Usage of Chaldon Waggons in NCB Collieries

[bigboyboris]

I've read that these wagons continued to be used into the 1950s in some collieries, but I'm curious what for? I imagine they don't really have the right geometry for unloading with a tippler, so it seems like combined with the small capacity it would have been awkward to transport much coal with them. 

 

Did anyone know if there were particular duties they were assigned to? Would they work mixed in with other opens or on their own rake? Or were they the sort of thing kept around just in case but very rarely used? 

[Pandora]

The use of Chaldon Wagons was later than the 1950s.  probably until the 1970s or beyond.

I had an image from the web of a 47 working an up-direction freight train  through Doncaster Station , the  image lost by a hard drive crash,and cannot relocate , ( does anyone have a copy)?

The image would be from around 1970 and In the formation is an  ex-works metal-bodied Chaldron wagon with the typical inside axleboxes, the wheels in full view, the nearest wagon works to Domncaster would be Charles Roberts of Wakefield and it is an assumption it is a  the repaired or overhauled wagon  in transit back to the owner. Did Roberts make such wagons for UK or export in the modern era?

Edited April 30, 2022 by Pandora

[Compound2632]

I'm not convinced that @Pandora and @bigboyboris are talking about the same thing here. Try here:

 

 

Edited April 30, 2022 by Compound2632

[65179]

Not colliery use, but the use of chaldron wagons like this (TrainsandTravel Flickr image):

 

at Seaham Harbour is discussed here:

 

http://beamishtransportonline.co.uk/2020/04/a-selection-of-new-seaham-harbour-images/

 

Simon

[Pandora]

2 hours ago, 65179 said:

Not colliery use, but the use of chaldron wagons like this (TrainsandTravel Flickr image):

 

at Seaham Harbour is discussed here:

 

http://beamishtransportonline.co.uk/2020/04/a-selection-of-new-seaham-harbour-images/

 

Simon

The wagon I refer to in the 1970s Doncaster image was a modern  version of the Beamish wagon,  the modern wagon had the same style, inside axles boxes and the distinctive shape and the body in metal. The wagon was in fresh black paint,  no owners marking,  so possibly owners are Steel Works or the  NCB. I wish I could find and post the image for everyone to see.

Edited April 30, 2022 by Pandora

[br2975]

7 hours ago, Pandora said:

The use of Chaldon Wagons was later than the 1950s.  probably until the 1970s or beyond.

I had an image from the web of a 47 working an up-direction freight train  through Doncaster Station , the  image lost by a hard drive crash,and cannot relocate , ( does anyone have a copy)?

The image would be from around 1970 and In the formation is an  ex-works metal-bodied Chaldron wagon with the typical inside axleboxes, the wheels in full view, the nearest wagon works to Domncaster would be Charles Roberts of Wakefield and it is an assumption it is a  the repaired or overhauled wagon  in transit back to the owner. Did Roberts make such wagons for UK or export in the modern era?

 

Could this be what was in the photo to which you refer, passing Doncaster ?

.

A common site at pits in the Yorkshire coalfield.

.

 

Edited April 30, 2022 by br2975

[Compound2632]

3 minutes ago, br2975 said:

 

Could this be what was in the photo to which you refer, passing Doncaster ?

.

A common site at pits in the Yorkshire coalfield.

.

 

 

But that's a side-tipping wagon, not a chaldron.

[br2975]

2 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

But that's a side-tipping wagon, not a chaldron.

I think I know that,.................... and have seen these moved on BR metals  - but a  chaldron (wooden or metal) running on the national network in the 70s

I have yet to see.

[Nick_Burman]

Not a colliery, but Seaham Harbour used chauldrons to retried spilled coal from under the staithes. They lasted until the staithes closed.

 

Cheers NB

[Pandora]

4 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

But that's a side-tipping wagon, not a chaldron.

I think I am after all confusing a chaldon wagon with the side-tipping wagon,  apologies!

[russ p]

A chaldron wagon can't form part of a train of conventional wagons as it has lower closer dumb buffers if you can call them that as they are just the frame ends 

[doilum]

4 hours ago, Pandora said:

I think I am after all confusing a chaldon wagon with the side-tipping wagon,  apologies!

Now a much rarer beast. I doubt that there are five left in existence, and that includes the lwb version from the Sheffield sewage works. Last one I saw was at Beamish about three years ago.

[Ray M]

Middleton have a side tipper.

(return empty to Tinsley)

[doilum]

1 hour ago, Ray M said:

Middleton have a side tipper.

(return empty to Tinsley)

That is one of the Sheffield lwb type that were approved for regular transit on BR main line. Elsewhere some of the swb made limited use of BR branch lines under local agreement.

[russ p]

13 minutes ago, doilum said:

That is one of the Sheffield lwb type that were approved for regular transit on BR main line. Elsewhere some of the swb made limited use of BR branch lines under local agreement.

 

What did they carry on BR ? When I used to pass those works they seemed to be filled with some pretty horrible stuss

[Compound2632]

15 hours ago, russ p said:

A chaldron wagon can't form part of a train of conventional wagons as it has lower closer dumb buffers if you can call them that as they are just the frame ends 

 

Unless, of course, the conventional wagons (and brake vans and locomotives) also have additional dumb buffers (usually extensions of the end pillars, suitably braced), as was common in the the North East and also in West Cumberland, in the 19th century.

[KeithMacdonald]

Here's a nice article by Accurascale on the history and their chaldron wagons:

 

Quote

New Announcement - Chaldrons; The Wagons That Fuelled The Industrial Revolution!

 

https://accurascale.co.uk/blogs/news/chaldrons-the-wagons-that-fuelled-the-industrial-revolution

[KeithMacdonald]

 

 

[doilum]

1 hour ago, russ p said:

 

What did they carry on BR ? When I used to pass those works they seemed to be filled with some pretty horrible stuss

Solid sewage residue I believe. Not quite sure of the local geography but they were permitted to run from the treatment works to a disposal site over the main line. The NCB at Wheldale colliery used the stump of the BR Garforth branch to cross over to tipping grounds on the north side of the river Aire.

Edited May 1, 2022 by doilum
Predictive text error