The Bigbee Line Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Sorry about that. I was on my phone and the topic wasn't obvious. Anyway. Harbour and dockside railways are always interesting. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham R Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 [...] The photo was taken through a gap in the boundary wall where there was a platform and loading facility for bitumen from the Briggs plant along near the beach at Elliot. The bitumen was transferred by road tanker to Arbroath and then piped down into waiting rail tankers to be transported away to Dundee and beyond. [...] I have wondered what that structure was for the last thirty years! Despite half my family being Red Lichties, no-one could tell me. Thanks! Somewhere I have a photo of it, I'll try to dig it out. I remember the Briggs plant, Dowrie Works, as a black smudge along the line towards Dundee from Elliot Junction, at the other end of the golf course. I never saw it close up. Here is a WW2-era aerial photo previously on the RCAHMS site which seems no longer to be visible there: (Just to be clear for those who don't know the area, this shot has nothing to do with the loading point you described in Arbroath goods yard). I'm not sure when Dowrie Works ceased operations, but the sidings were not finally removed until 1971. I don't recall the bitumen loading point at Arbroath being used in the 1970s. Do you know any more about it? Graham Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberbrothock Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I have wondered what that structure was for the last thirty years! Despite half my family being Red Lichties, no-one could tell me. Thanks! Somewhere I have a photo of it, I'll try to dig it out. I remember the Briggs plant, Dowrie Works, as a black smudge along the line towards Dundee from Elliot Junction, at the other end of the golf course. I never saw it close up. Here is a WW2-era aerial photo previously on the RCAHMS site which seems no longer to be visible there: Arbroath North British Chemical Works Dowrie Siding WW2 period.jpeg (Just to be clear for those who don't know the area, this shot has nothing to do with the loading point you described in Arbroath goods yard). I'm not sure when Dowrie Works ceased operations, but the sidings were not finally removed until 1971. I don't recall the bitumen loading point at Arbroath being used in the 1970s. Do you know any more about it? Graham Not sure when the loading point at Arbroath station went out of use, but I may find out tomorrow as I'm speaking to a couple of Arbroath lads then. Watch this space. Incidentally, there seem to be standard gauge tracks at the bottom of the photo at the Dowrie works, and I hadn't realised it was rail connected - another question for the Arbroath lads! Thanks Ken Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberbrothock Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Not sure when the loading point at Arbroath station went out of use, but I may find out tomorrow as I'm speaking to a couple of Arbroath lads then. Watch this space. Incidentally, there seem to be standard gauge tracks at the bottom of the photo at the Dowrie works, and I hadn't realised it was rail connected - another question for the Arbroath lads! Thanks Ken Silly me! I've just checked my copy of the D & A WTT for 1935 and note that Dowrie is of course included - I'll post later on how often trains called there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberbrothock Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Hi Folks Disregard my previous comments re the tar loading platform, as I learned last night that the use was as follows:- It sounds as though the platform was used to load waste coal tar from the local town gas works for subsequent distillation to produce other useful materials. Transport seems to have been by horse drawn tanks which reversed over the platform on two metal guide rails before being emptied into waiting wagons below. The use would have ceased when the Arbroath gas works closed, perhaps around the 1940's/50's. The siding below the platform was then cut back, continuing to serve a coal unloading shed. Come to think of it, I should really make a model of the platform! More info. to come............ Aberbrothock Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberbrothock Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 A couple of photos of Arbroath harbour blown up from small jpg's. The originals are on a site called theshoppie.com if you know how to enlarge them better than my efforts. They both show railway wagons on various parts of the piers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 hi, just found this thread after searching for Thomas Muir sons & Patton, because yesterday at Scalefour north i bought a copy of this photo. my physical copy obviously doesnt have the logo all over it http://www.hmrs.org.uk/photograph-collection/photoinfo.php?id=ACP631 a bogie wagon built by R Y Pickering for said company Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john flann Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 Why just look at Scotland, the subject matter extends to England. For active small harbour/quay layouts see recent posts on my Hintock thread for Hintock Town Quay (built) and Port Bredy (building). And AndyP's current activities. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgman Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 Watchet Harbour West Somerset could be worth considering ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penlan Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 I hadn't realised there were any rail lines into the harbour at Arbroath. This is an extract from the 1903, 1:2500 map, I admit not very clear as it's a copy of a pixilated original, but at least it shows the extent of the lines. It looks as if there's some interesting shunting moves available for those who like puzzles and minimum space layouts (but not me). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian Smeeton Posted April 17, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 17, 2016 Long gone.... but I like the arrangement of track and wagon turntables to the left (shoul that be Port) side of the estuary http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/spw034372 Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberbrothock Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 I hadn't realised there were any rail lines into the harbour at Arbroath. This is an extract from the 1903, 1:2500 map, I admit not very clear as it's a copy of a pixilated original, but at least it shows the extent of the lines. It looks as if there's some interesting shunting moves available for those who like puzzles and minimum space layouts (but not me). Arbroath Harbour Map 1903 - small.jpg The line curving round to the Sawmill led to the original Dundee and Arbroath Railway terminus, some of the buildings of which survived long after the station closed, and were in use as fairly basic housing accommodation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Johnson Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 Aberbrothoc, do you have a clearer view of the wagon lettering? I know I'm in west Cornwall and I model South Wales, but my family is Arbroath (Croall), so I wouldn't mind adding this wagon to my fleet... I recognise the view, and remember when there was a decent fleet in the Harbour too. One of my relations was one of the RNLI Arbroath six who died in 1952. I was at school then in Inverkeilor. Penlan, have a look at Powsides for Smith Hood transfers and many other Scottish ones! Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Torper Posted January 18, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 18, 2017 There's a lengthy and well illustrated article on Aberdeen Harbour Railways and the Waterloo Branch in the current (February 2017) edition of "Steam Days" magazine. DT Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
26power Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Not a harbour branch, but at least a quayside! Oban 27/07/61: https://www.flickr.com/photos/126693116@N06/17124909750/in/album-72157651168524976/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bon Accord Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 Not a harbour branch, but at least a quayside! Oban 27/07/61: https://www.flickr.com/photos/126693116@N06/17124909750/in/album-72157651168524976/ Almost unrecognisable now. The quay is now number 1 Ro-Ro berth and is now used by the current car ferries, the goods/transit shed has long gone and it's place taken by the new ferry terminal building. Rail access to the quayside ceased nearly 40 years ago, one of the last regular uses being to trundle down oil tanks which contained bunker fuel for the ship in the picture: KING GEORGE V. She was withdrawn at the end of the 1974 season and met her end in a fire in Cardiff 7 years later. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Jamieson Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Thre is a great selectionm of photos of Aberdeeen harbour from the end of the 19th Century here: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/historic/harbour/Intro.shtml The collection is now in Aberdeen University Library and has been digitiosed - and is searchable. Mind you the labelling of photos often isnt much cop so you are best to put in/search specific years to see what there is. Good article on Aberdeen harbour railways in the February 2017 edition of Steam Days magazine. Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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