sand house/dryer

[beeman]

At present constructing my steam MPD, Help required regarding the location of the sand house, I would assume sand was originally supplied by horse and cart, assuming the sand quarry had no rail link. eventually by road vehicle perhaps. Anyone any info or suggestions re plausible siting of the sand house, was the sand unloaded by shovel from wagon, tipped by lorry ?. Was the sand wheelbarrowed into the sand house from a bunker or heap for drying ?, also getting the sand to the loco after drying. Suggestions or actual memories gratefully received, Beeman thanks. :icon_what:

[Bruciethefish]

Many sheds had the sand furnace built into the main structure, with a similar chimney to an ordinary domestic one, at one end of the shed building, or incorporated into a lean-to structure against the shed wall. Another feature I've noted from photos is an iron flap built into the outside wall to facilitate loading sand direct into the storage bins from a wagon standing on an adjacent track. (The quantities required by an average running shed would make wagonload delivery a sensible option) Dried sand would usually be carried to the locomotive in galvanised buckets, or in containers resembling 'chute'-type coal scuttles, to facilitate pouring into the sandboxes.

Really large sheds may have had specialised handling facilities with piped delivery to a covenient filling point;- Bulleid intended something of this sort for his pacifics, though I don't think it was ever implemented..

[jamie92208]

Certainly on Midland sheds there was usually a square brick built buidling attached to the rear of the shed with a substantial chimney. There are plenty of plans in the Wild Swan series on LMS loco sheds. If you get stuck I may ahve a photo of the one at Lancaster Green Ayre.

 

Jamie

[beeman]

Thanks to the respondees re this query. I very vaguely recollect when in early teens when 'bashing' the local LMS midland MPD [Coalville 17C]circa early 1950's, and hoping for a ride, that the sand house was at the rear of the shed. This I think did have a access through the rear of the building from the road serving the shed, but not sure how the sand was delivered. I posted this as I could not create similar on the layout nor was I aware of how the sand was put into the locos, although I recollect bags of, I assume sand, stacked inside this area, and can assume this was the residual stock. Taking the advice given I decided that a 'road' over the ash pit approaches on my layout would be appropriate. and rip out some track for another turnout to a small spur adjacent to the decided location or the sand house. I would think to be practical It would need some sort of roof so locos could be supplied in the rain. query and plans achieved, Thanks again Beeman.

[Nick Holliday]

I seem to recall that, back in the late sixties, early seventies, the late David Jenkinson covered Coalville shed in great detail in the Model Railway News, with drawings of the various buildings, including the sand house.

[hmrspaul]

The chimney of the sand house can be seen at the back of St. Albans Midland Rly shed - see http://paulbartlettsotherrailwayphotos.fotopic.net/p37337381.html

 

Paul

York