Live calf traffic on the Southern

[Guest Jack Benson]

These images taken at Crewkerne Station were part of the trade in live calves that were once transported by British Railways.  

 

 

 The Calf Float was a handling aid to load the calves into exGWR horse boxes in the second and third photos, both captured at Crewkerne. 

 

 

35004 Cunard White Star Winter '63

Incidentally, Hornby currently offer an exGWR horse box marked for Calf Traffic R6561

 

My apologies for being unable to find better images of the horse boxes at Crewkerne but if anyone has better images please add them to the thread.  Prototype images courtesy of Friends of Crewkerne Station.

 

It was interesting to research this once important traffic on the South Western mainline, it helps to keep the mind working and pass the time.

 

Cheers and Stay Safe

 

[Wickham Green too]

Believe it or not there were still calves in a Southern Special Cattle Van as late as October 1983 ! : - 

 

[IWCR]

Re: Calf Float at the top.

There is one of these on display at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway  (with plastic calf).

They were used on the ferry from Ryde to Portsmouth being loaded by crane into the cargo hold at the front.

This trade went on quite late (the float is in unrestored BR blue), by then rail carriage of livestock on the island had ceased hence lorry delivery from the pier head must have taken place,

 

Pete

[Wickham Green too]

Ah - but you can just imagine, given the quirkiness of the Island railways, carrying a calf in one of the electric units !

 

[ No jokes about Cow(e)s, please. ]

[Fat Controller]

I don't know about calf boxes, but I have heard of a calf being carried in a BRUTE parcels cage at Reading in the 1970s or '80s.

[jonhall]

 

Calves an a sack

 

Science Museum Group. British Transport Films Collection. 1996-7038Science Museum Group Collection Online. Accessed May 30, 2020. https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co410250/british-transport-films-collection-photographs.

 

Calves wearing sacks

 

https://www.alamy.com/stock-image-1960s-historical-animal-freight-two-small-white-headed-calves-with-163266818.html

 

jon

[hmrspaul]

3 hours ago, jonhall said:

 

Calves an a sack

 

Science Museum Group. British Transport Films Collection. 1996-7038Science Museum Group Collection Online. Accessed May 30, 2020. https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co410250/british-transport-films-collection-photographs.

 

Calves wearing sacks

 

https://www.alamy.com/stock-image-1960s-historical-animal-freight-two-small-white-headed-calves-with-163266818.html

 

jon

I don't understand the calves wearing a sack. However, the calves in a sack are the rule book way of transporting calves by rail. I remember seeing one on a sack truck at Derby station c1966 or 7. Unfortunately I was at the front of the train and this was near the far end of the platform and I was on a through service.

 

Paul