Mixed gauge

[Irishswissernie]

Correction Britain from Above  https://britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/XAW027080

[Chris_w]

OK, I stand corrected.  Sorry about that.   Must be the heat and having so many photos.

[airfixfan]

Note mixed gauge track at Whitehead from Sunday

[Maitland]

Back in 2015 Mayner wrote

Quote

The mixed gauge siding and turntable at Strabane was originally provided for swapping wagon bodies between the broad and narrow gauge as part of an Edwardian Swap Body system that worked on a similar principal to modern roll off containers.

I recently picked up a bound set of Locomotive Magazine for 1902 (which has practically unbound itself sometime in the last 100 years or so), and in one of the Railway Carriage and Wagon Review supplements, there is a writeup on the Strabane transfer facility. I wonder how long it was used. Paterson mentions post WW2 container flats, but these were completely different.

I can't help thinking they just missed the trick- making the transfer sideways would have allowed a difference in height between the NG and BG wagons, would have allowed a whole train to be transferred without much shunting, and would have allowed a storage platform between the systems so that both trains didn't have to be present at once. And not needed a turntable, but perhaps that was useful for other things too.

[airfixfan]

On behalf of the Donegal Railway Heritage Museum I would be morec than interested in that article and replying to your questions?

[Maitland]

That's all there is in the article. If you want me to send a better copy, I'll be happy to, just send me (personal message best) an email address that will take large attachments.

Roger Crombleholme's County Donegal Railways Companion tells me there were 8 tranship trucks in all, with 6 open wagons for quarry traffic from Mountcharles and two covered van bodies, and mentions the decline of the quarry traffic but gives no dates for its termination. The quarry seems to be what is now the southern end of the McMonagle Stone works, and is decidedly not large on the National Townlands OS map.