China Clay 'Hoods'

[7013]

This query came about when I stated that the house shaped hoods were never steam hauled... fot straight in it!

I was under the impression that the 'hood' tarpaulin, the one with the centre spine which raises the hood up into a roof style shape was not introduced until the 1970s. Up until that time I thought that the tarpaulins on the 5 plank clay wagons were applied flat.

However I was informed by two very experienced gentlemen at our club that the GWR had adopted the roof style with china clay hoods at an earlier time, the only difference being that the hoods were black/dark grey rather than the blue of ECC.

I must say I have found no evidence of this style used by GWR or BR either photographically or in text. I wonder if any of our more knowledgable contributors to this site could enlighten me?

[Taz]

I think they may be mistaken.

 

I have seen normal 5 plank general goods wagons with this set up.

I believe it was quite common on GWR open wagons at one time but they slowly dropped them as the other Railways would often pinch the wagons for extended periods of time (as the normal opens were common user) because the setup was considered superior to their own wagons.

[Fat Controller]

I think they may be mistaken.

 

I have seen normal 5 plank general goods wagons with this set up.

I believe it was quite common on GWR open wagons at one time but they slowly dropped them as the other Railways would often pinch the wagons for extended periods of time (as the normal opens were common user) because the setup was considered superior to their own wagons.

The pivoted Sheet Rail was fitted to ordinary GWR open wagons prior to WW1- it was a patented design known as the 'Williams' sheet rail. Sadly, there is no evidence to suggest that the Williams in question were part of my family.. The design resurfaced again in BR days, being used on both wood and steel-bodied opens (conventional and 'Shock'), though it was often removed following damage- post-1964, any wagon so fitted would normally have High/Hy-Bar or similar as part of the painted wagon details.

I'm pretty certain that the sheet rail fitted to the end-door opens used within the South-West were fixed, rather than pivoted.

[7013]

Thanks chaps, I wonder if the wagons in the South-West would have been used for clay traffic? The main reason I ask is because the wagons with the tarpaulins held up like that look good behind a steam loco, I know modellers licence allows me to run what I like but it would be nice to have some historical confirmation

[hmrspaul]

This is what the clayhoods look like without a hood

Plain end http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brclayhood/ef07861e

Door end http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brclayhood/e1d31ba8c

 

This is the type of fixture used for high bars on GWR and BR http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/wagondetailspoetc/e1dbaf749 Kits for these are available.

 

Paul Bartlett

[7013]

Thanks for all the input chaps, I think I will limit my GWR style 'Hoods' to mainline running. With the Cl 22 release I can move my china clay stock seamlessly from steam to diesel and alter rolling stock accordingly, but I will still run my China Clay Hoods behind my 45XX's because they look right aesthetically if not historically!