Julian Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I'm modelling a 4mm scale Scottish branch terminus in the early 1960s and I want to include a cattle pen/dock. The layout is inspired by the likes of Aberfeldy/Killin/Dornoch so could be ex-HR or ex-LMS'ish. Any idea of the style of fencing used for the cattle pens? Wooden posts/slats or metal rails and posts? Does any one have a source for any photos of these? Many thanks indeed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 These would be the two places I'd start: http://www.gnsra.org.uk/ http://www.railbrit.co.uk/index.php Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I chanced upon this one, at Kyle of Lochalsh, this morning, when looking for something else. It almost looks like a concrete casting that used bullhead rail for the mould:- http://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/5729033599/in/set-72157626615700355/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stuartp Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 It almost looks like a concrete casting that used bullhead rail for the mould:- I had a look through a couple of Ernie's sets when this was first posted, found this and dismissed it as being some random bit of fence, but now I'm not so sure: http://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/5648837658/in/set-72157626564327646 I was going to say timber posts and rails but it looks like concrete might be an option too ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Looks like modular concrete, slotted posts and standard components were de rigeur. As St Boswells had one of the biggest livestock handling facilities, I'd like to think the southern uplands might have something to offer the discussion.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 Many thanks indeed. The "Ernies Railway Archive" stuff is excellent inspiration! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stuartp Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I was reading 'On Highland Lines' the other night. There's a picture of the rest of Dingwall's cattle dock in 1965 with concrete as far as the eye can see. Wooden posts and rails at Muir of Ord though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzer27jd Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 This image is at Maud, which was for many years a major centre for the movement of cattle. http://www.gnsra.org.uk/gnsra_gallery_stations_84.htm John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham R Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Hi Julian, I came across this National Archives of Scotland plan reference while looking for something else, and remembered your query. Sounds like drawings of the modern (steel or concrete) cattle pen fixtures for the period you want. The plan itself is not online however. You would have to visit the NAS warehouse in Sighthill on a Wednesday morning to see the plan though, not immediately accessible from Somerset... nor from Switzerland where I am ! ... but maybe another RMwebber can help. Judging by photos and 1:2500 maps of many northern Scottish branch termini, it was typical to have one or two pens on the loading bank, with the large pen area at the mart or saleground itself. Kyle was an exception with six pens, because it was a transhipment rather than sale point I suppose. Thurso was also unusual in having many pens along a whole siding, but the mart was hard against the railway and its pens adjoined the rail loading ones. (Though not a terminus, Lairg, with its huge annual lamb sale and special trains, made do with only four pens). Aberfeldy and Lybster seem to have had two pens, Wick three (by the 1960s: only one in 1900), Fortrose and Strathpeffer one, Killin/Dornoch/Fort George/Hopeman/Fochabers none at all. My own particular interest, Macduff on the GNoS, which had a pen like a half-octagon similar to that at Maud linked by Sulzer27d. Moveable fences on bases - flakes - were used to supplement the fixed pen and to assist in loading animals. But Macduff was not a significant livestock centre: most of the cattle on that branch were loaded at Turriff. I am speculating here, but I would guess that at termini at least, pens were mostly used to hold animals awaiting collection by farmers, rather than awaiting arrival of a livestock van. If a farmer wanted to move an animal by rail from his local station, it would be arranged in advance and the vehicle would be in place before the animal arrived - no-one would want the mess and responsibility of holding outgoing animals. Where more than a vanload of traffic was expected, on mart day for example, the branch freight was often timed to spend extended time at the station in question so vans could be shunted for loading, or else a shunting engine was provided for the occasion. On longer journeys livestock required to be fed and watered, and must have been unloaded for the purpose into pens. Anyway, the long and short of it is, by the early 1960s most cattle moved by road, so your branch terminus might equally well have retained a pre-grouping pen of wooden posts, or have a more modern steel or concrete one from the 1950s. Fill it with weeds instead of animals ! cheers Graham Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Natalie Graham Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Hi Julian, I came across this National Archives of Scotland plan reference while looking for something else, and remembered your query. Sounds like drawings of the modern (steel or concrete) cattle pen fixtures for the period you want. The plan itself is not online however. You would have to visit the NAS warehouse in Sighthill on a Wednesday morning to see the plan though, not immediately accessible from Somerset... nor from Switzerland where I am ! ... but maybe another RMwebber can help. You may be able to order copies by post, depending on whether the original is suitable. Click the round 'what next?' button on the link for information. One minor point but Killin was Caledonian Railway, not Highland. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
emac Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Back in time I remember using a small cattle dock at Renton siding as a fort as it was built of railway sleepers with a gate at both ends sorry no pics eddie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggesford box Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Hi Julian, have sent you a PM with details of a Highland cattle pen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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