What were these blocks used for?

[jayell]

In a garden adjacent to the site of Toller station are a number of stone blocks being used as stepping stones up the incline from track level to house. They appear to be track related but the occupier (a tenant) doesn't know how long they have been in the garden.

The Bridport Railway was originally laid using ‘MacDonnell road system of Permanent Way’ but this was replaced quite quickly with GW baulk road track. Neither would have used stone blocks so far as I can discover.

The occupier seems to think they were used with cast iron chairs as he produced a chair he had found nearby and placed it on top of a block, hence it appears in one of the photos that way. The chair is a 2 bolt type but of BR origin rather than being 'genuine' GWR

I am wondering if these blocks have any historical importance and should be preserved, I should have taken a picture showing the whole lot but was to busy chatting to the occupier.

[Jan]

I'm pretty sure they are the GWR 'pot' type. You can see the inset for the steel tie. They are cast concrete, not stone. More at the MMRS page.

[jayell]

I'm pretty sure they are the GWR 'pot' type. You can see the inset for the steel tie. They are cast concrete, not stone. More at the MMRS page.

Yes they are like those 'pots', so not of great historical interest. Probably used in the siding rather than on the main running line at Toller