LMS Route: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street

LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Saltley Shed: mrsalt106b

Close up of image 'mrsalt106' showing the bottom of Saltley shed's coaling plant with the discharge chutes in black metal above and either side of the white control cabin. The use of mechanical plant was both quicker and more cost effective than the alternative manual method of unloading coal from a wagon into small tubs which in turn were wheeled out over the locomotive to be tipped by hand into the tender or bunker. Whilst the nearest road is empty on the far road there is what appears to be the smokebox of a 2 or 3P 4-4-0.

The coal was discharged by gravity from the bunkers although this often needed to be assisted through a 'jigger feeder drive' which was located directly under the bunker. An automatic water spray was fitted to the part of the coaling plant to reduce the amount of dust being generated. Each locomotive being coaled would have the weight of the coal loaded recorded so that the authorities could monitor the running costs of the engine and its class, statistics that would embrace every spare, repair together with mileage achieved.

back