To Simon's examples I can add examples of three mid 19th- early 20th
Century self-acting inclines on the Clee Hills in Shropshire, each around
a mile in length where it would have been impossible for the brakesman
to monitor progress. Certainly at one of these an indicator was fixed up
in his cabin, similar to those used by winding engineman, so he could
see where the trucks were on the incline. I gather this was eventually
replaced by a red rag tied to the haulage cable; when the brakesman
saw it approaching his cabin, he knew he had to apply the brake.
I'm sure similar systems must have common in all hilly areas; the
technology is not complicated.
David Poyner
On 26 May 2005 at 21:08, Simon Chapman wrote:
>
> I can think of three places where the winding drum/engine was set back
> from the top of the incline and controlled by a man in a position at
> the top of the gradient with long levers/rods running back to it;
> Abergynolwen, narrow-gauge, self-acting; Rosedale, standard-gauge,
> self-acting; and Bolts Law, standard-gauge, steam engine powered.
>
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