A Question on China Clay Slurry Facilities

[The Fatadder]

As part of my planning for Wheal Imogen, I am turning my attention to the planning of a slurry loading point.

 

First of all I am fully aware that what I am proposing to build is somewhat stretching the plausibility of a small clay works, as from memory by the late 1980s there simply were not any slurry loading facilities at any of the remaining small clay works. (However I would love to be corrected on that). The key here is the extra operating interest having the slurry point gives the layout, significantly increasing the variety of stock which can be used. I already have the ex Bowaters TTAs for my earlier period and Silver Bullets for my late period, with plans to add more TTA conversions to cover the middle. I also have an almost finished Chalk Slurry TDA which will have been fictionally moved to Cornwall!

 

In fact the only facility I have seen in any detail is that in the Blackpool works at Burngullow, Thanks to a combination of RMWeb and Flickr I have seen lots of photos of the both the original uncovered structure and its replacement large shed with raised platform for cleaning immediately before it. I have not been able to pinpoint the exact point of transition between the two structures, other than the “new” one was in use during the late 80s.

 

Now my question,

Is anyone aware of any other rail served slurry facilities? Ideally I am looking for something self-contained (i.e. without the wash plant) which is a maximum of one silver bullet in length.

I assume the loading process was to arrive, clean out the tank, then fill with slurry. However would this clean be completed on every working (or would you potentially get away with having an operation where the arriving tanks are either clean or not requiring a clean thus reducing the space requirement?)

 

My original intention was to just model the shed based upon Blackpool, but I have a feeling the older design may be more sensible. Some thought has also been given to a sort of modular construction enabling both to be used depending on period.

[rob D2]

What about the slurry loading thingy at par docks? Not in use now but still there and probably easy to model, just being a frame and pipe

[PaulRhB]

This may help although it includes the wash too.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/salisburyasc/albums/72157616232731860

[Kernow]

As part of my planning for Wheal Imogen, I am turning my attention to the planning of a slurry loading point.

 

First of all I am fully aware that what I am proposing to build is somewhat stretching the plausibility of a small clay works, as from memory by the late 1980s there simply were not any slurry loading facilities at any of the remaining small clay works. (However I would love to be corrected on that). The key here is the extra operating interest having the slurry point gives the layout, significantly increasing the variety of stock which can be used. I already have the ex Bowaters TTAs for my earlier period and Silver Bullets for my late period, with plans to add more TTA conversions to cover the middle. I also have an almost finished Chalk Slurry TDA which will have been fictionally moved to Cornwall!

 

In fact the only facility I have seen in any detail is that in the Blackpool works at Burngullow, Thanks to a combination of RMWeb and Flickr I have seen lots of photos of the both the original uncovered structure and its replacement large shed with raised platform for cleaning immediately before it. I have not been able to pinpoint the exact point of transition between the two structures, other than the “new” one was in use during the late 80s.

 

Now my question,

Is anyone aware of any other rail served slurry facilities? Ideally I am looking for something self-contained (i.e. without the wash plant) which is a maximum of one silver bullet in length.

I assume the loading process was to arrive, clean out the tank, then fill with slurry. However would this clean be completed on every working (or would you potentially get away with having an operation where the arriving tanks are either clean or not requiring a clean thus reducing the space requirement?)

 

My original intention was to just model the shed based upon Blackpool, but I have a feeling the older design may be more sensible. Some thought has also been given to a sort of modular construction enabling both to be used depending on period.

If you live in Cornwall, I would suggest you contact or join the China Clay History Society'

They are based at Tehidy House near Blackpool Dry

They meet in the mornings every Wednesday & Friday and have over 20,000 photos in their archives. the telephone No' is

07985305144. I hope this helps.

Paul

[The Fatadder]

Thanks for the feedback, I think the par option might be a good shout in that it is both simple and as far as I can make out has no wash out facility yet still worked with the silver bullets. Although that said the original facility at Blackpool is also tempting.

 

One though I have been tending towards is to have the washout facility off scene so I only need the loader.