Where does it go

Hi all

Operating question.

Management has approved a MPD for the steam locomotives next to the main station. This means that along with the sheds, coaling plant, pits etc we will have ash pits.

From an operating point of view we will have a regular service train deliver coal wagons to the coaling plant and take away returning empties. I imagine the wagons will be labelled as company owned units. Basically coal will come from a coal mine and empty wagons will return.

What I do not understand is what happens to the ash wagons. I guess a lower quantity of wagons will be used than for coal but in a similar way empties must arrive and full ash wagons must leave. However I do not know where they go to. What did the railway companies do with all of that ash? Did they dump it? Did they use it as road base? Does anybody know?

Many thanks as always

Andrew

[user=1779]Chiefnerd[/user] wrote:

Hi all

  What did the railway companies do with all of that ash? Did they dump it? Did they use it as road base? Does anybody know?

Many thanks as always

Andrew

I think they did both of those things plus it was used as ballast on secondary lines ( particularly in the NE I believe)

Good luck with the project

[user=434]John Dew[/user] wrote:

[user=1779]Chiefnerd[/user] wrote:

Hi all

What did the railway companies do with all of that ash? Did they dump it? Did they use it as road base? Does anybody know?

Many thanks as always

Andrew

I think they did both of those things plus it was used as ballast on secondary lines ( particularly in the NE I believe)

Good luck with the project

it was als used in the cosmetic industry,believe it or not, went into lipstick and powders,,,
:thumbs;-):cool:

Hi Andrew,

Up to 0.5 tons per day per engine. Used as ballast for the yards, branchlines, sidings, etc., The clinker gave the ballast component, the ash the smoothness seen in MPD yards. Often found in heaps around the MPD when no use could be found for it. Ash pits were in front of the shed and often paved areas to minimize fires. They were often "wet" to minimize ash dust. Various means of disposal depending on the company (small underground tramways with dump wagons to overhead cranes with buckets).

Not all small sheds had ash pits - it was often just piled up in front. Small branch line sheds with 1 or 2 engines (often an 0-6-0) just dumped on the track and raked into a heap at the side until there was enough to justify an ash wagon (once or twice a month). Loading was by shovel and wheelbarrow. Ash pits were kept well away from coaling areas/ramps for obvious reasons. Water cranes, stand pipes etc., were often to be found next to the ash pile, again for obvious reasons. When the ash was dropped so was the fire. A high coal content was obviously not desirable. It took some skill to finish the day with a head of steam and a small fire in the box.

Check the Warwickshire Railways web site for various pictures with obvious modelling interest -Redditch and Coventry are 2 such examples.

Nigel

Thanks everybody

Andrew, I wouldn't worry too much about where did the ash go to.  All you've got to do is convey it in a wagon to your fiddle-yard! 

Terry

As soon as you have it worked out you get a photograph showing other wise.

Now have a photograph with the ash pit at the foot of the coaling plant. Sits in the same concrete base.

Andrew

 

Hi Andrew.  I am sorry 😐 that I cannot answer your question. But after three years of playing trains, on my Shunting Puzzle I have given it a name “ Kevin s Inglenook Junction.” And I have been thinking about scenery. Including a shed, water, coaling or diesel etc, even a shed/ ash pit. My only experience is with electric trains, which obviously isn’t of much use to me. Have you got any advice that you could share with me?  Best wishes Kevin 

This might be of interest…

http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=3303&forum_id=21&highlight=ash+pit

Post #0

I remember that post well Doug and had saved it at the time (well shortly after I joined) in my files for use in due course.

Many thanks,

Bill