Provender-type stores and their sidings

[spikey]

Today I finally realised that one of the builders merchant's buildings in what used to be our town's goods yard must have once been a private provender store type of thing, and that's prompted me to wonder whether I can add a similar structrure to my own goods yard.  But what was the score with the siding on which such a store was placed?  Would such a structure only be on  private siding?

 

Working away from the running line, my goods yard has one siding for empties which finishes at an end-loading dock just past the cattle dock, and one alongside that which is intended for the coal merchant.  Spaced somewhat apart from these is a siding with vehicle access on both sides (mileage traffic or whatever), and then finally the one leading to the Company's goods shed.

 

The only sensible location for a private shed would be somewhere along the "mileage/general" siding, but should it go towards the end of it, or what?  I can't quite see how having a private shed on a siding wouldn't unduly restrict the other use of that siding, so - how exactly did a private store fit into the scheme of things in your average small goods yard?

 

 

 

[Steamport Southport]

I thought they were built by the railways for feed stuffs. Maybe the builders took over a pre existing store?

 

Previous thread here.

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/40114-rail-served-provender-type-store/

 

 

 

Jason

[Fat Controller]

16 minutes ago, spikey said:

Today I finally realised that one of the builders merchant's buildings in what used to be our town's goods yard must have once been a private provender store type of thing, and that's prompted me to wonder whether I can add a similar structrure to my own goods yard.  But what was the score with the siding on which such a store was placed?  Would such a structure only be on  private siding?

 

Working away from the running line, my goods yard has one siding for empties which finishes at an end-loading dock just past the cattle dock, and one alongside that which is intended for the coal merchant.  Spaced somewhat apart from these is a siding with vehicle access on both sides (mileage traffic or whatever), and then finally the one leading to the Company's goods shed.

 

The only sensible location for a private shed would be somewhere along the "mileage/general" siding, but should it go towards the end of it, or what?  I can't quite see how having a private shed on a siding wouldn't unduly restrict the other use of that siding, so - how exactly did a private store fit into the scheme of things in your average small goods yard?

 

 

 

They weren't on private sidings. If the siding you're proposing has road access on both sides, then put the provender store (s) along it, with enough space for a lorry to pass between store and track. Some places seemed to have the stores right against the track; presumably there was a door on the rear for road access. The stores were rented by the railway to agricultural supply companies, builder's merchants and similar.

[spikey]

Thanks Brian.  This one was definitely up against the track, there being a wide sliding door on that side at wagon floor height, but all trace of the siding has gone apart from the start of it maybe 50 yards away.   That's why I couldn't work out where it stood along the length i.e. how far from the buffers.

 

So, in the real world it made no odds operationally where such a store was situated along the length of the siding?

[Fat Controller]

I don't think there was a particular preference. Llanelli used to have several, almost at the entrance to the yard, whilst at Newcastle Emlyn, they were between the outermost siding and the river.

[Nearholmer]

Wherever was convenient for access. They could be joined together to form longer sheds too.

 

And, certainly on BR(S), some were used by the railway itself as small stores, bicycle sheds, booking-on points, and workshops, in fact I think there might have been a variant available from Exmouth Junction concrete works with windows in the side panels and doors in the ends, specifically for such purposes. A similar building was used by newsagents, to receive and sort into rounds, in some places.

 

Lego for the real world, really.

[Fat Controller]

One of the ones at Llanelli was in use, at least into the mid-1980s, as a stores for the Carriage and Wagon Dept.

Were these structures manufactured by the railways themselves (at Exmouth Jct or Taunton), or were they bought in from an outside supplier, such as 'ATCOST', who specialised in prefabricated concrete structures?

[Ramblin Rich]

15 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

One of the ones at Llanelli was in use, at least into the mid-1980s, as a stores for the Carriage and Wagon Dept.

Were these structures manufactured by the railways themselves (at Exmouth Jct or Taunton), or were they bought in from an outside supplier, such as 'ATCOST', who specialised in prefabricated concrete structures?

Definitely BR, see this post in the thread that Steamport Southport linked to

Also take a look at the final picture in this post which shows a "maker's plate"

 

Edited August 23, 2019 by Ramblin Rich
added link

[lanchester]

3 hours ago, Fat Controller said:

One of the ones at Llanelli was in use, at least into the mid-1980s, as a stores for the Carriage and Wagon Dept.

Were these structures manufactured by the railways themselves (at Exmouth Jct or Taunton), or were they bought in from an outside supplier, such as 'ATCOST', who specialised in prefabricated concrete structures?

Both. There was an ATCOST shed at Lanchester, North Eastern Region in the early sixties, behind (ie closer to the buffers) the stone-built NER goods shed. Not sure of its use - possibly agricultural materials (fertilizers etc).

[Trog]

On ‎22‎/‎08‎/‎2019 at 19:26, spikey said:

 

So, in the real world it made no odds operationally where such a store was situated along the length of the siding?

 

You would perhaps want some track beyond the rail loading bay of the store. Then as you emptied each wagon you could pinch bar it towards the buffer to make room for the next. If the store was right at the end of the siding the empty wagon would have to be pushed right out of the siding and on to another then the process reversed to bring the next wagon in.

[eastglosmog]

If you are modelling a provender store, do not forget to include that essential inhabitant, the provender store cat! Widely employed to keep the rats and mice down.

[Rugd1022]

If we're talking about the concrete built type, the one at Irchester just south of Wellingborough on the Midland Mainline is still intact, albeit in a slightly sorry state. It butts onto the northern end of the Midland Railway goods shed which is in much better condition.

[spikey]

1 hour ago, Rugd1022 said:

... It butts onto the northern end of the Midland Railway goods shed which is in much better condition.

 

Gosh, I'd never have thought of that!  So am I right in assuming that running along the relevant siding from the rest of the railway, the store comes before the goods shed?

 

Any idea why the two are to all intents and purposes together?  Lack of space for it to go anywhere else?  Vehicle access issues maybe?

[Rugd1022]

1 hour ago, spikey said:

 

Gosh, I'd never have thought of that!  So am I right in assuming that running along the relevant siding from the rest of the railway, the store comes before the goods shed?

 

Any idea why the two are to all intents and purposes together?  Lack of space for it to go anywhere else?  Vehicle access issues maybe?

 

I'm not sure what the track layout was at Irchester before rationalisation occurred and the yard was closed but they definitely shared the same siding, with road vehicle access being on the east side of the buildings. There's no public access unfortunately but I do get down there on the odd ballast job, next time I get the chance I'll try and grab some photos.

 

Edit : you can probably find it on google earth to get an idea of the orientation.

Edited August 25, 2019 by Rugd1022

[spikey]

34 minutes ago, Rugd1022 said:

... you can probably find it on google earth to get an idea of the orientation.

 

Gorrit!  Thanks, mister.  It's easily identified, and exactly like you said. 

 

That definitely gives me another option to position mine, which will help with access to the yard crane, which will mean I can move the coal merchant's office nearer the weighbridge, which opens up ... etc ... etc ... etc