Garden Railway Forum

Stumbled across this video - really interesting. Just musing about whether the Midday Down on the PLR could have a slip coach to avoid stopping at Peckforton ..... now that would be fun... Though, not much need for them on a NG light railway, I suspect



Rik

I don't know if they ever actually did it, it's been very many years since I was last there, and even longer since I was part of the tracklaying gang, but at one time Pendon were planning to operate a slip coach working ( in EM, for anyone who doesn't know Pendon) as part of their timetable.

No reason why you couldn't mimic a slip coach with one fitted with a motorised bogie

On the R&ER of old there was a bit of coach slipping. Not sure sure of the details exactly and no doubt it lacked the dynamism of the GWR operations but it's passingly mentioned in one or two books, assume the coaches were hand shunted onto a near by siding and picked up again later in the day.

Sleeper Agent wrote: ↑Sat Sep 08, 2018 8:57 pm On the R&ER of old there was a bit of coach slipping. Not sure sure of the details exactly and no doubt it lacked the dynamism of the GWR operations but it's passingly mentioned in one or two books, assume the coaches were hand shunted onto a near by siding and picked up again later in the day.

Not just of old, we've done it in the preservation era too, most recently in 1995 I believe for a Narrow Gauge Railway volunteers gathering. My dad was the slip coach guard for this operation whenever it was carried out.

Sleeper Agent wrote: ↑Sat Sep 08, 2018 8:57 pm On the R&ER of old there was a bit of coach slipping. Not sure sure of the details exactly and no doubt it lacked the dynamism of the GWR operations but it's passingly mentioned in one or two books, assume the coaches were hand shunted onto a near by siding and picked up again later in the day.

Found a mention of this practice ..... http://www.pastpresented.ukart.com/eskdale/cauchi.htm

....... He gave an idea of the numbers of passengers carried on the line- 500 were expected on one day the following week, and through tickets for Eskdale stations were available on both the L. & N.W. and Furness main-line railways, which included the R.& E.R in their timetable booklets (he provided the latest Furness timetable, showing 4 trains each way on weekdays- including the experimental 11.20 non-stop with slip coach for Irton Road- with one extra train on Thursdays and two extra on Saturdays; however, there were only two trains each way on Sundays).......

Good to hear they also resurrected it in the preservation era.

Rik

Oooh didn't know it had happened since, is it still possible with the current braking system? Either way good to know and thanks for the link Rik, a few nice anecdotes on there

In theory it could still be done, although I doubt whether dad would still be deemed competent to act as a slip coach guard now, given that he hasn't done it for over 20 years, and he is the only one who was. I believe that the permission to do it from HMRI is still valid though.

I didn't know it was done on NG railways, although it used to be common on pre-grouping railways. The Lancashire and Yorkshire used to slip a coach down Baxenden incline. That doesn't sound too bad, But then you realise that the train would have to brake for a speed restriction at the foot of the incline just outside the station with a slip coach coming down behind and presumably only a hand brake to bring it to a stand it sounds a bit dangerous. Must have been safer on the level and to be able to accelerate away from the slipped coach.

'Slipping' was always a 'hairy' pastime but the scenario described by Ian is down right scary!

On the standard gauge there was more than just the handbrake to arrest progress, Part of the slip coupling included a means of the vacuum bags pulling apart and resealing. This let the train proceed virtually unchecked but also left the slip portion with a brake cylinder 'full' of vacuum. This could be used to provide some 'power' braking to the slip portion, BUT - once the vacuum was all used up the brakes would be on hard and there was no way to move again without blowing up the brake again (requiring the services of an engine) or pulling the strings (only any use if there was enough gradient to roll from a standing start).

I'm sure the various companies Regulations for operating slip portions included strict instructions about what to do in these circumstances and I'm equally sure they didn't permit coaches to be gravitated about on their own! It would require a rescue engine. No doubt there were also instructions about protecting the marooned vehicle. Bear in mind though that this process flew in the face of every basic principle which had been ingrained into the staff. Everyone knew it was a risky business and everyone would be on the look out to make sure all went well and that safety was maintained if it didn't.

Far more reliance was placed on blokes carrying out their daily duties carefully and conscientiously in those days. What a different world it must have been. I'm not sure the modern world of over-supervised over-regulation is an improvement!

Andrew

What a coincidence, we were talking about slip coaches at work this week!

One of the Gauge 1 guys did a slip coach with in-built motor to give the coach a realistic running distance

dewintondave wrote: ↑Sat Sep 22, 2018 8:03 am What a coincidence, we were talking about slip coaches at work this week!

One of the Gauge 1 guys did a slip coach with in-built motor to give the coach a realistic running distance

I wonder if the mechanism from Zach's momentum van would work??

Rik

Good idea Rik!

Well it seems to work when applied to things like the "Parry People Mover" but I suspect any slip coach in 16mm would need a fairly substantial flywheel to store enough energy to move it more than a few centimetres.
Maybe an interesting winter project - maybe not, I've already got far too many projects to finish.