Coaling Stage

[1165Valour]

I wanted to see if the coaling stage depicted in the Railway Series books may have a real basis. The concrete structure seems to be built on top of what appears to be just earth. Would such a structure be stable?

 

[Nick Holliday]

There's a lot of artistic licence in those pictures, more so the second. Coal stages like them did exist, as per this website.

http://www.barrowhillcollections.com/coaling-stage/4588265545

The building itself would usually be in brick, and its foundations would be below rail level. The earth ramp would then be constructed around it. As you can see from the photo on the website the vital bit is that the coaling platform has to extend as far as the nearest track, so the coal can be dropped directly into the waiting loco's bunker. That's where the drawings fall down catastrophically!

[1165Valour]

18 hours ago, Nick Holliday said:

There's a lot of artistic licence in those pictures, more so the second. Coal stages like them did exist, as per this website.

http://www.barrowhillcollections.com/coaling-stage/4588265545

The building itself would usually be in brick, and its foundations would be below rail level. The earth ramp would then be constructed around it. As you can see from the photo on the website the vital bit is that the coaling platform has to extend as far as the nearest track, so the coal can be dropped directly into the waiting loco's bunker. That's where the drawings fall down catastrophically!

Yes, I had noticed there's no actual plate to fill the tenders from!

[WillCav]

And the track has been remodelled between pictures!

And Duck has changed from a 57xx to an 8750!

I believe the good Reverend went through a few illustrators as he allegedly didn't rate their drawings.