Looking at John's original request, and some of the replies I think
things went off at a bit of a tangent and concentrated on how the rope
was attached to the winding drum.

>We have just discovered what almost certainly looks like a tramway winding
>engine house at the top of the incline, at Tankardstown, and although we
>have a c. 1900 Ordnance Survey 6" scale map showing the plan layout of this
>building, and nearby trackway, we are currently very puzzled as to how this
>may have operated.  The incline itself is only wide enough to have
>accommodated a single trackway, other than a short spur and ramp half way
>along its length, besides the Copper Yard, and for a branch off it close to
>the winding engine house to serve the Tankardstown complex.  But how, for

If you think of most of the tramway inclines at Welsh slate quarries, or
even underground haulage systems, it is fairly rare for the winding men
to be able to see the whole of the route of the incline, or even the top
part. The operators relied on tell-tales and markers on the rope to know
when to stop and signals to start, in fact it is not necessary to see
the incline at all. It has always amazed me how at some slate quarries
two operators would work 4, 6 or even 8 track inclines winding from
different levels or insets at the same time!

In the case of the incline at Bunmahon, the big question is, was it a
gravity incline - descending loaded ore tubs pulling empties up
(theoretically loaded ore tubs would probably have enough of a weight
advantage to bring up coal tubs), if it was and if the main run was only
wide enough for a single track, chances are there was a passing loop at
some point down the incline to allow descending trucks to pass ascending
ones - it does not have to be that wide a passing area. Alternatively,
if it was a powered incline (steam winding?) it would not matter if it
was a single track incline - again winding could easily take place from
and to any point on the incline with suitable run-offs/sidings.

While OS maps are good, when it came to the layout of tracks around
inclines they sometimes become a bit 'vague', some tracks might be
marked, others left off. Also if the surveyor thought the tracks were
temporary they would also not be recorded, or a 'stylised' line made to
represent a rough course - the Welsh slate quarry tramways are good
examples of this!

Kelvin Lake
Shropshire Caving & Mining Club      ^o^
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