Slab

[mike morley]

How was it loaded and transported?

 

The only picture I've been able to track down features in both Gwyn Briwnant-Jones book on the Corris and CC Green's magnum opus on the Cambrian Coast and features slabs being transhipped from one of the Corris's custom-built slab wagons to a low-sided standard gauge wagon at Machynlleth.  Unfortunately, the transhipment is in its very early stages and the few slabs that are already aboard are propped in hap-hazard fashion all around the wagon so give no real clues as to how they would be arranged for despatch.

 

I am assuming that slab would not be loaded the same way as roofing slates - all propped up on edge like packs of cards leaning against the ends of the wagon.  Slabs tend to be much bigger than slates so would weigh a lot more and thus risk causing the end of the wagon to collapse if too many were propped against it.  The greater size of slabs also means their centre of gravity would be higher so a clumsy start, stop or shunt could easily result in a slab toppling over the end of the wagon.