As I wish to get my Blog out there as much as possible I thought I'd introduce a new feature. Over the years I have accumulated a large collection of railway documents of interest from various sources and I thought I would share them. I'll will, if possible, try and post one a day, as well as my usual posts...All the documents I will present are scanned and so can be blown up if you click on them...so enjoy.
Above is Number 1, a supplement to the Timetable and Rule Book which was issued by the Southern Railway to all staff on the 16th July 1945. Now companies issued large appendixes to the Working Timetable that updated the staff on changes in the rule book and general advice for operation. However, these were large publications which only came out approximately once a decade. So, when they needed changes in the rule book or procedures to become known to the staff in-between they issued supplements on them in pamphlet form. The one shown has 4 pages and covered a range of subjects. I'm having troubles with my scanner...so only one image has come out well...sorry
Above and below are two examples of the approach that the Southern Railway had to the loading of wagons in 1934. The documents can be found in an appendix to the working timetable dated 26th March 1934. Clearly, as the railways used many small wagons, rather than large ones, their loading was of vital importance to make the most efficient use of the rolling stock and reduce cost. Thus, the company prescribed the way in which wagons should be loaded. It is unknown how they worked these methods out, but there is no doubt that in large part the person or persons who put together the appendix were drawing on decades old knowledge.
