Cobbles or setts on goods platform surface?

[ColHut]

Does anyone know if setts or cobbles were ever used on railway goods platforms/ loading docks?

 

I have some spare plastic embossed sheet so thinking of using it up.

 

regards

[Hibelroad]

Cobbles would be a very rough surface, difficult to walk on and a nightmare for wheeled barrows so I would think smooth setts would be used in every case. 

[ColHut]

Thanks for that.  I am not sure I have seen either but quite interested if there are any known.  Mostly ash, paving slabs and or gravel and later bitumen.

 

regards

[Hibelroad]

I think the problem is that the two terms, cobbles and setts are often mixed up. Cobbles are natural rounded stones (probably beach stones) maybe 50mm to 100mm across. Setts are quarried stone which has been cut into square blocks. It is common for people to refer to cobbled  streets when they really mean streets laid with setts. Setts were in widespread use in railway yards, they provide a fairly smooth surface while cobbles are a very bumpy surface. In both cases the stones would be bedded in coarse sand, setts being a regular size would be far easier to place. In the UK there are still many old areas laid with setts and modern concrete versions are now available for decorative purposes. I think Wills make sheets of cobbles and setts but setts are far more common in real life, an internet search should provide examples of both types of surface .