Whitaker's Tramway

[Ruston]

Ruston & Hornsby 48DL at the loco shed and workshops of Whitaker's Gravel and Brick works.

 

Whitaker's Tramway was a large O-14 layout that I built around 1999. It formed a L-shape of about 16ft x 8ft. and, with off-scene gravel pit and clay pit, served a gravel processing plant and brick and pipe works. It was set in the West Riding, somewhere in the Wakefield area in the late 1950s/early 1960s.

 

All of the trackwork was hand-built, using code 83 flat-bottom rail and all the locos and stock were kit and scratch-built.

 

Ruston & Hornsby 33/40HP loco with Hudson V-skips, loaded with gravel.

 

Part of the gravel plant with Motor Rail 60S type at the tipping dock and gravel washing/primary grading plant in the background.

 

Grading screens and storage bins, for loading road vehicles with processed gravel in the background, with Priestman dragline.

 

All of these photos were taken on black & white film and this was probably the last time I ever used film. I have more if anyone is interested.

[s.e. charles]

i cannot think of a single reason why we wouldn't want to see more. this is fantastic!

[Andrew Young]

Cracking photos Ruston. Would like to see more too. Has Whitaker's Gravel and Brick works appeared in print anywhere? (Edit: answered my own question via an internet search, Review Issues 33 and 38 taken down off the shelf to peruse.)

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[Ruston]

Here are a few more photos.

 

Ruston 16/20HP loco propelling skips, loaded with clay, from the pit toward the brick and pipe works.

 

The pugmill at the brick and pipe works.

 

Inside the loco shed/workshop at the gravel works..

 

The smith at work, outside the loco shed.

 

The kiln at the brick and pipe works.

 

60S type Motor Rail heading back to the gravel pit with a rake of Hudson side-discharge wagons.

 

PW train heading for one of the pits.

[Andrew Young]

Thank you, cracking photos! It's nice to see a proper industrial narrow gauge line without any passenger working.

 

Cheers,

Andrew