Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

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Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

Postby Armchair Modeller » Fri Oct 19, 2012 9:16 pm

As part of my exercise to build something based on Wantage, I badly need photos of the interior of a small loco shed. Photos I have of the real loco shed at Wantage only show the exterior. As my model will be semi-fictitious, I am happy to borrow detail ideas from other prototypes - the more untidy and unkempt the better! The only really good photos I have found are of Hursley in an old MRJ, but this one is far too tidy for my needs.

My model will be a tiny single road shed - but must have contained at least the most elementary items to keep locomotives on the road, like oil, some kind of workbench, tools, lamps, spares, scrap etc.

Does anyone know of sources of inspiration, please - real or model?

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steamraiser
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Re: Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

Postby steamraiser » Fri Oct 19, 2012 11:11 pm

Have you tried looking at sheds on small preserved lines that only run one or two steam engines?

Gordon A
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Re: Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

Postby Armchair Modeller » Fri Oct 19, 2012 11:23 pm

Thanks - I had thought of that and am actively following the idea up, but I am really thinking of an era before health & safety, cleanliness and modern equipment came about.

Terry Bendall
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Re: Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

Postby Terry Bendall » Sat Oct 20, 2012 7:08 am

What about the Selsey Tramway in West Sussex? The line has been wrritten up in books published by Wild Swan and Middleton press although I don't have them. The tramway was of course part of the Col. Stephens empire and there are also books on that which might have some pictures.

Terry Bendall

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Re: Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

Postby Armchair Modeller » Sat Oct 20, 2012 11:16 am

Thanks Terry.

I know someone who has a book on the Selsey Tramway, so will follow that one up.

Someone on another forum has also suggested photos of the FR at Boston Lodge as a possible source of ideas, or former colliery and other industrial sheds. Despite an intensive search using Google, it seems to be a real needle in a haystack problem though - the detail of what I am looking for seems not to have been photographed often. Maybe poor light and lack of accessibility were a problem before modern fast film was introduced - by which time most of the type of shed I am looking for would be long-gone.

I guess even something like an old bus garage interior might help, as some of my stock will be powered by internal combustion engines.

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Noel
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Re: Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

Postby Noel » Sat Oct 20, 2012 12:01 pm

If you can find a copy, L T C Rolt's "Railway Adventure" may help. It includes photos of part of the interior of the shed, and part of the repair shop after being reequipped, but also, in chapter 4, a description of the facilities [or lack thereof] in both the running shed and the repair shop at the time the preservation society took over, which may give you some ideas. It's pages 97-100 in the paperback version of 1971.

Noel
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Noel

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grovenor-2685
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Re: Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

Postby grovenor-2685 » Sat Oct 20, 2012 2:45 pm

If its any use here's a pic of the inside of the loco shop at Austins (Longbridge) in 1963.
Maybe not so helpful as the link to Kinnerley that someone gave you on RMweb.
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Keith
63122Austinshop.jpg
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Re: Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

Postby John Palmer » Sat Oct 20, 2012 3:37 pm

That's a very interesting shot of Longbridge, as you can make out in the background one of the two big Bagnall 0-6-0ST's Austin acquired from the Steel Company of Wales, with boiler lifted out of the frames, and what looks like cab sidesheets from the same class of engine (with Austin crest) in the foreground. The cylinder cladding of the locomotive in the background seems to be maroon in colour, leading me to think this may have been Victor, whilst the apparently green cab sidesheets are suggestive of sister engine Vulcan - perhaps both were out of traffic at the time.

Sorry I can't contribute much to the real subject matter of this thread, but it was good to come across old friends like this.

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Paul Willis
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Re: Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

Postby Paul Willis » Sat Oct 20, 2012 5:18 pm

Armchair Modeller wrote:As part of my exercise to build something based on Wantage, I badly need photos of the interior of a small loco shed. Photos I have of the real loco shed at Wantage only show the exterior. As my model will be semi-fictitious, I am happy to borrow detail ideas from other prototypes - the more untidy and unkempt the better! The only really good photos I have found are of Hursley in an old MRJ, but this one is far too tidy for my needs.

My model will be a tiny single road shed - but must have contained at least the most elementary items to keep locomotives on the road, like oil, some kind of workbench, tools, lamps, spares, scrap etc.

Does anyone know of sources of inspiration, please - real or model?


There is a two-volume set of books "GER Locomotive Sheds" published by Wild Swan. That includes all sorts and sizes of shed, including the very small ones, of which the Great Eastern had quite a few.

I don't have them to hand at the moment, but I'll try and find some interior shots for you. Or perhaps one of the other GER fans on the Forum has them more readily available?

Flymo
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grovenor-2685
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Re: Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

Postby grovenor-2685 » Sat Oct 20, 2012 6:12 pm

The cylinder cladding of the locomotive in the background seems to be maroon in colour, leading me to think this may have been Victor, whilst the apparently green cab sidesheets are suggestive of sister engine Vulcan - perhaps both were out of traffic at the time.

Vulcan was in steam that day, along with 'Austin I' and 'Austin 3', this last we got to drive up and down the sidings. So the one in bits must have been Victor as you suggest.
63121Vulcan.jpg

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Keith
ps Sorry for hi-jacking the topic a bit.
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Will L
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Re: Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

Postby Will L » Sat Oct 20, 2012 8:22 pm

Flymo748 wrote:There is a two-volume set of books "GER Locomotive Sheds" published by Wild Swan. That includes all sorts and sizes of shed, including the very small ones, of which the Great Eastern had quite a few.


I though of those, and on my shelves there is a six volume set on LMS sheds too. I've had a quick flip through and I may have missed a few things but the honest truth is almost all the photos are exterior shorts. Where there is interior detail, mostly they show up empty, and from this evidence it looks as if the average engine shed was a lot tidier than many a modeller is inclined to believe. However in the LMS set book 4, The Smaller English Constituents page 130 there is a shot of Stratford on Avon works (Stratford upon Avon and Midland Junction Railway) which might have some useful clutter details.

Will

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Re: Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

Postby Armchair Modeller » Sun Oct 21, 2012 2:25 pm

Following suggestions, I have now located a copy of the Selsey Tramway book (vol 2) which has a photo of the interior of the loco shed - and someone elsewhere has located a few images of models of American facilities.

Also, I had completely forgotten that I have photos from visits to places as diverse as El Salvador and Eritrea that may also be useful. I will have to look through these when I have the time.

A quick trip to a preserved line this weekend shows that electricity, health and safety and other modern trends rather dilute the "atmosphere".

Thanks everyone for ideas and comments - don't stop there though. Any further information would be very welcome. :thumb

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Re: Small Loco Shed Interior Photos

Postby Armchair Modeller » Sun Oct 21, 2012 2:45 pm

Will L wrote:
I though of those, and on my shelves there is a six volume set on LMS sheds too. I've had a quick flip through and I may have missed a few things but the honest truth is almost all the photos are exterior shorts. Where there is interior detail, mostly they show up empty, and from this evidence it looks as if the average engine shed was a lot tidier than many a modeller is inclined to believe. However in the LMS set book 4, The Smaller English Constituents page 130 there is a shot of Stratford on Avon works (Stratford upon Avon and Midland Junction Railway) which might have some useful clutter details.

Will


I have been sent some scans of old photos of Pendre shed on the Talyllyn Railway which rather confirm your idea that these places were often tidy. One shot gives a superb view of all the equipment. There is a cynical part of me that wonders if sheds were not tidied up before the photographer was allowed to venture inside though! ;)


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