irish Wagon Brakes

[StevieB]

In Great Britain there were two standard forms of wagon brake:

RCH where the brake lever operated the brakes on that side of the wagon, but usually with brakes on each side of the wagon, and

Morton where the brake lever on either side would operate the brakes which were one sided only.

Can anyone explain the equivalent Irish system, please?

Stephen

[Mayner]

In Great Britain there were two standard forms of wagon brake:

RCH where the brake lever operated the brakes on that side of the wagon, but usually with brakes on each side of the wagon, and

Morton where the brake lever on either side would operate the brakes which were one sided only.

Can anyone explain the equivalent Irish system, please?

Stephen

 

I am not sure if any wagons fitted with the Morton handbrake in Ireland most of the unfitted wagons had a single brake shoe on each side operated by a long lever, a small number mainly CIE Pallet Vans, GNR Bagged Cement and Private Owner Tank wagons had independent either side brakes similar to the RCH type Most of the more modern fitted wagons had a parallel motion arrangement for transmitting the motion from the brake lever to the cross shaft similar to BR wagons of the same era.

[StevieB]

John

Thanks for that. The first photo actually seems to show both long and short brake handles, so were the brakes on one axle only, quite different to the UK?

Stephen

[Mayner]

The long brake levers are a standard Irish Railway (IRCH) design used on most wagons about 1910 up to the md-1950, the van with the short brake lever is on a Bulleid Triangulated underframe standard for wagons and vans built by CIE in the mid 1950s. Both vans have independent either side brakes acting on one shoe per axle. The main difference between the two gears was that CIE went for a round rather than a flat section pushrod.

 

[StevieB]

I was at the Gloucester 0 Gauge Guild annual open day yesterday when I spied upon a NER wagon with the same braking system as in Ireland - long brake lever working on one wheel only. So there must a manufacturer out there who makes these, which would allow for detailing rtr goods stock.

Stephen

[Glenderg]

Stevie,

 

Which braking system are you looking for? To suit which wagons?

[Mayner]

I was at the Gloucester 0 Gauge Guild annual open day yesterday when I spied upon a NER wagon with the same braking system as in Ireland - long brake lever working on one wheel only. So there must a manufacturer out there who makes these, which would allow for detailing rtr goods stock.

Stephen

 

The Ratio OO 9'wb wagon chassis & LNWR open and p.w. wagon kits include the option of RCH and the old style single shoe brake gear similar to that used in Ireland http://www.peco-uk.com/product.asp?strParents=3340,3344&CAT_ID=3350&P_ID=17872 The LNWR wagons are good value a bit short but look reasonably close to ex GSWR wagons that lasted into the 1960s & 70s.

 

51L Models produce a number of Scottish wagons with single lever brake gear http://www.51l.co.uk/crwcom.htm#brake levers and lever guides