Can anyone identify this object?

[Coryton]

Can anyone explain what the object hanging from the chain on the right is in this photograph? Seen in Salisbury station. I'm somewhat mystified...

 

 

[101]

Not knowing much about PWay I may well be shot down in flames, but it looks very much like a door pin from a wagon to me, it probably fell off of a wagon and was picked up by someone who not knowing what it was hung it there, and as everyone who has walked past it since haven't known what it was either they've left it alone.

If I'm right it's probably been hanging there for many years without reason! 

Edited September 5, 2020 by 101

[The Johnster]

I agree, but it begs the question of what the spigot it’s hanging off is for.  

[The Johnster]

I mean apart from hanging mineral wagon door pins from, of course!

[jcredfer]

Mystery, but it must be important, as there is someone keeping a lookout out of the wall block, just to the right of the hammer head!!  

 

Julian

[JZ]

It's to check whether the Earth's axis is tilting more or less. Somewhere there will be an opposing one with the stop on the North or South.

Edited September 5, 2020 by JZ

[TheSignalEngineer]

1 hour ago, The Johnster said:

I agree, but it begs the question of what the spigot it’s hanging off is for.  

It's up against another spigot or nail at the bottom. My guess would be there was a piece of wood nailed on with signal wire pulleys or they held cable hangers. 

[Wheatley]

It looks like a wagon door pin to me too, or something of that ilk.

 

You find all sorts of old junk.  I still have a key fob made from a gangway connection widget which I found on the floor at Neville Hill, I don't know what the proper name for it is but its the bit that goes in the end of the long spring which goes 'twang' if you separate conventional DMU vehicles without undoing the inside screens first. 

[Welly]

My first thought is that's the key to wind the train's clockwork!

[The Stationmaster]

2 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

It's up against another spigot or nail at the bottom. My guess would be there was a piece of wood nailed on with signal wire pulleys or they held cable hangers. 

As both the n books at salisbury used the low pressure system for working points and signals it would be fairly ancient if it had been used for signal wires instead of pipes but overall I too would definitely associate it with a relic of past S&T presence.  And if you can still see in one platform side wall at Swindon complete signal wire run pulleys which ceased to be used a bit over 50 years ago it's no reason at all why remnants of even older stuff shouldn't still be about.

[TheSignalEngineer]

My second guess was probably more likely for it being cable hangers. The only wires around would be from the GWR box which IIRC was only bay platforms.

Need some photos of the LSWR installation to confirm.

[Binky]

Maybe it's used for weather forecasting?

 

Forecasting stone - Berneray by Andrew Walsh, on Flickr

[NorthEndCab]

That’s the key for the Strategic Reserve. Expect a visit from some gentlemen in suits......

[jim.snowdon]

9 hours ago, 101 said:

Not knowing much about PWay I may well be shot down in flames, but it looks very much like a door pin from a wagon to me, it probably fell off of a wagon and was picked up by someone who not knowing what it was hung it there, and as everyone who has walked past it since haven't known what it was either they've left it alone.

If I'm right it's probably been hanging there for many years without reason! 

I'd agree, and go one step further. It looks very much like the bottom securing pin for the double doors on a BR, GWR or SR  goods van. 

 

Jim 

[101]

1 hour ago, jim.snowdon said:

I'd agree, and go one step further. It looks very much like the bottom securing pin for the double doors on a BR, GWR or SR  goods van. 

 

Jim 

 

I was trying hard to remember where those "flat" pins were used and I'm pretty sure that you're correct Jim

[31A]

In some places there were 'tell tales' on the signal wires which indicated to platform staff and others when signals were pulled off - I'm thinking of metal arrows attached to the signal wires which either lined up or didn't with markings on the  platform edge depending on whether the relevant signal was on or off.  I wonder whether it could have been some such gadget (albeit bearing in mind @The Stationmaster's comment re. how long ago mechanical signalling was replaced at Salisbury). 

[TheSignalEngineer]

The signalling was replaced by British Pneumatic Railway Signalling Co. when the station was rebuilt c1901, so no signal wires would have been there, only cables and air pipes.

The company was something to do with J P O'Donnell who was a big name early in the history of signalling. He was associated with Dutton, worked (IIRC) for the L&Y and LSWR, and was part of Evans O'Donnell at Chippenham which merged with Saxby & Farmer later becoming part of Westinghouse Brake and Saxby Signal Co.

Edited September 6, 2020 by TheSignalEngineer

[Poor Old Bruce]

Bullhead rail as well!

[BokStein]

 

On 05/09/2020 at 10:22, Coryton said:

Can anyone explain what the object hanging from the chain on the right is in this photograph? Seen in Salisbury station. I'm somewhat mystified...

 

 

 

Whilst I'm intrigued about the hanging chain, out of curiosity, what's the white plaque to its left used for?

[TheSignalEngineer]

31 minutes ago, BokStein said:

 

 

Whilst I'm intrigued about the hanging chain, out of curiosity, what's the white plaque to its left used for?

It's a 'monument' for measuring the rail levels and position relative to the platform. 

[BokStein]

 

11 minutes ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

It's a 'monument' for measuring the rail levels and position relative to the platform. 

 

How is the red slider used in this?

[TheSignalEngineer]

2 minutes ago, BokStein said:

How is the red slider used in this?

The plate is fixed to the wall then the slider is set to the height that the nearest rail should be.

[Binky]

6 minutes ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

The plate is fixed to the wall then the slider is set to the height that the nearest rail should be.

I seem to remember the plates actually have something like "Height of nearest rail" written on them.

[Wheatley]

... so when you rest one end of your spirit level on the red block and the other on the railhead, it should be level. If it isn't then something's moved ! And on that one the running edge should be exactly 1055mm from the plate. I think the "00" means no cant but I'm starting to exceed the limits of my memory here. 

[jcredfer]

35 minutes ago, Wheatley said:

... so when you rest one end of your spirit level on the red block and the other on the railhead, it should be level. If it isn't then something's moved ! And on that one the running edge should be exactly 1055mm from the plate. I think the "00" means no cant but I'm starting to exceed the limits of my memory here. 

 

That's spot on, the 00 in the lowest position denotes 0mm of Cant.  The white on red denotes the track to which the plate is referred to, Down Main would have DM showing.  The top left is the ID of the plate, I think referenced to Chain distances.  Top right is for when the Datum plate can't be fixed level with the railhead and will say how many mm above the marker is.  If the marker is red, it is showing the datum as per the day it was fixed, a green marker would indicate the intended design plan measurements.

 

Julian