Glass works

[Dog Star]

Dave,
My apologies for what I now realise was a rather loose comment. I am not questioning the carriage of sand, the provision of wagons specifically for sand traffic is accepted. What I am interested to know is how the railways might have dealt with cullet as a traffic.
regards, Graham

 

[Dave]

Ah, I see, I thought you were referring to the quote. I would guess that cullet (which is broken glass, right?) would have come from rejects at the factory in the 60s. Where now it includes stuff from council recycling etc. I didn't think that the recycling of glass, other then returning your pop bottles to the corner shop, would have been something that was done in the 1960s? If it was then I would assume it would be road traffic.

As soda ash can be an ingredient in glass I've got a couple of ICI liveried 16t minerals that I have left over from my OO days over 20 years ago that are in an interesting blue and orange livery that could be used. Only the problem is that they don't look right to me - the wheelbase looks too long for one thing. The manufacturer is Mainline - can anyone comment on the accuracy of these wagons, both the body and the underpinnings, please?

Edit: I know the underpinnings are but are the bodies of correct dimension so they can be put up on a modern RTR or kit-built frame?

 

[AJC]

You're right Dave, the wheelbase on those Mainline minerals is too long as is the body. I have a notion that Bachmann may have done something similar on a correctly dimensioned mineral though that might just be a delusion on my part.

Adam

 

[Dave]

Thanks, Adam. I won't use them if that's the case.

 

[Pennine MC]

... I have a notion that Bachmann may have done something similar on a correctly dimensioned mineral though that might just be a delusion on my part.

Delusion

The Mainline bodies can be cut and shut, I have one done and another to do, but as for the ICI version, I'd have to check if it would affect the lettering.

 

[AJC]

Delusion

Feared as much...

Adam

 

[Oliver Bulleid]

Has this site received a mention? (click)

Tim

 

[Pennine MC]

I thought that the Mainline mineral could be modified slightly to represent a later "MCV" (I think) which had a 10ft wheelbase... apparently. I recall removing the top door 'flaps' each side, and adding a stretcher bar between the axle boxes, and an air-brake pipe and screw couplings, all following an article in one of the mags.
Nothing to do with the ICI one, of course, ...

Nah, completely irrelevant As you've mentioned it though, there were 394 rebuilds turned out between 1975-78 on underframes originally from Palbricks, hence they were 17'6 over headstocks and 10ft in the wheelbase (although not all had the simple RCH-pattern push brakegear). The lack of top flaps was because they formed part of the post-1970 rebodying programme, which eliminated the feature for simplicity and cost saving.

 

[halfwit]

From 'British Railways 20424 General Instructions On Handling, Loading Sheeting And Unsheeting Of Traffic Dealt With At Goods Stations' (September 1965);

' Mineral Wagons, especially those with steel bodies, should be used, where possible, for the conveyance of obnoxious and dangerous traffics such as Bones, Cullet, Fish in bulk, Spent Oxide, etc., to facilitate cleansing operations, contamination of ordinary mechandise rolling stock will also be obviated'.

Hope that's of interest, the booklet cost a quid from Chapel en leFrith exhibition earlier today.

 

[Pennine MC]

From 'British Railways 20424 General Instructions On Handling, Loading Sheeting And Unsheeting Of Traffic Dealt With At Goods Stations' (September 1965);

' Mineral Wagons, especially those with steel bodies, should be used, where possible, ...contamination of ordinary mechandise rolling stock will also be obviated'..

That's interesting; thanks Paul. The usual (and oft-repeated) understanding is that merchandise wagons were banned from carrying minerals and other nasties (although it still happened). 1965 is relatively late though in terms of 'traditional' rail freight; I wonder if it reflects a subtle change in both usage and availability of wagon stock. Certainly by the '70s and probably earlier, Highfits were being used in scrap metal traffic.