moorlander

Apologies if in the wrong forum . Over the upcoming festive period Does anyone know if there is the annual train fair at Shildon this year ? Regards

there used to be a gas works near whitby larpool viaduct,on the esk valley line . think was still rail served in the 70s , so this turn has to originate from teesside . Just up from Eaglesvliffe , urlay nook naval stores did they ever have a siding ?

dont forget any wagons for Ruswarp from the coast route , had to go down from prospect hill into Town , then upto Ruswarp. And vice versa for any traffic to the coastal route . I think we only looking at 2=3 wagons in the cattle siding at Ruswarp which coud make it interesting shunting any other wagons for the special sales . Though the line was dual not single as nowadays.

there are 2 types of market , one for slaughter and the store markets usually on seperate days. plus alot of cattle came in from ireland and sheep down from scotland . When loading cattle into wagons , it is generlly easier to group animals from the same farm together. they easier to handle and sold in small batches sometimes . in livestocck facilities , you would have a midden for manure, compulsory wheelbarrow , straw and a water trough Ruswarp on the Esk Valley had a loading dock for cattle for its auction mart . it was worked by lever of the branch line . its fat mart on a monday and itore mart wednesday , with special sheep or sucker sales other days, you also get breeding sales and the odd farm implement sale take place throughout the year Farmers would often come to Ruswarp market to buy farm sundries the same day , BATA etc in the village goods yard there used to be a slaughterhouse in whitby next too West cliff station , but unsure it was there when the line was open I think there were a couple cattle sidings pens near whitby town station but stand corrected . other local cattle markets were likely Seamer and Malton or Stokesley so traffic would go there from the coastal areas i guess the local hunt included Goathland too , which traditionally hunts south of the Esk only . Meets were generally in Villages often not railway linked or at farms /estates .

remember , animal welfare implications for loading /unloading and transport of live animals . time and distance . wagon stock density etc .. plus the need to clean wash and disinfect cattle wagons logically most auctions will start mid- morning as farmers have daily chores before going to market . I guess most farmers took livestock as and when to holding area or pens next to the railway. To be loaded onto a set train or en mass on pre determind market days

Top modelling ,

looks a decent job well done so far , are you going to vary the seacows weathering

Firstly id to say a big thankyou to the organisers , traders and exhibitors for once again putting on a good show. the quality of the layouts were all superb and a inspiration to us all. i usually go every year on the saturday. the only observation i would make is that the queues didnt seem as long as previous years. But by dinner time the show had filled up nicely .

Aye, very well done. Can we please have some more threads like this !

Nice to see a "Prestons of Potto" truck, i see them everyday. Keep up the good work