GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Hockley Station: gwrhd711a

Close up of image 'gwrhd711' showing the southerly section of decks 2 and 1 with a mobile crane standing on the platform. The crane would be used to handle heavy items loaded into one of the open wagons seen on the left. In all probability the crane would also be able to carry the item between the wagon and the road vehicle (or vice-a-versa). Frank Popplewell states in hisarticles on Hockley that the cranes were manufactured by both Coles and Ransome Rapier. Each deck would be divided into sections and numbered with the appropriate sign hung from the roof rafters. In the above image signs denoting sections 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4 can be seen.

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