Carriage docks and carriage trucks

[jhb171achill]

Readers who suffer less than I do from "Too Many Birthdays Syndrome", to wit, young'uns; might have noticed here and there nowadays, and more so in old photographs, sidings which end up against a bank or what looks like an end-on platform. Some of these have ramps up to them from the "land" side.

 

These are where road vehicles could be loaded onto railway vehicles - flat wagons or, for elegant horse drawn carriages not to be exposed to nasty old coal smoke from locomotives, covered vans. These were known as "carriage trucks" or "carriage vans" - nothing to do with railway carriages, more so road carriages.

 

After infernal combustion cars were invented, if a road vehicle was to go by rail it would tend to be loaded (in the same way) onto a flat wagon.

 

I attach - possibly even the right way up - drawings of a GSWR design, though all railway companies had them. How else were the gentry to carry their varnished horse drawn carriages from Dublin to wild, exotic remote places like Cappoquin, Raphoe, Ballindine or Magherafelt?

 

The loco would shunt one of these vans into the carriage dock, while the footman or carriage driver of Lord Whatis-Name (has to be double-barrelled) loaded the carriage, which was then attached to the back of the passenger train in which the good Lord and his Ladie(s) were travelling. A horse box, of course, might be also attached (of which the GSWR alone had over 100 of at least four different types).

 

Naturally, the mere peasantry, the Great Unwashed, hoi-polloi, commoners, IRM readers and Ordinary People were welcome to watch. From a suitable distance, of course; we mustn't upset Lord Whatsis-Name, lest he increase our rent again.

 

 

Well, the original picture was the right way up.....

Edited December 11, 2015 by jhb171achill

[Broithe]

Well, the original picture was the right way up.....

 

It's just a matter of perspective.

 

[jhb171achill]

Thanks, Broithe! Lord Whatis-Name and Lady Muck-Trollop would approve greatly!

[Junctionmad]

I remember my farther mentioning the polo ponies used go up to Dublin on the train

[Noel]

I remember my farther mentioning the polo ponies used go up to Dublin on the train

 

Ah that must have been major Dawnay & co heading to the park for a few chukkas

[jhb171achill]

What's a "chukka", old chap?

[Old Blarney]

Might it be a game played by bankers when they put their customers through hoops?

 

Come on dear boy, don't you have a lawn at home?

 

You need mallets, hoops, balls, and a lawn.

 

Getting close?

 

Vicar, anyone for tea and a game of Croquet?

Oh, stupid me, I forgot, the ponies!

 

Bigger lawn --- or is it a swimming pool?

 

Polo!!!!!!!

 

Not the one with the hole.

Edited December 11, 2015 by Old Blarney

[jhb171achill]

Aaargh!!

 

Very Somerville & Ross -esque....

[josefstadt]

Bigger lawn --- or is it a swimming pool?

 

Around the Athloine area lawns are swimming pools!

[jhb171achill]

I think athlone itself, and surrounds, is a swimming pool!

[Broithe]

Might it be a game played by bankers when they put their customers through hoops?

 

Come on dear boy, don't you have a lawn at home?

 

You need mallets, hoops, balls, and a lawn.

 

Getting close?

 

Vicar, anyone for tea and a game of Croquet?

Oh, stupid me, I forgot, the ponies!

 

Bigger lawn --- or is it a swimming pool?

 

Polo!!!!!!!

 

Not the one with the hole.

Water Polo - that's always concerned me.

 

How do the horses manage?

[josefstadt]

Polo!!!!!!!

 

Not the one with the hole.

 

Reminds me that someone once called Llantrisant the hole with the mint!

[Junctionmad]

Water Polo - that's always concerned me.

 

How do the horses manage?

 

The horses are much too clever for water polo, a long time along they chucked their riders in the water an left in discust. The riders seemed to be still in the water years later

[Junctionmad]

Ah that must have been major Dawnay & co heading to the park for a few chukkas

 

Indeed. Of course Whitfield polo school is gone since the Major passed away a few years back. I wonder how the current Lord Waterford , gets them up to dub these days. , big trucks or what. It's like 6 ponies a man type of stuff. Haven't seen a game for a few years now. Very interesting sport to watch.

 

I remember one of the platelayers telling me they were loaded at kilmeadan, ( for Whitfield ponies ) which would have been close enough to ride to. ( though I think the school was only started in the late 60s)

 

The great thing about Ireland , unlike the UK , and despite the highty tighy here , is that horse based sports were partaken by the common man in Ireland. Polo like hunting were actually mostly fraternised by well to do farmers who were into horse sports. So I suspect the carriage of horses by rail was not the preserve of the gentry in Ireland.

Edited December 13, 2015 by Junctionmad

[Broithe]

The great thing about Ireland , unlike the UK , and despite the highty tighy here , is that horse based sports were partaken by the common man in Ireland. Polo like hunting were actually mostly fraternised by well to do farmers who were into horse sports. So I suspect the carriage of horses by rail was not the preserve of the gentry in Ireland.

 

Another difference is that, if you see a horse ridden on the highway in England, it will almost always be carrying a female rider - male riders seems to be far more prevalent on highway horses in Ireland.

 

And, polo must be played right-handed, it's in the rules - I wonder if it will be the subject of a legal challenge at some point?

[Broithe]

The horses are much too clever for water polo, a long time along they chucked their riders in the water an left in discust. The riders seemed to be still in the water years later

 

At least they tried.

 

[jhb171achill]

Listowel, Kildare, Carlow, Ballinasloe, Downpatrick and Kilgobbin (Co. Limerick) were among the many places that attracted huge amounts of horse traffic on appropriate days.