GWR Sand House

[Danny Vanstraelen]

Being a Belgian international train driver whole my career, sand was an important issue to look at when you prepared a loco, specially during Autumn as faling leaves leave a slippery film on the tracks.

My modeling intrest though are British trains for more than 20 years, mainly Era 1-3.

Now I finely have time sinds my retirement to work out a layout.

I'm in the planning stage at the moment for a fictive GWR loco yard.

I found information on most facilities, water crane, water tower, coaling stage, engine sheds etc.

But where I don't find information on is the sanding installation/ shed.

What I did find and bought is a lazer cut GWR Sand House at Didcot.

It would be interesting to see photos of this building when it was in use or any other GWR sand installation for that matter?

I assume that the main purpose is to dry or keeping dry the sand, and that the filling of loco's was a complete manual labor?

so all information, photos is welcome and would help me out a lot in my quest?

regards,

Danny

Edited February 9 by Danny Vanstraelen

[adriank]

'An Historical Survey of Great Western Engine Sheds 1947' by E.Lyons has a scale drawing of a 1930 pattern sand bin and furnace. As you say, its main purpose was to dry and store the sand. These buildings were usually metal sheeted with a brick chimney for the furnace.  There is a photograph of a brick-built version at Banbury built in 1944. There was a hatch at ground floor level which enabled a bucket to be filled with dried sand.

 

If you have difficulty in accessing this book, PM me and I'll see what I can do. 

 

Adrian

[Danny Vanstraelen]

HI, thanks Adrian,  for your answer, I bought that book you mentioned yesterday.

I will get it in my hands by mid March as I visit family in the UK and going to the London show.

Hopefully I get a better idee of it and it's surroundings when I have the book.

On sand installations there seems to be a very scarce information on.

And not much layouts I've seen have integrated structures like this at all.