Homologator Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 Hi, Being a new boy I apologise if I'm asking an old question. When was the last transport of cattle by rail in the UK? Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 9 minutes ago, Homologator said: Hi, Being a new boy I apologise if I'm asking an old question. When was the last transport of cattle by rail in the UK? Regards 1975/6; I've seen photos of cattle wagons being used on the N Wales coast in 1975 and on the Kyle of Lochalsh line in 1976. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 16 minutes ago, Fat Controller said: 1975/6; I've seen photos of cattle wagons being used on the N Wales coast in 1975 and on the Kyle of Lochalsh line in 1976. Fits in with the dates on these photos on Paul Bartlett's website. They look like they are recently withdrawn. https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brcattle Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homologator Posted September 24, 2019 Author Share Posted September 24, 2019 Thanks for the prompt response! Any information gratefully appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted September 24, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 24, 2019 16 minutes ago, Homologator said: Thanks for the prompt response! Any information gratefully appreciated. I remember being at Chester in what I think was summer 1975 when a train of cattle arrived off the (North Wales) coast hauled by a pair of 25s (iirc), I still remember the doleful mooing as the train snaked around the back of the station. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 Quite a few ended up as Barriers/fitted heads on trains from Oakamoor to Stoke Cockshute, until superceded by Banana vans, Round about this time, there was a cavalcade for either the Rainhill Trials or the S&D, and the demonstration freight train had not one, but two, cattle wagons in it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trog Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 1 hour ago, beast66606 said: ............. I still remember the doleful mooing as the train snaked around the back of the station. I suspect that you to would be in a bad mood if you thought you were on a one way excursion to Smithfield. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted September 24, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 24, 2019 IIRC all livestock transport, i.e. horses, pigs, and sheep, ceased around this time and shifted to road transport at this time. Chicks going cheep were still transported in boxes by Red Star parcels, as were greyhounds, lovely things that responded very affectionately to their ears being tickled. Mind you, i've been known to respond affectionately to an ear tickling myself... As a vaguely related question, when did pigeon specials cease? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenman Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 1 hour ago, The Johnster said: ... transported in boxes by Red Star parcels, as were greyhounds ... Fascinating. The greyhounds were in boxes, in crates, or on a lead? I've always wondered if there was a railway traffic in greyhounds. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted September 24, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 24, 2019 Still running now on the liverpool street line Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted September 24, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 24, 2019 1 hour ago, Fenman said: Fascinating. The greyhounds were in boxes, in crates, or on a lead? I've always wondered if there was a railway traffic in greyhounds. Paul I remember loading pigeons in boxes onto DMUs at Middlesbrough, never came across a dog , are we sure this was right a dog in a box! If you order one now the come frozen in a plastic bag! The railway parcels service was excellent, if you didn't want door to door it was possible over certain routes to get same day station to station service Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenser Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 I recall reading that the NRM grabbed the last cattle wagon out of traffic for the National Collection about the time it opened Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted September 24, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 24, 2019 Greyhounds were tied by their leads and carried in the brake van with the guard. Collected by owner in arrival. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted September 24, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 24, 2019 3 minutes ago, The Johnster said: Greyhounds were tied by their leads and carried in the brake van with the guard. Collected by owner in arrival. Never heard of that before, was it just greyhounds or any dog? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted September 24, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 24, 2019 Highland railways had dog kennels built into many of their guard Vans. Mostly used for huntin shootin and fishin dogs or sheepdogs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted September 24, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 24, 2019 (edited) Any dog AFAIK, but greyhounds, bought and sold for racing then sent by rail for delivery, were the usual thing. Given the ferocity with which they chased that electric bunny round the stadium, their gentle and friendly nature always seemed a bit surprising, but they were always docile and uncomplaining. I once had an occupied coffin in my van. He was docile and uncomplaining as well... Edited September 24, 2019 by The Johnster 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 2 hours ago, Bucoops said: Still running now on the liverpool street line Going to the Isle Of Dogs via Barking? Jason 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 2 hours ago, russ p said: I remember loading pigeons in boxes onto DMUs at Middlesbrough, never came across a dog , are we sure this was right a dog in a box! If you order one now the come frozen in a plastic bag! The railway parcels service was excellent, if you didn't want door to door it was possible over certain routes to get same day station to station service The station-to-station service (Red Star) was excellent; I used it a lot for sending time-sensitive material from Bristol to Aberdeen and Blackburn. The only problem, in the early days, was you could only send things that had a direct service; thus you could send Bristol to Newcastle without a problem, but if the ultimate destination was Sunderland, the Makems would have to send someone to collect it. The last time I used it was when friends sent their old cat to us from Northallerton to Ashford; the vet knocked him out for the journey, and he came-to at about the time I collected him. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted September 24, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 24, 2019 Can you imagine today a vet giving an animal anesthetic for a ride in a box ??? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
doilum Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 2 hours ago, russ p said: I remember loading pigeons in boxes onto DMUs at Middlesbrough, never came across a dog , are we sure this was right a dog in a box! If you order one now the come frozen in a plastic bag! The railway parcels service was excellent, if you didn't want door to door it was possible over certain routes to get same day station to station service Once saw the pigeons being released at Normanton. Probably 1964 ish. An amazing sight. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 22 minutes ago, russ p said: Can you imagine today a vet giving an animal anesthetic for a ride in a box ??? This would have been in the mid-late 1990s; he travelled in a transport cage, with his favourite cushion under him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted September 24, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 24, 2019 3 minutes ago, Fat Controller said: This would have been in the mid-late 1990s; he travelled in a transport cage, with his favourite cushion under him. Really, didn't realise they operated that late Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 1 minute ago, russ p said: Really, didn't realise they operated that late They'd been bought out by Rentokil/Initial Services; at that point they still had premises on the station, but they moved to an industrial estate, and became progressively less useful, only being interested in large business accounts. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 The items being carried in the leading van of the train involved in the 1969 Morpeth derailment included "a live pig in a crate". The Inspector does not record whether it was amongst the casualties, but judging by the damage sustained to the van it probably was. http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/DoE_Morpeth1969.pdf 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted September 25, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 25, 2019 Pigeons were still being released at Chesterfield in my spotting days in the early 1970's. Knee deep in sh!t and feathers afterwards. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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