China clay shunting protocols

[Rev Gary]

any thoughts please??!

I am currently building a shelf shunting layout based on West Country China clay with a nod to Carne Point, Fowey. Modeller Lance Mindheim has many videos of shunting protocols in the US but there is little I’ve been able to find out how shunting staff operate in the UK.  Ie changing points/ uncoupling wagons/ shen to apply wagon brakes/ ride the wagons? Or ride the loco cab? Would love to have some thoughts please. 
many thanks 

Gary

[Hal Nail]

53 minutes ago, Rev Gary said:

I’ve been able to find out how shunting staff operate in the UK

 

Present day?

 

The very bottom of this is, if not totally relevant, probably inspirational!

 

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/st-blazey-to-fowey-and-fowey-harbour.html

 

 

Edited July 22 by Hal Nail

[Dunalastair]

Thankyou for the pointer. Those 'beetles' (I've also heard them called 'mules' and doubtless there are other names) together with end-tipper and traverser from the days of the hoods do rather inspire a  working micro-layout. Power stations in pre-MGR days sometimes  used similar arrangements, but the clay 'hoods' seem to avoid the need to empty and refill wagons. Who needs locos?

 

Have we any examples on here of working models of UK prototypes using 'beetles'?

Edited July 22 by Dunalastair

[Captain Kernow]

2 hours ago, Rev Gary said:

any thoughts please??!

I am currently building a shelf shunting layout based on West Country China clay with a nod to Carne Point, Fowey. Modeller Lance Mindheim has many videos of shunting protocols in the US but there is little I’ve been able to find out how shunting staff operate in the UK.  Ie changing points/ uncoupling wagons/ shen to apply wagon brakes/ ride the wagons? Or ride the loco cab? Would love to have some thoughts please. 
many thanks 

Gary

Although I never worked for EWS, DB Schenker or Imerys, I did often need to make site visits as part of working for B.R., then Railtrack and then Network Rail.

Riding on ordinary wagons is strictly prohibited for shunting staff in the UK, unless the vehicle has been specially adapted for the purpose. 

Most of the time, the shunting staff would have gone about their duties on foot around the yard (coupling, uncoupling, manual changing of points using point levers, brake tests on fully formed up trains etc.).

There was nothing to stop the shunter riding with the loco (in the cab) if the particular operation on the day called for that or enabled the driver to give the shunter a lift and thus save an otherwise long walk to the other end of the yard.

Sometimes the shunter (or possibly more accurately 'ground staff') would be based at the location concerned or maybe a travelling shunter was used, who may have travelled out to the location from St Blazey, either by road or, if so diagrammed, with the train.

Over the years, there has been a trend to do away with shunting locomotives and do as much shunting as possible with the train engine, thus achieving operational savings.

 

[Halvarras]

3 hours ago, Hal Nail said:

 

Present day?

 

The very bottom of this is, if not totally relevant, probably inspirational!

 

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/st-blazey-to-fowey-and-fowey-harbour.html

 

 

 

One interesting facet of china clay operations at Fowey, as illustrated in this link, was the use of ex-GW shunter's truck DW41799 well into the 1980s, with ex-BR Class 10 shunters D3452/76. Its longevity ensured its survival into preservation on the Glos-Warks Railway, where its long-missing toolbox was reinstated:

 

 

[Hal Nail]

32 minutes ago, Halvarras said:

Ots longevity ensured its survival into preservation on the Glos-Warks Railway

it's interesting what pops up. After travelling behind a green 08 on the Midhants the other day, I looked it up and realised it was one of St Blazeys that I've seen many times photographed on the Wenford Bridge china clay line.

Edited July 22 by Hal Nail