1947 Goods Shed Extension

[Tallpaul69]

I am looking for Photos and/or drawings of the 45ft long 1947 built west end extension to Maidenhead Goods shed (or any other extension of a GWR Shed built at that time?)

 

The extension is thought to be part of the preparations for the GWR zonal delivery scheme. However I am not sure of which other goods sheds were centres for this system, but I assume others that were required similar extensions?

The extension was build out of "blocks" with corregated steel/asbestos roofing.

 

I am intending to build a model of the shed for my 00 layout and have plenty of photos including early 2000s colour shots of the brick built original shed but only a couple of distant rail side shots of the extension and none of the road side of the extension.

 

Many thanks

Paul

[Fat Controller]

I thought the Zonal Delivery Scheme dated to the 1930s, when the Big 4 were lent money for improvement projects? There were structures of similar construction to that which you describe at Llanelli and Port Talbot, and presumably elsewhere. I have attached a link to a Google view of the structure at Llanelli. It is attached to the Up end of the original Brunel building, and is just a steel skeleton. The original building had wooden timbers to support the roof.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6734848,-4.1562397,3a,75y,180h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slR_WM7jTkoPJVG7VrCWszg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en should link to the view; the building was clad in corrugated sheet, which has been removed

https://llanellirailwaygoodsshedtrust.org.uk/ will link you to the organisation attempting to restore the Brunel building.

I hope this is of some interest.

[Tallpaul69]

23 hours ago, Fat Controller said:

I thought the Zonal Delivery Scheme dated to the 1930s, when the Big 4 were lent money for improvement projects? There were structures of similar construction to that which you describe at Llanelli and Port Talbot, and presumably elsewhere. I have attached a link to a Google view of the structure at Llanelli. It is attached to the Up end of the original Brunel building, and is just a steel skeleton. The original building had wooden timbers to support the roof.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6734848,-4.1562397,3a,75y,180h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slR_WM7jTkoPJVG7VrCWszg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en should link to the view; the building was clad in corrugated sheet, which has been removed

https://llanellirailwaygoodsshedtrust.org.uk/ will link you to the organisation attempting to restore the Brunel building.

I hope this is of some interest.

Many thanks for the info.

There seems to be a bit of information re 1930s Goods Shed works but little on the post war works!

 

Any other thoughts welcome!

Cheers

Paul

[Nearholmer]

The Zonal System was certainly in the process of being "rolled out" by the SR during the late 1930s, and was stopped in its tracks by the war. Whether the SR got going again on the roll-out between the end of the war and nationalisation I don't know. IIRC, I read about it in "Sir Herbert Walker's Southern Railway", which is a very good book indeed if you want to get into the management of the railway, rather than just its appearance.

[Tallpaul69]

22 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

The Zonal System was certainly in the process of being "rolled out" by the SR during the late 1930s, and was stopped in its tracks by the war. Whether the SR got going again on the roll-out between the end of the war and nationalisation I don't know. IIRC, I read about it in "Sir Herbert Walker's Southern Railway", which is a very good book indeed if you want to get into the management of the railway, rather than just its appearance.

Thanks for this.

I guess the GWR timescales were probably also affected by the war!

 

However, the timescales are not the important item here, it is the structures (and one in particular at Maidenhead) that I am primarily interested in.

Regards

Paul

[Tallpaul69]

In the "Marlow Branch" by Paul Karau and Chris Turner they say that the Zonal system was introduced to the Marlow area in 1946 and that Reading was the main Railhead with a sub railhead at Maidenhead where the Marlow zonal van was then based.

 

So this confirms that the Zonal system was a postwar introduction in the Maidenhead area and hence the need to extend Maidenhead Goods Shed.

 

When I have drawn up my interpretation of the extension I will post a copy for comment here.

 

Best regards

Paul

[Tallpaul69]

My researches for similar extensions to the one on the western end of Maidenhead Goods Shed has thrown up Witney Goods Shed Extension.

As you can see from the attached exterior view this looks similar to Maidenhead although I suspect it is of prewar construction whereas Maidenhead's extension is post war (1947.

 

 

I was intending to fit my Maidenhead Goods Shed Extension with an awning and a full length platform for loading of lorries etc. although I had no pictures to prove that as the case. So now I have some evidence for this!

 

The second shot is of the interior of Witney Goods Shed  Extension which is useful for the construction methods and so I intend to follow this for Maidenhead unless I find anything to the contrary!

 

I welcome any thoughts or suggestions on these photos?

 

Best regards

Paul