The Museum of Scottish Railways: Second Gallery

THE MUSEUM OF SCOTTISH RAILWAYS: SECOND GALLERY

Now go into the second gallery through the set of two doors. This building contains a collection of wagons and vans showing the varying items carried by the railways in Scotland. As you enter, to your right you will see two small, saddle tank locos in green livery.

 The NB locomotive and “Kelton Fell” were from an 0-4-0 Tank engine design built originally by Neilson of Glasgow.  The design was so successful that it was adopted by both the Caledonian “Kelton Fell”, 0-4-0 ST Railway and the North British Railway as their standard shunter.  No. 42(BR no. 68905) was built in 1887. R5 V1  Kelton Fell was built in 1876 and is the oldest loco in the museum.  No. 42 has its original “dumb” buffers made of metal-covered wood which were superseded on most engines for safety reasons.  Although painted in NBR green livery, no.42 would have been painted in black during its working life.  The original buffers on “Kelton Fell” have been replaced with more modern ones.  The coal on saddle tanks was kept in small bunkers on either side of the cab. These were very small and the locos often ran with a coal wagon behind to give them extra supplies. NBR 0-4-0ST no. 42

Small groups of children (up to four) can go into the cab of no. 42 and play with the controls without any fear of breaking anything!

Teacher Input Desired Pupil Responses

What do you notice is different One has “dumb” buffers, the other sprung Two saddle tank 0-4-0s about the two engines? buffers. Which one would have been safer The sprung ones are safer as they absorb and why? the impact in the event of a collision What do you think of the cab Much smaller; more cramped; controls not compared to “Gordon as shiny Highlander”?

Where do you think they kept the In small bunkers on either side of the cab. coal on this engine? Extra could be kept in a wagon coupled behind.

The NB Crest

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©SRPS 2014 Look across from the engines. You will notice two tank wagons each used for carrying a different load.

 The first tank wagon (pictured on left) was built in 1894 by the Oakbank Oil Co., Bishopton, near Glasgow, now part of BP.  It carried oil.  The second (pictured below) was built for the Ministry of Supply in 1941.  It carried nitric acid for use in explosives manufacture.  Some tanks were enamel lined to carry acids but this also helped keep milk Tank wagon (Oakbank Oil Co.) fresh.

Teacher Input Desired Pupil Responses

Can you see who owned these Oakbank Oil Co., Bishopton; Ministry of tankers? Supply What do you think they held? Oil; Nitric Acid (also could have carried sulphuric acid) W2 Some could be lined with enamel. Acid can dissolve metal but this protective Why do you think they did this? coating stops it eating the metal away. Tank wagon for carrying Nitric acid What else could be carried by Any liquid, e.g. milk, water, syrup, petrol; tank wagon? pupils’ own suggestions

Look across at the wagons behind the saddle tank loco. One says KINNEIL, the other GN. These are mineral wagons, and were very common everywhere.

 The Kinneil wagon was owned by the Colliery and one of many used to transport coal from the mine to customers.  The GN wagon was owned by the Great Northern Railway.  It only has one brake lever. The guard would have to clamber under a moving wagon to apply the lever if he was on the wrong side, or pull the lever in passing.  Brake levers on both sides were made compulsory on wagons later in the 19th Century because of the dangers of single levers. Kinneil Mineral Wagon  Coal wagons were essential in helping the war effort in WW1 &WW2.

Teacher Input Desired Pupil Responses

What would these mineral Mostly coal & other forms of mineral, e.g. wagons have carried? rocks of various kinds Why was coal so important? It was needed to power factories, heat houses and steam locomotives, as well as later being used to make electricity. How would these wagons be There are doors on the side and on the end loaded & unloaded? that can be opened; they could be loaded by Great Northern Mineral wagon chute from above. Why do you think having one The guard would have to clamber under the brake lever on one side would be wagons while they were moving to put on R7 very dangerous? What if the the brake; if brake lever failed there was W2 guard was on the wrong side? only one chance to stop wagon

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Look across at the large red van on the opposite side of the entry door from the saddle tank locomotives. This is a Royal Mail van

 It is a POS (Post Office Sorting) Van, dating from 1975.  Inside letters would be sorted while on the move.  The sorters sat on the small seats attached to the trays.  This type is similar to those used on the LMS  The film “Night Mail” (1936), using WH Auden’s poem and Benjamin Britten’s music, is played on a continuous loop both inside and outside the van.  The Travelling Post Office (TPO) ceased in 2004 because of falling mail traffic by rail.

Try sorting out the post in the trays. Younger children could give the letters to the teacher or helper to sort. Small groups can watch part or all of “Night Mail”.

Teacher Input Desired Pupil Responses

What do you think this van Mail train; sorting out the post while the train would be used for? was moving Why was this done? It meant that the post could be sorted more quickly rather than doing it before or after the journey. What would it have been like Noisy; uncomfortable seats; difficult to stand to work in here? when going fast; job repetitive and nothing to R17 see as no windows; pupils’ own suggestions. Why is this not done now? Mail now sorted electronically by machine at The Post Office Sorting Van huge sorting offices; much mail now travels by road rather than by rail. Opposite the POS Van are some examples of railway wagons, particularly the “Saxa Salt” van. Look at the differences: some wagons are covered (the Saxa Salt wagon has a sloped roof like a garden hut), while others are open:

 The Saxa Salt van was built to carry salt and keep it from getting damp.  The one in the museum is made from two different vans.  The body was found in a field in Hawick and put onto the underframe. R7  The covered van is in BR bauxite (brown) and was built by the LNER in 1939. “Saxa Salt” Van and luggage  The wagon carrying the vehicle was built by the War Department in 1918.  It was acquired from the Ministry of Defence in 1992.  It is called a “Rectank” wagon.  Tanks would be loaded on from a platform at the end of the wagon. Just beside the Salt van is a set of three wheels on axles. There is a hammer on a chain. Get some of the children to tap the wheels to hear the sound they make. This is called wheel-tapping and was used to determine of wheels were safe or not. Today, electronic ultrasonic testing is done using machines.

Wheeltapping! Teacher Input Desired Pupil Responses

Why do you think the “Saxa It is so that it will be noticed and advertise the Salt” van is painted so product; It has been repainted to make it look brightly? good Why would salt not be carried It would be subject to dampness and in an open wagon? deteriorate.

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R9 Teacher Input Desired Pupil Responses Look at the Rectank wagon War Department (pictured left). What do you think WD means?

During which war was this First World War – built in 1918 W3 built?

WD “Rectank” Wagon How do you think they got the Loaded on by crane; by driving it on one end tank on and off the wagon? from a platform

What other things do you Field Guns; ammunition; cars; lorries; parts for think they could have carried planes; pupils’ own ideas on this wagon?

Why would wheeltapping be a It was quite quick and easy to do. good way to check the wheels?

How do you think this would Using electronic instruments and machines. be done now? (Ultrasonic devices) Move along towards the end of the building. There are several trolleys with loads on them. There is also another near the Nitric Acid tank wagon.

 These trolleys would have been used on station platforms to transport luggage to and from the train.  The older trolleys are made of wood  One trolley contains milk churns, used when transporting milk from the R9 dairy.  Tank wagons were also used for milk transportation  Many of the cases here are made from wood ribs and frame and canvas for the lid. Some are covered in leather with metal corners for strength.  One of the cases on the trolley near the Nitric Acid tank is made of metal, but painted to look like wood.  Some larger pieces of luggage were known as trunks and could hold a whole family’s belongings.  Large stations had armies of porters equipped with two wheeled trolleys to carry these from train to taxi or another vehicle. Various trolleys & contents

Teacher Input Desired Pupil Responses

Why were trolleys needed? To transport large amounts of luggage and parcels inside stations and to and from trains. How do you think the earlier ones By porters or (possibly) horses. were pulled? V3 What size of suitcase would you Pupils’ own suggestions. need for going on holiday? Metal, but looks like wood!

What do you think the motorised It is a Royal Mail buggy with trolleys, used buggy was used to pull? Clue in for loading and unloading sacks and parcels the colour and emblem! from the mail train.

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There are several wagons of interest here: the brown open wagon with the three vertical white stripes is called a shock absorbing wagon.

 The shock absorbing wagon was used to carry very delicate goods.  It had a body which could move back and forth on its chassis, restrained by rubber springs on either side. This was especially needed when shunting, as there was a high chance of knocks when coupling and uncoupling. R8  Shock absorbing vans could be in the form of open wagons or closed vans.

Shock absorbing wagon

The Callendar Coal Co. Wagon is similar to the NB Saddle Tank as it has “dumb” buffers.

 Attached to one end is a special motorised petrol engined trolley, used for propelling such a wagon in a dockside or factory setting.  The trolley unit was called a “Locopulsor”.  This particular one was used up until 1992 in a distillery in Montrose.

Coal Wagon & “Locopulsor” unit Teacher Input Desired Pupil Responses

What kinds of goods would need Glassware; pottery, e.g. china, porcelain to be protected from shocks? etc. When would they be most at risk When the wagons were being shunted. of getting damaged? Why were names of companies The wagons were owned by different written on the sides of wagons? companies; it also advertised the companies.

What makes the Callendar Coal It is fitted with “dumb” buffers. Co. wagon different from the others here?

Look at the van just beyond this. It is a covered grain wagon and is in a state of disrepair. You can look inside it (be careful of the rough edges!) and see (a) how it is constructed inside and (b) what age and weathering can do to a wooden vehicle.

 This 10 ton wagon was constructed in 1897  It was built for Robert Hutchison of Kirkcaldy.  Grain was loaded into the hopper from the top through the roof.  The load was discharged through the doors in the floor.  There would be a receptacle under the track to collect the grain load.

Compare the grain van to the one just beside it, marked “Leith General Warehousing”

 The interior hopper and mechanism has been removed. R8  This was built in 1903 by Hurst Nelson of Motherwell. Grain wagons

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Behind the grain wagons is a raised green dais with handrails and steps at either side which encloses a signal lever frame. The pupils can try their hand at moving the levers on the frame. Please take extra care if smaller children are standing on the platform while others are moving the levers as their heads may be near to the height of the levers, which can swing back quite far!!!

 The frame is from Rogart South signal box.  The different colours of the levers denote different functions, e.g. red and yellow control signals, and the blue levers are used to unlock the black levers which control the points.  The frame levers are mechanically interlocked. You can see the interlocking mechanism at the front of the frame, below the levers.  Nowadays most signalling and point control is done by electronic means and does not rely on the strength of the signalman! Working the lever frame Teacher Input Desired Pupil Responses Why do some levers work and They are interlocked by a system which can others not? be seen at the front of the frame. They need to be operated in a sequence, e.g. use blue lever to unlock a black lever. Why were the levers To prevent points and signals being mechanically interlocked? wrongly set and leading to a crash. Why are lever frames such as They required a person to work them by this being phased out? hand. This can now be done electronically using computers operating colour light signals and points fitted with motors.

Behind the signal lever frame exhibit is a raised platform in front of several wagons. Small groups of pupils could go into the wagon at the far left, while others examine the Royal Mail postal trolley and trailers on the floor or the blue Fairfield’s Electric locomotive on the left of the display area.

When anyone steps inside the CR Brake van, “Willie”, the guard, will tell them R7 about being a guard on the railway.  The end wagon is a Caledonian Brake Van  It was built in 1920 for use on heavy and long distance traffic.  This was used to help stop goods trains and a guard, such as “Willie”, would be on board.  It had a very heavy weight inside to help with braking.  Before the advent of “continuous” brakes, which could be applied remotely from one place, goods trains always had a brake van at the end. R8  It had a red lamp at the rear to indicate to workers, e.g. signalmen, that the train was complete. CR Brake Van & Willie on duty  The guard would often have to get out of the van and manually press down each wagon’s brake lever.  The electric loco was built in Preston in 1940. It has a steeple cab (a cab in the middle of the loco.)  It was used to haul wagons from BR Govan Goods Yard to Fairfield’s shipyard, Govan and ran on the Glasgow Tramway lines to achieve this.  The method of collecting power from the overhead lines (catenary) is called a pantograph and this one was of the same type as those on the Glasgow Corporation Tramway. 18 THE MUSEUM OF SCOTTISH RAILWAYS Teachers’ Guide and Tour of the Museum and Railway ©SRPS 2014

Teacher Input Desired Pupil Responses

Why was a brake van needed? When wagons didn’t have continuous brakes a heavy weighted van was needed at the end of a train to brake it; guard also could jump out and apply brakes to wagons manually. Would you have liked this job? Pupils’ own responses. Why? Why not? Why would electric locos be used Supplies needed to be brought in; clean and in a shipyard? easy to drive and start up compared to steam; only needed one driver – no fireman. How does this locomotive collect From a system of overhead lines via the R6 its power? collector (pantograph).

Fairfield’s Electric Locomotive

You have now reached the end of the museum displays area. If you haven’t gone on to the raised walkway in the first display building then please do so now. You will find details of what to find there on pages 11-13. If you have already seen the outside Display Shed (page 19) on your walk round to the Museum from the station then thanks very much for coming. Otherwise, read on to the next page to see what is in the Display Shed.

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THE DISPLAY SHED

If you are approaching this BEFORE coming into the Museum of Scottish Railways, you will see this on the left, immediately after the carriage sidings, as you are walking along the Visitor Trail. The trail takes a right angled bend to the left and the shed is just after this. Please be careful, as the surface of the path is uneven

If you visited the Museum first then, when coming out of the Museum Building, go round to the right and follow the trail alongside the Museum, keep to the path on the left and turn the corner past the diesel shed. The Display Shed is just on the right beyond this. The Display Shed Remember: the items in the Display Shed may sometimes be

moved around to make way for other items of rolling stock!

Look out first for the green DMU. This is usually located on the right hand line in the Shed:

 This is a Class 126 Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU)  Find the British Railways Emblem (from 1956 on) on the side of one coach.  It was built in 1957 and each three-car unit had a Driving Motor at each end. Class 126 DMU  One end has a half-width cab and corridor connection for use when coupling to another unit to make a six-coach train.  These units replaced loco-hauled trains on routes in Scotland such as Edinburgh – Glasgow via Falkirk and Glasgow – Stranraer. The last units were withdrawn in 1983.  It was restored with help from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

On the opposite side from the DMU is a large steam crane: BR Emblem (1956 onwards)  This is a North British Railway Crane, built in 1914.  It was made by Cowans, Sheldon Ltd., of Carlisle. R18 R19  It was the largest crane in Scotland until 1930 and was used to removed items from the track following accidents.  It was first stored at St. Margaret’s Shed, Edinburgh, then moved to Thornton Junction, Fife.  It was withdrawn from Dundee West in 1979.

Teacher Input Desired Pupil Responses

Can you think how this train It moves under its own power. It doesn’t moves? There doesn’t seem to be need a separate engine. an engine. Why might there be a corridor When two trains were connected together it door at one end? meant the staff could get from one to another. What would the steam crane have Accidents of all kinds on the railway: NBR Steam Crane been used for? derailments; for lifting heavy objects. Can you think of how accidents Pupils’ own ideas and suggestions. might happen?

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Further along the same track as the crane and past the two small industrial diesels, is a small steam locomotive, West Ayr Area, no. 24:

 This was built by Andrew Barclay, Kilmarnock in 1953.  It is owned by the Royal Museum of Scotland.  It was used at Waterside Colliery, Ayrshire 1978  Many steam locos were still used at collieries and other industrial sites well after steam trains ceased on British Rail itself in 1968. West Ayr Area No.24, 0-4-0T  The strangely shaped chimney was designed to improve the loco’s performance and save on coal. It is called a Giesl Ejector.

Move across the railway track, being careful not to trip over the rails! A large orange and black train with a yellow and black cab is left as you cross:

 This is a Class 303 Electric Multiple Unit (EMU)  It was used on the Glasgow Suburban electric services from 1959 onwards.  Originally it was painted bright blue and became known as “The Blue Train”.  This is the only surviving Class 303 unit out of 91 built. R6  It was the first train in the area to be fitted with push button sliding doors.

Class 303 EMU

Opposite the EMU are several carriages and vans:

 The first is a BR Mk1 coach, which is in unrestored condition.  These were introduced from 1951 onwards to replace ageing pre- nationalisation stock of varying ages.  They are built of a steel frame, with steel panels.  The second is an ex-LMS parcels van.  It is in BR Blue livery  The third is an LMS Corridor Composite  It was built in 1950 to an LMS design  The last carriage is a Covered Carriage Truck (CCT) Van.  It was built in 1959.  It has end doors to allow a vehicle, e.g. a car, to be rolled inside.

Teacher Input Desired Pupil Responses

What do you notice about the They have not been restored or worked on coaches here? yet; they are a bit rusty; the paint is peeling. What differences do you see in Made of metal, not wood; smooth sides; the Mk1 coach compared to the corridor connections; longer than others. older kind? What differences can you see Slam doors instead of sliding ones; single between the Mk1coach here and doors, not double the EMU opposite? What could you have used the Loading large or long objects on or off a end doors on the CCT van for? platform; pupils’ own suggestions.

There are two vans on the opposite side of the barrier at the rear of the Museum. They both had a special purpose. Read on to see what this was…

 The covered CR van was built by the Caledonian Railway c.1920.  It has end ventilators and is comparatively long.  It was used for transporting refined sugar from Greenock.  The second wagon carried gunpowder.  It was built in 1922 in Motherwell.  It is lined inside with wood to help prevent sparks. R7 Wagons such as these would be placed away from the locomotive to decrease the risk of igniting the gunpowder. There would be “barrier” wagons in-between. CR 10 ton covered van

Suggested Teacher Input Desired Pupil Responses

Why do you think there are To help prevent the contents getting damp; ventilators on the ends of the CR keep the air circulating inside; to keep the van? contents cool Why would carrying gunpowder It is highly explosive; the engine has a R7 by steam train be dangerous? roaring fire just in front of the cab to make it work. Gunpowder van What could they do to keep the Put one or more vans behind the engine; (this can now be found gunpowder van away from the put the gunpowder van at the end of the in the Display Shed) engine? train. Why do you think the gunpowder The wooden interior prevents any sparks van was wooden lined inside and inside. The metal outside of the van would metal outside? not go on fire and would protect the contents.

You have now reached the end of your tour. If you haven’t been already, please take a look at the station buildings at the end of the walking route. Information about them is on the next page.

THE STATION AND SURROUNDINGS

The site on which you are standing was a green field in early 1979. Prior to this it had been home to timber yards and sidings, many of which housed redundant steam locomotives in the 1960s. By 1979, the site had been bought by the SRPS and the dream of beginning to build a railway had become a reality.

THE BOOKING OFFICE

The Booking Office was originally built by the North British Railway in 1887 at Wormit, at the south end of the Tay Bridge. The station stopped being open to passengers in 1969 and was bought by the SRPS in 1980. It was then removed from its original location and transported by road over the Forth Road Bridge to Bo’ness! Even the bricks used for the platform come from another station, Bathgate Upper, and the coping stones are from Blairgowrie.

THE TRAIN SHED

The train shed was originally built by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway in 1842 to shelter passengers at its station at Haymarket. At this point this was a terminus station, not a through station connecting to Waverley. The stations weren’t linked by a rail line until 1846. The building stayed at Haymarket until 1983, when it was dismantled and re-erected at Bo’ness. This is the only surviving example in Scotland of 1840s railway architecture.

BIRKHILL STATION

The station building at Birkhill was salvaged from Monifieth in Angus. The building was displayed at the 1988 Glasgow Garden festival on the south bank of the River Clyde, along with other items from the SRPS collection, as part of Central Regional Council’s “Heart of Scotland” exhibit. It was dismantled and re-built again on the B&KR in 1989 following the end of the Festival.

As noted on page 9, in the Workshop Area of the Museum, you can see items being restored to working order. Other items have to be conserved (protected from deterioration or destruction.) Restored artefacts (e.g. locomotives) often have re-made parts, whereas on conserved items the existing item is retained (e.g. paper artefacts, uniforms, etc.). Why is it important to conserve and restore?

Many of the items which are in the Museum and on the Railway were in poor condition when bought or acquired. Many hours have been spent by volunteers in restoring some exhibits and in conserving others for us to enjoy. A good example is the Colville’s Crane tank loco, no. 6 (see page 5), which was in several pieces when it was acquired.

Many of the wagons and vans on the Bo’ness and Kinnneil Railway are made from wood and, dependent on where and how they have been stored, these can be affected by different types of rot as well as woodworm. Some of these can be treated and the best way to start is to put the exhibit under cover where it can stay dry and away from the effects of the weather.

Even later locomotives and wagons constructed from metal (steel & iron) can suffer from rust. This is caused by corrosion (the metal reacting with the oxygen in the air, particularly when exposed to dampness. It has to be treated to stop it spreading before the damage can be repaired beyond repair. This is the front of the Class 27 Diesel. Items R23 in the Display Shed are protected from the weather.

On the Railway itself, locomotives and items of rolling stock have to be checked to see that they are safe to use. In earlier days, wheel-tapping was used to check the integrity of wheels. Nowadays ultrasonic devices are used instead. The locomotives themselves have to pass muster and they are given a “boiler ticket”, which runs for 10 years. Without this, a locomotive is not deemed safe to run and often a long and expensive overhaul is required before a loco can be used again. Components frequently have to be completely re-made to ensure that they are safe and reliable.

Restoration and conservation is a never-ending task on the Railway and in the Museum, but, thanks to the large band of able and willing volunteers, is something which helps bring the past to life for everyone!

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