Ballast pit pictures

[Peter]

Howdy folks, 

Does anyone know where I might find some pictures of railway ballast pits in Ireland? I'm trying to get an idea of the kind of machinery used in them.

I'm finally making some progress with my n gauge Curragh layout. 

Thanks,

Peter

[David Holman]

Try Google search for Lisduff Quarry. Some useful info and pics

[Glenderg]

https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/search/?q=lisduff&c=photos#i=12

R

Edited January 16, 2019 by Glenderg

[Broithe]

http://quarry.ie/gallery/

[Peter]

That's brilliant. Thanks for your help folks. 

Now I know what to get. 

[jhb171achill]

A ballast pit might make an interesting addition to a layout, say on a corner where there's a bit of space for a short siding. This is as opposed to a ballast QUARRY, like Lisduff or Goraghwood; themselves worthy of a layout.

Not so well known now, but tell-tale signs may still be seen, especially on the Midland, of places where there just happened to be a decent rocky outcrop at the side of the line. The railway would often notice this during construction, and acquire the bit of land and fence it off. At some stage, they'd lay a rough siding into it, install the most basic of stone crushing equipment, and dig out what they could. thereafter, it would be abandoned; in some cases old holes filled up with spent ballast and other rubbish. On the Achill line alone, there was a large "pit" or small "quarry" near Mulrany, which at one stage had two rough sidings in it. Traces may still be seen if you cycle the greenway there. Further along, nearer Newport, land for the same purpose was acquired but never used.

On the Donegal and Cavan & Leitrim, wagons were sometimes dropped off the back of a train, handbrake on, and left there while men manually dug stone out from a suitable area at the side of the line. they would be collected later and tagged onto another train.

 

[Mayner]

The ballast pit at Lisgoole Town on the late Richard Chowns Castle Rackrent system is a good example, simple siding into a shallow gravel pit dug into the side of an Esker or dry river bed where gravel accumulated.

Wagons would be 1-2 plank dropside wagons rather than hoppers, loading most likely by hand from the face. Some pits may have had a small steam driven crusher, screens and washing plant feeding a small overhead bunker.

https://highlandmiscellany.com/tag/castle-rackrent/

Pretty much a pre-amalgamation thing as the larger companies line the GNR, GSWR,MGWR & possibly DSER used crushed stone ballast from large quarries like Goraghwood, Lisduff and Lecarrow from the early 1900s. 

The GSR & CIE used the Newbridge ballast pit as a dump for spent ballast and general rubbish apparently up to the 1970s.

[Peter]

As always I'm amazed at the knowledge on this site. There was indeed a ballast pit outside Newbridge which I'm including in the layout. I have a small siding and I put down a hill using expanding foam which I'll shape to leave a rock face. 

[Broithe]

I'm sure that I remember a conveyor across the road at Lisduff, but there's no sign of it now.

[Broithe]

41 minutes ago, Broithe said:

I'm sure that I remember a conveyor across the road at Lisduff, but there's no sign of it now.

You can just make out the conveyor in the undated photo at the bottom here - https://jetstream.gsi.ie/iwdds/delivery/GSI_Transfer/Geoheritage/LS019_Lisduff_Quarry.pdf

[Peter]

Now to find a rock crusher, and other heavy machinery in n scale. I might have to take a visit to Shapeways.