Three recent additions
Entry posted by 5&9Models
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I had a chance (or was it that I finally got around to it?) to finish these three, two for the GNR and one little wagon with no owner (hashtag sad face).
The first two are the Horsebox and Open Carriage Truck designed by Archibald Sturrock and built by Joseph Wright for the Great Northern Railway. Horses were conveyed in this box three abreast with their heads in the overhanging section above one of the dog-boxes. Hinged removable partitions separated the horses, and left the animals a width space of not much more than 2ft, quite a squeeze. The livestock conveyed in the dog-boxes themselves require no further explanation, although in the absence of suitable canines, they may have been used to carry extra feed or even tack. Almost identical horseboxes were made in 1855 for the New South Wales Railway. Fortunately a very clear photograph of one of these exists, providing a good general impression of the appearance. These boxes had two extra vertical ribs on the outside framing at one end. The vents in the side doors were also more generous but perhaps that is a reflection of the warmer climate for which they were destined. A simple wooden brake and lever is also evident on the NSW version but such a fitting was almost certainly not on the vehicles supplied to British lines. These would have had no brakes at all, requiring a scotch block or bar when stationary. Horseboxes of this pattern were built for other lines but evidence is sketchy. Photographs suggest that the first horseboxes for the LCDR were to this design and possibly the SER as well, although that might just be my own wishful thinking! The jury is out on colour, some say varnished teak, others say painted brown, I've gone for brown. The same applies for the OCT, a good photo of the NSW version also exists.
The little wagon below is something of a mystery, it was built by Smith & Willey of Liverpool but it is not known if this was for a specific customer or if this was simply a 'stock' design for anyone who required such a sturdy little general purpose wagon. Early details of this company are sketchy, however Smith & Willey were operating from their Edge Hill & Windsor Foundry at Smithdown Lane, Liverpool from the mid 1830s. It was gutted by fire around Christmas 1845 but restored, and by 1847 the arrival of the iron merchant John Finch brought much needed capital. Further works were established at Seville Place in Dublin as The Irish Engineering Company. In 1849 the retirement of Henry Smith caused the partnership to be dissolved and henceforth it was known as Finch & Willey. The firm continued to enjoy some success supplying a wide variety of ironwork and machinery, railway trucks, wagons and carriages but by 1851 the company was in such financial difficulty that a stock sale was held and the business much reduced. However, the company were able to claim some fame in the construction of a bridge designed by I. K. Brunel to carry the South Wales Railway over the river Wye at Chepstow, a model of which was exhibited at the Great Exhibiton of 1851. The Seville Works also supplied the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway in excess of 800 tons of ironwork for the extension of their station at London Bridge. Final closure and sale of the remaining plant and premises in Liverpool came in 1853, but the Irish side of the business continued. By 1860 the works had turned their hand to the manufacture of bedsteads and an advertisement of 1863 once again promotes wagons and rolling stock to be built both in Dublin and at Goswell St., London. Who knows what colour they might have been, I was in a SER mood so it ended up red.
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