johnofwessex Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 Fullers Earth was loaded onto the S&D at both Midford & Wellow from mines in the surrounding area. I gather at Midford it could be up to 200 tons pw Does anyone know 1. What wagons it was carried in and how (bulk, bagged etc) 2. When did the traffic cease Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Perhaps Duncan ('Blandford1969) can help ? Considering his involvement with the S&DRT museum. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailWest Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 I don't know about Wellow, but for anything to do with Midford then you should read Mike Arlett's book on the station. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 (edited) I'm inclined to believe that it would go bagged, probably in vans, because it is, by comparison with other minerals, a 'low volume, high value' item, especially after drying and filtering to size. Even now, it is an expensive thing to buy, maybe £250/tonne, which is about five or six times the price of coal in industrial quantities, and even for industrial use comes in quite small sacks. you might find this account interesting, although it relates to a different location. http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/wsc/docs/Fullers%20Earth.html Edited October 20, 2018 by Nearholmer Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim V Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 (edited) Perhaps you ought to get hold of the book on Fullers Earth in Bath http://lightmoor.co.uk/view-book.php?ref=L9327§ion= Edit for spelling Edited October 20, 2018 by Tim V Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnofwessex Posted October 20, 2018 Author Share Posted October 20, 2018 Perhaps you ought to get hold of the book on Fullers Earth in Bath http://lightmoor.co.uk/view-book.php?ref=L9327§ion= Edit for spelling I have already looked for a copy but sadly as Marx put it, there has been a failure of the free market economy (ie I cant find a copy anywhere) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Mention of that book has caused me to go deep into my book mine, where it has lain undisturbed since I read it when it was first published (2009 it says inside). It contains a chapter about transport, and as I surmised (or perhaps remembered without realising) it went in sacks, in closed vans. The little two-siding goods yard at Midford was, apparently, built specifically for this traffic, so if you can find pictures of that yard on-line, and I know there are many, then any vans present will most likely be for this traffic. I'm no wagon expert, but I think I can make out typical GWR and LMS vans, plus later BR standard ones. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnofwessex Posted October 20, 2018 Author Share Posted October 20, 2018 Mention of that book has caused me to go deep into my book mine, where it has lain undisturbed since I read it when it was first published (2009 it says inside). It contains a chapter about transport, and as I surmised (or perhaps remembered without realising) it went in sacks, in closed vans. The little two-siding goods yard at Midford was, apparently, built specifically for this traffic, so if you can find pictures of that yard on-line, and I know there are many, then any vans present will most likely be for this traffic. I'm no wagon expert, but I think I can make out typical GWR and LMS vans, plus later BR standard ones. Thank you, thats handy. Interestingly as far as I can make out from the photo's but possibly unsurprisingly Midford didnt seem to handle any coal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 (edited) Hmmm ....... pity I put the book back in the depths of the cupboard, because it gave the name of the coal merchant who operated from the same goods yard. We are talking the same yard, aren't we? I'm talking about the one just beyond the little tunnel. The other little yard is shown on the signal plan as "coal siding', too. http://www.trainweb.org/railwest/images/sb-diag/midford-br.jpg Edited October 20, 2018 by Nearholmer Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Fuller's Earth traffic had a brief revival in the 1960s, when some Presflo wagons were given air-pipes to allow them to use the train-ferries from Dover and Harwich. The traffic originated in the Kent/Sussex area, I believe; no idea where it went to on mainland Europe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Redhill, Surrey, i’m fairly certain. The fuller’s earth mine there is sort of behind the sand pits, on the hill. They may have loaded at the BIS works. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailWest Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 There used once to be a siding at the Bath end of Wellow station (removed long ago) adjacent to some form of 'works', the derelict building still standing there. I have a vague idea - but I'm not an expert in Wellow local history! - that it was a place where Fuller's earth was dried before being loaded onto rail. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim V Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 There used once to be a siding at the Bath end of Wellow station (removed long ago) adjacent to some form of 'works', the derelict building still standing there. I have a vague idea - but I'm not an expert in Wellow local history! - that it was a place where Fuller's earth was dried before being loaded onto rail. Chris Mentioned in that book I've referred to! You'll have to look harder for it ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim V Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 Here on Libraries West site: https://www.librarieswest.org.uk/client/en_GB/default/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:1140879/ada?qu=fuller%27s&te=ILS&rt=false%7C%7C%7CTITLE%7C%7C%7CTitle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnofwessex Posted October 21, 2018 Author Share Posted October 21, 2018 Here on Libraries West site: https://www.librarieswest.org.uk/client/en_GB/default/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:1140879/ada?qu=fuller%27s&te=ILS&rt=false%7C%7C%7CTITLE%7C%7C%7CTitle Spooky, I looked on Friday and all copies were showing unavailable................ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Not Jeremy Posted October 22, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 22, 2018 Thank you, thats handy. Interestingly as far as I can make out from the photo's but possibly unsurprisingly Midford didnt seem to handle any coal I think it did, the coal merchants were Hamlen's. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted October 22, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 22, 2018 As is well known, Fullers Earth was taken direct from the mill at Tucking Mill station on the North Somerset Light Railway in vans or, very occasionally, in sheeted opens Jerry 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted October 27, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 27, 2018 (edited) Is that scene at Tucking Mill supposed to be after the division of stock between the Midland and LSW in was it 1914? Otherwise I'm struggling to account for the Tariff Van; I'm supposing it must be an ex-S&DJR Road Van. It's the placing of the MR on the doors that's tickling me in particular - is there any photographic evidence? I can see that it's an attempt to put the 12" letters in as near the same position as the framing permits as they would be on a standard sliding-door van. On the other hand I'm looking at the D382 Tariff Van in Essery's wagon book; both photos show smaller lettering - 12" - M.R in the leftmost space in the framing - but my feeling is that that's an 1890s style. The only other point of reference are the banana vans; the version of these without the flush planking have 12" M R spread in the two spaces between the vertical framing at the left hand end. EDIT - realised it must be an ex-S&DJR Road Van as it lacks the end windows the Tariff Vans sported. Edited October 27, 2018 by Compound2632 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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