Merioneth Railway Society
Welcome
  • Home
    • Introduction
  • About Us
    • In the beginning
    • Copyright notice
    • Acts of Parliament >
      • Original Act
      • Extension Acts
    • Contact
  • Mercury Reprints & Articles
    • Copyright Notice
    • Mercury Reprints 1 - 6 >
      • MM No. 1. October 1974
      • MM No. 2. May 1975
      • MM No. 3. December 1975
      • MM No. 4. Spring 1976
      • MM No. 5. June 1976
      • MM No. 6 Autumn 1976
    • Mercury Articles 7 - 10 >
      • Mercury Issue 7 >
        • Festiniog & Blaenau Railway locomotives.
        • The weekend at Hassocks 7 - 9 January, 1977.
        • Quarry Workers Coach.
      • Mercury Issue 8 >
        • ELECTRONICS AND 16mm
        • THE WATERMOOR LIGHT CLOSES
        • Redlake Revisited
        • Rubbish
        • PHOTOPAGE `NO. 2
      • Mercury Issue 9 >
        • A Double Fairlie in 16mm scale
      • Mercury Issue 10 >
        • Copyright & Credits Page
        • Les Tortillards
        • The Presidents Carriage
        • Coffeepots I
        • Cerrobend Casting
        • A Double Fairlie in 16mm scale
    • Mercury Articles 11- 20 >
      • Mercury Issue 11 >
        • Skip Wagons
        • Fiji
        • Port Class Pictorial
        • Hohenzollern
        • Coffeepots II
        • Victoria Amused Me
      • Mercury Issue 12 >
        • Cerrobond Casting Part II
        • Coffee Pots III
        • Excelsior
        • Side Tip Wagons
        • The Binnie File
        • Westcock Tramway
        • Drawings from Mercury 12
      • Mercury Issue 13 >
        • Trains by Emett
      • Mercury Issue 14 >
        • Ashbury Contractors Van
        • Corris
        • Flocking
        • Lady M
        • Lister Auto Truck
        • Ruston 16hp
        • Sauterelles
      • Mercury Issue 15 >
        • The Gentle Annie
        • Portable & Permanent Trackwork
        • The Boat
        • Trevellas Quarry
        • The Cherry Tree Brisk & Tile
        • A Chest of Drawers
        • The Planet 60HP Diesel
        • Excelsior The Facts
        • Railplane
        • The Finishing Touch
        • Open Day Pictures
      • Mercury Issue 16 >
        • Portable Trackwork
        • Permanent Trackwork
        • Bryant Switch
        • A Chest of Drawers
        • General Electric
        • The Ten Laws for Narrow Gauge Modellers
      • Mercury Issue 17 >
        • A Chest of Drawers
        • An Article for Cranks
        • Ffestiniog Gunpowder Vans
        • Ramblings on a Sunny Morning
      • Mercury Issue 18 >
        • The Mostest Two Footers
        • Bagnall at Birmingham
        • Drawings From Issue 18
        • Lynton & Barnstable Album
        • Decauville Type KE Trailers
      • Mercury Issue 19 >
        • Hookers & Shunters.
        • 10hp Planet & Penrhyn carriage.
  • Gallery
    • Drawings Register
    • Archive
    • Outings >
      • Mad Hatter's Tea Party - 2014
      • Statfold Barn - 2014
      • Apedale Gala Day - 2014
      • FR and WHR (Dave P) - Aug 2014
      • Statfold Barn - 2015
    • Models >
      • 7mm Narrow Gauge (Chris Holmes)
      • Clockwork Models
    • Members Open Days >
      • The Startops And Tringford Railway - 2014
      • Dave's July 2015
      • Dave's May 2016
      • Dave's December 2016
      • Dave's January 2017
      • Dave's July 2017
      • Graham's August 2017
      • Dave's July 2018
  • Technical
    • Scales and Gauges
    • Wheel & rail standards
    • Data sheet
    • Binnie Conversion chart
    • Pontifications
    • Muddling through with Desperate Dan
    • Mercury Drawings Index
    • Links
  • Modelling News
    • EPITAPH FOR A TRAIN SPOTTER
    • Dave P's Mogul
    • Sentinel double locomotive 6412 of 1926
    • Kerr Stuart geared locomotive 4412 of 1928
    • "Wilstone" O-16.5 layout
    • "Cei Ward" O-16.5 layout
Picture
Picture
Picture
One of the most distinctive wagon types to operate over the FR must surely have been the Gunpowder vans, which latterly conveyed the explosives from the Boston Lodge store to the quarries. The drawing (produced by my own hand and therefore with apologies to all competent draughtsmen) features one such vehicle, now a works van on the Rheilffordd Llyn Tepid, but rescued in 1971 from imminent scrapping at Oakeley quarries.

The date this vehicle was built is in some doubt. George Barnes, Gen Manager of the Rh.L1.7, is convinced that his vehicle was built in 1857, and certainly the method of construction and extent of corrosion would seem to confirm that period. It was in 1857 that the gunpowder store was moved from Rhiwbrifdir to Boston Lodge, but presumably the FR was moving gunpowder direct from Portmadoc to Blaenau prior to this move. Equally, the first batch of iron slate wagons was built in 1857 but frame construction would appear to be dissimilar. However, the use of 6 webbed spoke wheels and axleboxes with side bolts (similar to Binnie—box C40) again seems to confirm a date of c.1860, but I would welcome further comment. One thing is evident however, that of the 4 such vehicles to have remained latterly, no two are entirely alike. The vehicle at Raenofferen (photographed in 1970 but reportedly still in existence) is evidently shorter, having been mated up with an ex—GW slate wagon chassis. The FR's NO. 152 and that photographed at Llechwedd in 1971 have the most in common, but seem to be at least 2ft longer then the Rhal.T's.
So to review the drawing —The main frame is built up of 4” x 3” channel with one centre longitudinal. I have omitted couplings, wheel, axlebox and rivet detail for simplicity. The body is built up of three iron sheets riveted to hoops. The profile is not semi-circular on this example. The inside of the body is faced with timber presumably to minimise sparks end possibly reduce the effect of direct sunlight in summer Similarly the brake gear, using wooden blocks might be described in modern parlance as 'flemeproofed'! The quadrant in which the brake lever moves takes the form of a stirrup, secured at the top end only and notched for a ratchet on its longer edges. The stirrup is not shown on the end view but is reproduced in plan. What form of pawl was used I don't know as there is no sign of it today — evidently the brake gear was purely for parking purposes as it could only be operated by someone standing alongside the vehicle.
 
The end doors are secured by locking bar (drawn separately) which pivots into 2 'T' and and 'U' shaped bracket and receiving a padlock through the bottom r.h. pin. The other end of the vehicle is plain, with one central strengthening piece (approx 2" x 1/2", as are the hoops.
 
1. The Oakeley Van, photo—graphed at Llanuwchllyn in 1971 before track laying on the Rh.L1.T had commenced.
 
2. Opposite view to that in photo 1. (1974)
 
The Maenofferen Van, now mounted on a CW slate wagon chassis. (1970)
 
The Llechwedd Van, similar to Oakeley's but probably 1 1/2 times as long. (1971) 

Picture
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
    • Introduction
  • About Us
    • In the beginning
    • Copyright notice
    • Acts of Parliament >
      • Original Act
      • Extension Acts
    • Contact
  • Mercury Reprints & Articles
    • Copyright Notice
    • Mercury Reprints 1 - 6 >
      • MM No. 1. October 1974
      • MM No. 2. May 1975
      • MM No. 3. December 1975
      • MM No. 4. Spring 1976
      • MM No. 5. June 1976
      • MM No. 6 Autumn 1976
    • Mercury Articles 7 - 10 >
      • Mercury Issue 7 >
        • Festiniog & Blaenau Railway locomotives.
        • The weekend at Hassocks 7 - 9 January, 1977.
        • Quarry Workers Coach.
      • Mercury Issue 8 >
        • ELECTRONICS AND 16mm
        • THE WATERMOOR LIGHT CLOSES
        • Redlake Revisited
        • Rubbish
        • PHOTOPAGE `NO. 2
      • Mercury Issue 9 >
        • A Double Fairlie in 16mm scale
      • Mercury Issue 10 >
        • Copyright & Credits Page
        • Les Tortillards
        • The Presidents Carriage
        • Coffeepots I
        • Cerrobend Casting
        • A Double Fairlie in 16mm scale
    • Mercury Articles 11- 20 >
      • Mercury Issue 11 >
        • Skip Wagons
        • Fiji
        • Port Class Pictorial
        • Hohenzollern
        • Coffeepots II
        • Victoria Amused Me
      • Mercury Issue 12 >
        • Cerrobond Casting Part II
        • Coffee Pots III
        • Excelsior
        • Side Tip Wagons
        • The Binnie File
        • Westcock Tramway
        • Drawings from Mercury 12
      • Mercury Issue 13 >
        • Trains by Emett
      • Mercury Issue 14 >
        • Ashbury Contractors Van
        • Corris
        • Flocking
        • Lady M
        • Lister Auto Truck
        • Ruston 16hp
        • Sauterelles
      • Mercury Issue 15 >
        • The Gentle Annie
        • Portable & Permanent Trackwork
        • The Boat
        • Trevellas Quarry
        • The Cherry Tree Brisk & Tile
        • A Chest of Drawers
        • The Planet 60HP Diesel
        • Excelsior The Facts
        • Railplane
        • The Finishing Touch
        • Open Day Pictures
      • Mercury Issue 16 >
        • Portable Trackwork
        • Permanent Trackwork
        • Bryant Switch
        • A Chest of Drawers
        • General Electric
        • The Ten Laws for Narrow Gauge Modellers
      • Mercury Issue 17 >
        • A Chest of Drawers
        • An Article for Cranks
        • Ffestiniog Gunpowder Vans
        • Ramblings on a Sunny Morning
      • Mercury Issue 18 >
        • The Mostest Two Footers
        • Bagnall at Birmingham
        • Drawings From Issue 18
        • Lynton & Barnstable Album
        • Decauville Type KE Trailers
      • Mercury Issue 19 >
        • Hookers & Shunters.
        • 10hp Planet & Penrhyn carriage.
  • Gallery
    • Drawings Register
    • Archive
    • Outings >
      • Mad Hatter's Tea Party - 2014
      • Statfold Barn - 2014
      • Apedale Gala Day - 2014
      • FR and WHR (Dave P) - Aug 2014
      • Statfold Barn - 2015
    • Models >
      • 7mm Narrow Gauge (Chris Holmes)
      • Clockwork Models
    • Members Open Days >
      • The Startops And Tringford Railway - 2014
      • Dave's July 2015
      • Dave's May 2016
      • Dave's December 2016
      • Dave's January 2017
      • Dave's July 2017
      • Graham's August 2017
      • Dave's July 2018
  • Technical
    • Scales and Gauges
    • Wheel & rail standards
    • Data sheet
    • Binnie Conversion chart
    • Pontifications
    • Muddling through with Desperate Dan
    • Mercury Drawings Index
    • Links
  • Modelling News
    • EPITAPH FOR A TRAIN SPOTTER
    • Dave P's Mogul
    • Sentinel double locomotive 6412 of 1926
    • Kerr Stuart geared locomotive 4412 of 1928
    • "Wilstone" O-16.5 layout
    • "Cei Ward" O-16.5 layout