Edwardian Horse box workings

[smyles1]

I want to build a layout depicting horseboxes at a race course in the pre 1914 period. Information is needed as to what happens when the horseboxes arrive at the racecourse station. Did the horses remain in their horseboxes or were they taken to stables at the station or at the course? If horseboxes were unloaded were they then moved to sidings to enable more trains to unload? I have seen photos of racegoers arriving by train but nothing about the horses.

Any information would be very welcome.

Thanks,

Mike 

[Miss Prism]

Like humans, horses like to stretch their legs after a train journey, and I think grooms took their valuable charges directly to stables or paddocks as soon as possible after a train had arrived. These stables and paddocks may have been immediately adjacent to the station or as part of the racecourse itself. Not sure what happened for the courses which were some distance from the station, e.g. Newmarket. I guess every locality had its particular set of arrangements. Dispersal of trains would vary according to the density of traffic and the type of station - through, as in Cheltenham Racecourse, which as far as I am aware never had any dedicated horsebox sidings, or terminus, which would have had some storage space for trains, to be reshuffled ready for their return workings.

Some good pics here.

 

[Welchester]

I wouldn't have thought there would have been any space to lay sidings at Cheltenham Racecourse. Presumably horseboxes after unloading would have been stored at Malvern Road or St James?

[smyles1]

Many thanks for the information and especially for the link to goods traffic in the Epsom and Ewell area which mentioned horseboxes. Very interesting articles which have given me some ideas.

Thanks,

Mike