Shunting without locos

Model and prototype rolling stock, locos, multiple units etc.
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jim s-w
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Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:56 pm

Shunting without locos

Postby jim s-w » Thu Aug 24, 2017 6:04 pm

Jim Smith-Wright

http://www.p4newstreet.com

Over thinking often leads to under doing!

Andrew Ullyott
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Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 2:31 pm

Re: Shunting without locos

Postby Andrew Ullyott » Thu Aug 24, 2017 6:44 pm

Wow, even allowing for some speeding up of the film, it does reinforce how quickly everything was moved around. Certainly not the snails pace many of us would operate our layouts at.
Thanks for posting it!

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Re6/6
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Re: Shunting without locos

Postby Re6/6 » Thu Aug 24, 2017 7:05 pm

Here's another ...Kings X Goods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_6ZOIe_nX0&t=289s 4.30 mins in.

As you say Andrew, the job was always done as quickly as possible! Back in the 60s each morning whilst waiting for the train to school the Q1 on the pick up goods would crash about with the coal merchant's mineral wagons not creep about in slug mode like we see 'realistic' operation on many a layout!
John

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Noel
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Re: Shunting without locos

Postby Noel » Fri Aug 25, 2017 11:53 am

Interesting clips. On the speed, comparison with the movements of the staff suggests that the wagons are moving at very little more than normal walking speed, and the capstan rope is still attached, so can be used to control the vehicle. For shunting in a station yard, loose shunting would also be done at no more than that speed, to ensure that the guard or shunter could apply the brakes to control the wagon. Otherwise the result, even at low speed, could be damage to the vehicle, and damage to the contents. If the load was loose, as with coal, a collision could result in several tons of the load failing to stop, which would not be good for anyone in the way.

The only yards in which wagons normally travelled [a bit] faster would be gravity assisted yards where the staff on the ground might be called 'wagon chasers' because that was what they had to do. Having possibly had to cross diverging tracks to reach the wagon, they then had to run alongside it to apply, and if necessary pin down, the brakes using lever or handwheel.

Shunting was very, very dangerous, which the people who did it for a living knew very well. Anything which increased the risk was not popular, and accidents and damage could result in death or serious injury, a lot of paperwork and possibly disciplinary action.
Regards
Noel

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Guy Rixon
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Re: Shunting without locos

Postby Guy Rixon » Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:17 pm

It looks like the Broad Street men are positioning wagons onto turntables by letting them run past and get stopped by the rope, then hauling them back and stopping them against a rail skate. Or am I mis-reading the film?

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Noel
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Re: Shunting without locos

Postby Noel » Fri Aug 25, 2017 3:55 pm

That was my take on it as well. Run the wagon partially beyond the turntable, put the block on the turntable across the rail, pull the wagon back against the block and then keep pulling to swing the table.
Regards
Noel


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