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Now we're all modelling Presflo trains...


Mr Meaners

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Hi All

 

Doing this somewhat back-to-front, I've purchased the Lord & Butler presflo set, and also one of the Bachmann wagons, with an eye to running them on my fiddle yard to terminus layout set in the late 70s/early 80s.

 

So my question is - what sort of (cement, obviously, as we don't have a CSA version yet) operations would they be used on? Presumably from cement works (where they would be filled?) to somewhere - but where and for what purpose? To be unloaded into lorries for onward distribution?

 

In other words - in what circumstances (apart from when no-one else is watching) can I have a train operating with Presflos coming into the freight distribution yard next to my terminus?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Andy

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Generally, as I understand it, that's about right. Either the Presflos would work to a dedicated distribution terminal (of which there were many), which often had silos of varying size for storage. Some may have had bagging plants too, but this would be unlikely by the 80s I would think, the bags - if carried by rail - would be shipped in vans, probably on pallets in your period. Otherwise, specific large building projects might have brought cement wagons and mobile compressors* to yards for set periods for onward shipment. You needn't model the compressors or associated lorries (attractive though they often were) unless you really want to.

 

Adam

 

* Comprssed air was used for unloading, hence the name of the wagon type.

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Presflo's didn't only carry cement, there was a glass works in the East end of Glasgow that had a siding just to the west of Shettleston Station on the Glasgow to Airdrie line that took deliveries of raw materials in Presflo's, possibly silica. Nothing elaborate, just a siding next to a shed that had openings through which the material was unloaded.

 

Jim

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Thanks, all

 

There used to be a couple of interesting shots on Steve Jones's electric nose site, which sadly isn't available any more (anyone know where those photos ended up?) One in particular had a brake van belching smoke through its chimney coupled up to a Presflo with a CPV TOPS code.

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Presflo's were also used for fly-ash traffic from power stations later in their careers. IIRC there were some larger presflo's built, to a different diagram to the standard type, which were used for this type of traffic.

Hopefully someone will do a decent rtr prestwin and cemflo to complete the cement wagon set.;)

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Presflo's were used for fly-ash traffic from power stations later in their careers. IIRC there were some larger presflo's built, to a different diagram to the standard type, which were used for this type of traffic.

Hopefully someone will do a decent rtr prestwin and cemflo to complete the cement wagon set.;)

There was one Lot of 'standard' Presflos built for fly ash traffic, rated at 17t vice 20t- the most noticeable difference, apart from the painted details, were 'wing plates' extending towards the headstocks from the hopper sides. Once the longer (12' wb) ones were built, the shorter ones went back to other powder traffic.

Apart from cement, the 10'6" wb Presflos were used for:-

Fullers' Earth from somewhere in the SE to Italy- these wagons were air-piped and ferry-fitted.

Slate powder traffic from Delabole in Cornwall- I wonder if they were ever hauled by the Beattie well tanks..?

Salt from ICI in Cheshire

Fly ash or similar for a firm called Pozzolanic- these appeared around the Chester and Silvertown areas.

All these wagons would have appeared as part of mixed freights.

Prestwins weren't used for cement, but for products such as fine sand, most notably from Chelford and Oakamoor.

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Apart from cement, the 10'6" wb Presflos were used for:-

Fullers' Earth from somewhere in the SE to Italy- these wagons were air-piped and ferry-fitted.

Slate powder traffic from Delabole in Cornwall- I wonder if they were ever hauled by the Beattie well tanks..?

Salt from ICI in Cheshire

Fly ash or similar for a firm called Pozzolanic- these appeared around the Chester and Silvertown areas.

 

No doubt there were other flows for Pozzolanic, but recall some at Newton Abbott in 1978.

 

The other significant traffic to mention (and for which a batch of Presflos were built new), is alumina, from Burntisland to Fort Bill and Ballachulish (for Kinlochleven)

 

 

Prestwins weren't used for cement, but for products such as fine sand, most notably from Chelford and Oakamoor.

 

It's odd how modellers always mention them in the same sentence; whether it's simple alliteration or we've got Hornby Dublo to thank, I dont know :D There were very few traffics on which they were used together, one being the aforementioned slate powder

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No doubt there were other flows for Pozzolanic, but recall some at Newton Abbott in 1978.

 

The other significant traffic to mention (and for which a batch of Presflos were built new), is alumina, from Burntisland to Fort Bill and Ballachulish (for Kinlochleven)

 

 

 

 

It's odd how modellers always mention them in the same sentence; whether it's simple alliteration or we've got Hornby Dublo to thank, I dont know :D There were very few traffics on which they were used together, one being the aforementioned slate powder

And another being the alumina traffic, I believe.

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And another being the alumina traffic, I believe.

 

Depends how you define 'together', I suppose. My understanding (from a letter to MRJ, IIRC), is that the Prestwins serviced a different flow, from Burntisland to somewhere in Essex; whether it was a different grade of alumina, or just down to wagon availability, I dont know

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The other thing to remember is they weren't always in big block trains, but could be found in small numbers in mixed freight trains too. Searching for a suitable photo.

I felt sure this was the case, having seen a handful - like three or so - in the consist of a freight at Hawick in April '69; either that or it was the LSD again. I guess that if quantities of cement were required for construction projects they might have turned up in those far off wagonload days. Could they be discharged direct to road tanker then?

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Guest Max Stafford

If the tanker had suitable air pump equipment, direct rail to road discharge was possible 'Chard. I believe this used to be done with Presflos in London Road depot, Carlisle, as recently as the early '80s.

Just a personal observation now. With an HJ27/Bachmann 2MT, a Hornby Van C, some Bachmann 16 tonners, a Brake and half a dozen of these new puppies, you can now model the Ballachullish goods straight from the box! :)

 

Dave.

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I felt sure this was the case, having seen a handful - like three or so - in the consist of a freight at Hawick in April '69; either that or it was the LSD again. I guess that if quantities of cement were required for construction projects they might have turned up in those far off wagonload days. Could they be discharged direct to road tanker then?

They certainly could- the BR publicity shot for the type showed one (the prototype, which had 'plain' rather than roller-bearings) being unloaded into a bulk tanker. The only equipment needed would be a compressor. This method of handling was used at both Haverfordwest and Llandovery, in conjunction with reservior construction.

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...

Just a personal observation now. With an HJ27/Bachmann 2MT, a Hornby Van C, some Bachmann 16 tonners, a Brake and half a dozen of these new puppies, you can now model the Ballachullish goods straight from the box! :)

...

Keep at 'im Dave, between us we'll wear 'im down.. :lol:

 

'Chard - you're quite right, I've evidence of a few included in Port Road freights so why not the Waverley.

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They certainly could- the BR publicity shot for the type showed one (the prototype, which had 'plain' rather than roller-bearings) being unloaded into a bulk tanker. The only equipment needed would be a compressor. This method of handling was used at both Haverfordwest and Llandovery, in conjunction with reservior construction.

I remember that very photo. My late uncle was Works Manager at Burntisland British Aluminium plant, and one time he showed me a very glossy and crisp '60s-style print with an 8-wheeler and adjacent wagon. Obviously they weren't handling cement but the principles employed were no doubt basically the same. If I remember my O-level chemistry though, isn't powdered alumina very unstable and prone to spontaneous ignition, in which case it was probably subject to all sorts of careful handling protocols....

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Just a personal observation now. With an HJ27/Bachmann 2MT, a Hornby Van C, some Bachmann 16 tonners, a Brake and half a dozen of these new puppies, you can now model the Ballachullish goods straight from the box! :)

 

 

Keep at 'im* Dave, between us we'll wear 'im down.. :lol:

 

 

 

I'm getting there ;)

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Thanks, all - love the photos especially since I model the LMR and the 25 and 44 workings are just brilliant!

 

Btw have received my L&B ltd editions now - they're superb. Three TOPS-coded Presflos with different running numbers and even different details!

 

Bachmann really lead the market on the wagon front!

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post-387-12643399290937_thumb.jpg

 

An unidentified location, but I suspect the North London lines - D8015 was at Bow in 1959 and I believe stayed in the London Area (I cannot find a later allocation history on the internet).

 

What a lovely train, 3 Presflo with Tunnel Cement label followed by a single very rare Carfit A (see http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c1467069.html) a wood ended hyfit, LMS van, BR van, sheeted open and then a raft of SMBP Mexphalt Bitumens (which are not yet on my site, but drawing in Fidczuk, Peter. (1993b) Air Ministry tank wagons part 2: Post war service. Modellers' Backtrack vol. 3 (part 2) pp 60 - 69.

Drawings - SMBP (ex AirMinistry) 14t class B tank, riveted and SMBP 16t Bitumen tank wagon.

 

Paul

York

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post-387-12643410035035_thumb.jpg

 

A demonstration of how single Presflo could be unloaded using suitably equipped road vehicles. Although the photo is undated, the wagon appears very new, so 1959-60 seems a likely date. There is a similar photograph, but earlier, on the front cover of Don Rowlands BR wagon book.

 

By 1959 the wagons were being built with roller bearings, but the earliest wagons were equipped with oil boxes, and converted under the BR scheme to convert all wagons with a payload of 20Ton or greater to have roller bearings - which seems to have happened for Presflo but not for many other wagons such as Tubes and Plates.

 

Paul

York

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