How were peat bog train wagons loaded

artfull dodger

artfull dodger

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I am planning to model a peat bog railway and I am trying to plan the loading area. How were the cars loaded back in the days of steam? Were they hand loaded with shovels, an conveyer belt loader ect. I am going to use the LGB green field railway side door unloading wagons behind my Merlin Mayflower. Thanks Mike
 
On one of the Polish peat lines in 2001 (over in what was East Prussia) there was a conveyor belt loading set-up that can be seen next to our "tour train" in this photo....
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The wagons in use looked like this - though they appeared to be loading it in milled form rather than the traditional turf
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Thanks for the pics, I think the LGB wagons will work for loading peat that is milled already. Need to figure out where to lay in the loading spur on my railway so I can get the needed track. That way when warmer spring weather arrives in a couple months I can start the changes to the railway. Probably going to stick with LGB track due to availablity localy for me. Local shop deals in estates of trains with a focus on G scale. They are the reborn Watts Train Shop, which was a power house for LGB trains back in the day. Anything 32mm track wise I have to special order and its quite expensive, more than brand new LGB track. Mike
 
I traded off some of my larger G scale freight cars at the local shop today, and picked up these two LGB personal cars from their toy train series. I think with a respray they would make nice cars to haul my peat bog workers back and forth to work. But what color should I use to tone these things down and be less toy like? Mike
 
They were usually very basic here in Ireland - painted grey or maybe yellow. A repaint never came into equation afterwards:).

I'm a member of the North Mayo Old Engine and Tractor Club. A team, led by one of the members, rescued a Bord Na Mona loco (and some trucks) and the result was this;

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The short line is 3ft gauge. The Ruston Hornsby is in better condition now than when the Bord bought it new!

What, I'm trying to say is that an air of decrepitude and neglect is the true livery of operating bog railways!
 
artfull dodger said:
I traded off some of my larger G scale freight cars at the local shop today, and picked up these two LGB personal cars from their toy train series. I think with a respray they would make nice cars to haul my peat bog workers back and forth to work. But what color should I use to tone these things down and be less toy like? Mike
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I reckon a respray with Car Undercoat Rattle Can Grey or Brown would do the job, suitably weathered with plenty of Dry Brushed Rust and generak decay. I googled this "old peat trains" and found plenty of pics of old wagons that would give you some ideas. Workers coaches would be pretty similar in their condition. Like the concept of what you are doing. I have an rather old in the tooth Midelmof a Wagon Master Locomotive. Battery Powered by Essell Engineering. Has Mamod Loco Wheels, but the Batteries are now long shot and needs some TLC. Will dig it out and do a pic sometime.
JonD
 
The Polish ones were rather basic as well - Plywood sides, thin perspex windows and a corrugated roof. There were rudimentary transverse bench seats inside - but these were intended for "official" visitors to the site - the workers had a small open "carriage" as shown behind the loco on one of the previous photos!
Livery was overall drab brown, the same paint as used on the freight wagons.
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I recall that the carriages derailed about 4-5 times on our trip round the site as well.........

Note the "house" on the right, which is actually a house shaped peat storage pile!
 
artfull dodger said:
Thanks for the pics, I think the LGB wagons will work for loading peat that is milled already. Need to figure out where to lay in the loading spur on my railway so I can get the needed track. That way when warmer spring weather arrives in a couple months I can start the changes to the railway. Probably going to stick with LGB track due to availablity localy for me. Local shop deals in estates of trains with a focus on G scale. They are the reborn Watts Train Shop, which was a power house for LGB trains back in the day. Anything 32mm track wise I have to special order and its quite expensive, more than brand new LGB track. Mike
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Hi Dodgy ,
I use PECO 32mm , which is not terribly expensive . It is also very good stuff ; if you can get some second hand O gauge by PECO , any little kinks and bends in the track make for a good copy of the prototype , sleeper spacing can be either cut to suit or covered over with a thin layer of peat . If you use the term "ties" for "sleepers" the same thing applies . Tee hee , the common language we share does have its little foibles , don't ?
You are quite right in saying LGB field stuff will suit , and there are some good kits available ----try the Regner Agents wherever is convenient .
I would advise against tractor loading of peat wagons out in the bog , even the multiple wheeled tractors have a nasty habit of sinking . You can get away with it if the bog is drained , this is done by bulldozers cutting drains and the field is left to drain for some time before cutting peat . If you want block peat you cut it wetter than the shredded peat , the soggy blocks are left to dry and take on a quite solid state which is easier to handle for domestic fires .
 
Yes despite the common language, it does have its litte differanes. Like the boot and the truck of a automobile. Cars and wagons on the railway. I planned on hauling the peat shredded as the cars are set up for that style of hauling. I just reset the timing on my Mayflower, much smoother but needs some more running in yet. The bog area of my railway will sort of be simulated and not really modeled. Just a siding disappearing behind a large planting where I can set out and pick up the wagons. Just waiting now to hear back from Simon on a second and bigger brother to the Mayflower. I have a local buyer for my RH Argyll on standby awaiting evaluation of the Merlin and a price. Mike
 
artfull dodger said:
Yes despite the common language, it does have its litte differanes. Like the boot and the truck of a automobile. Cars and wagons on the railway. I planned on hauling the peat shredded as the cars are set up for that style of hauling. I just reset the timing on my Mayflower, much smoother but needs some more running in yet. The bog area of my railway will sort of be simulated and not really modeled. Just a siding disappearing behind a large planting where I can set out and pick up the wagons. Just waiting now to hear back from Simon on a second and bigger brother to the Mayflower. I have a local buyer for my RH Argyll on standby awaiting evaluation of the Merlin and a price. Mike
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Hi dodgy ,
I like the idea of the trains disappearing into the landscape . Apart from avoiding the problem of modelling a bog , it gives more time to sort out the foreground which obviously is the first thing that is seen , so the most likely to get criticism---that includes your own criticism which is really the most important one to sort out . I mean , sod everyone else , remember "my trains , I do what I like" . Seriously , if you aim to please yourself with what you make , you can't go far wrong . Enjoy yourself .
 
This sounds like a very interesting and different kind of project and I will follow it closely!

My first thought when I first saw the title of this thread 'How were peat bog train wagons loaded' was
'With sodding difficulty'................... :D:D
 
I'm part of a local preservation group, Crowle Peatland Railway (Can you see where this is going?) And our locos was used on the nearby Swinefleet Peatworks it was a 3ft gauge system in use till the early 2000's, we own 2 powerful Schoma locos and a Simplex.. Anyway.. There was two types of peat extraction 'Block' dug up by hand originally but eventually by machine then placed in cage wagons by hand or digger (The old way of doing it) and 'Surface Milling' where tractors would would go along the peat fields with odd contraptions behind them an some how collect the peat like lose soil, then put in to wagons by a digger (The modern way)


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Our Simplex 40s302 back in the day with a train of cage wagons, the block peat is stacked up either side of the train..

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And Our Schoma 5220 "The Thomas Buck" With a train of milled peat..
 
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