The only fairly comlete waggon that I have measured from the Gunnerside
region was said to have come from Old Gang Mine and fitted a gauge of 21-22
inch. This is the waggon figured as Fig 13 in Lead Mine Waggons, British
Mining No54 written by myself, which erroniously indicated that the waggon
was a 24 inch gauge. The waggon has been rebuilt and there is no way of
ensuring that the wheels belonged originally to the waggon but the body does
seem to fit the wheels well. Other waggon bodies from Old Gang are of
similar dimensions. A chassis in the Museum of Yorkshire Lead Mining from
Swinnergill is 400mm wide with a wheels of 20 inch gauge. Allowing for a
little slack these would also fit a 21 inch gauge. I hope this is some help,
best wishes Ray
----0- Original Message -----
From: "BARRY JONES" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, October 11, 2004 8:45 PM
Subject: Mine tub rail gauges
Hi All.
Could anyone help with rail gauges for mine tubs in the Gunnerside
area of North Yorks, I know 18 or 10 pounders were used. The ones I have
come across seem to be of a 21" gauge, the top of the rail being 1 1/2"
connected by heavy feet (4 to 5lb) in weight bolted onto sleepers by 1"
bolts. Each rail is connected by a iron wedge driven through the foot
locking each rail into place. Some of the rails have been bent into perfect
curves as if bent on a pipe bending machine. Doing my training as a timber
lad as a young man with the NCB in 1963 methods were not as good or
expensive as these, the rails were simply joined by fich plates (sometimes)
and hammered straight into sleepers, sometimes sleepers were not used but
joined by the fich plates only. Two rails and four feet must must have
worked out very, very expense in those days.
Barry
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