The original correspondent raises the point that he wants to justify using
a "gunpowder van" on his model railway.
My research into the Snailbeach District Railways has turned up a set of By
Laws drawn up under the 1875 Act mentioned. This railway carried powder to
the Snailbeach mine, but it did not have a special explosives van until after
1900. Other precautions could legally suffice - for instance having the wagon
carrying the stuff at the opposite end of train to the locomotive (source of
ignition - sparks from chimney). From memory, other precautions included
carrying different kinds of munitions in separate wagons.
Cheers,
Andy Cuckson
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