Concrete wagons

[Narrow Gauge Jordan]

Hi all,

 

My 0n16.5 gauge layout has a concrete works on the railway and I was wondering how it was transported, would it be in liquid(?) form or already made into whatever its going to be.

 

On my layout it would mostly be parts for a concrete dam and sleepers but I'm sure that they were made at the factory and taken on flat wagons, am I right?

 

Thanks

 

Jordan

[Fat Controller]

Sleepers would be cast and cured away from the work-site; they'd have to wait for about a week before being used. Likewise things like pipes. 

Larger parts of the dam itself would be poured in-situ. You'd need a mix of tipping wagons and flats, though the tippers might be replaced by skips on flat wagons, to allow them to be lifted by crane into position. I believe some types of tipper had bodies which could be lifted off by crane, or tipped conventionally, as required.

There was a system of this type used by BR to serve the coastal defences at the Warren, between Dover and Folkestone. Raw materials were brought in to a standard-gauge siding, then transhipped and taken to a batching plant, more-or-less on the same level. The mix would then be dropped by chute into wagons at beach level, and taken to where it was required. Some of the rails in the concrete apron were still in place when I last looked, though such concrete that is needed these days is brought in by truck-mixer and dumper.

[Boris]

As requested, a conrete wagon:

 

 

[PhilJ W]

As requested, a conrete wagon:

 

concrete wagon.jpg

 

The LNER actually experimented with concrete brake vans.

[Boris]

Having seen the concrete sailing ships of the same era it really doesn't surprise me.