LBSC Dia 1369 Sheet Rail fixing

[Penlan]

How was the sheet rail retained in a vertical position in LBSC / SR days to the end curved 'L' shaped rail?
This detail of the preserved wagon on the Bluebell Line seems to show it's been riveted in the upright position,  thus the rail is unable to be allowed to drop down to the side sheet when not required to be vertical.
My query is on the assumption of course it was able to be dropped down.

 

Edited February 24, 2021 by Penlan

[Penlan]

I might be answering my own question, but in a Topic on LBSC Grey, I've posted a picture of some wagons and this seems to show them in a train, not sheeted and upright, perhaps they never left the upright position, thus riveted to the end arrangement.

 

[Wickham Green too]

The fact that a semi-circular 'guide' surrounded a pivot and there was a notch on top of the body corner to park the rail in the lowered position suggests that it was intended to swivel ! ........... it may be that the Bluebell Railway ran into the same conundrum and didn't know exactly how to finish the wagon they were restoring - or, perhaps, Health & Safety got in the way of permitting a heavy bit of metal to go swinging about in mid air .......... or there's some sort of catch at the top of the guide that we can't see !!?!

[Compound2632]

Looking at photos in Southern Wagons Vol. 2, the cast iron pivot plate bolted to the wagon end has a vertical slot rather than a simple hole for the pivot pin to sit in. When the sheet rail is resting to one side, the pivot pin is at the top of this slot. The vertical part of the sheet rail has a boss or knob that rests on the semi-circular guide; the latter has a notch at the top, so when the sheet rail is vertical the boss drops into the notch, locking the sheet rail in place. The pivot pin is then sitting at the bottom of the slot in the pivot plate. (I think this is what we see in the photo of the preserved wagon.)

 

I think Great Western sheet rails worked in the same way. 

 

It must have taken two men and some effort to lift the sheet bar up so the bosses were clear of the notches at each end and the bar could drop to the side.

[Penlan]

Many thanks Stephen, I don't have Vol.2, and I couldn't find a suitable drawing searching the internet.
I may not be able to model these things properly, but I do like to know how it works - part of the legacy of having been an Engineer in the past.
Best wishes to you and stay safe.

Edited February 25, 2021 by Penlan