (the station before Salisbury in the down direction) where there was a narrow gauge system serving the various military camps with exchange sidings connecting to the mainline.

Tom

 

One survivor that springs to mind is the MOD East Riggs facility in Scotland, mostly military hardware & ordnance being exchanged though. Could be the very last one in these islands, can anyone confirm?

Cheers

Alan

 

Thos E Gray, Northants:

Isebrook Quarry | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Someone used the 'S' word ...

 

Ban 'em

 

Welshpool, where the W&LLR met the Cambrian line.

The old Cattle dock still remains in Welshpool.

Cannot find any photo links just at the moment though!

Rich.

 

Surely we're all over the Great Zzzzznailbeach Hoax of '08 by now? Snailbeach can't be a banned topic all this time on. Seriously?

Leek and Manifold had their spectacular transporter wagons, so had transhipment sidings and shed, which is a variation on a theme.

Then there are the eponymous Lincolnshire potato railways - e.g. Nocton - which had some very exciting rolling stock. The book on Lincs Potato Railways published by Oakwood Press must rank amongst the more "niche" titles but it's very interesting.

 

how about North Devon Clay at Torrington on the Barnstaple Branch 3ft to Standard gauge?

 

Masham, between the NER and the reservoir construction railway.

Chirk, on the Glyn Valley Tramway

Ravenglass

Torrington

Many many more. Best to check them on Old Maps

 

The Ashover could tranship stone ballast to the standard gauge at Clay Cross

Simon