Wellingtonbridge

[WRENNEIRE]

Found some pics from the collection of the late Frank Davis of the MRSI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[enniscorthyman]

Great photos.

[DiveController]

Great shots, Dave. Thanks for posting. The mule has grown a little hair without the beet

[Mayner]

Interesting find Mr Bracken.

 

Frank was an old friend and talented modeller who modelled the GWR/WR in EM and was deeply involved in the MRSI Loughrea layout. I helped Frank as a roadie moving, setting up an operating Frank's Wentworth and Louhrea at various exhibitions. I wonder did Frank take the actual photos although he modelled the GWR/WR he sometimes spoke of building an Irish layout.

[Mike258747]

Great shots, Dave. Thanks for posting. The mule has grown a little hair without the beet

 

Can anyone tell me what the purpose of the mule actually was?

[jhb171achill]

The mule shunted wagons slowly along the loading bank.

[DiveController]

Can anyone tell me what the purpose of the mule actually was?

One from one of our site members showing the mule in action in better times

 

I presume it was battery powered? And it must have been solid metal to cope with the weight of the filled wagons

 

I think I have seen something similar being used for loading, maybe bulk cement? Waterford seems to be popping into my brain for some reason. Will try to look when I get home tonight....

Edited May 17, 2016 by DiveController

[Dhu Varren]

I presume it was battery powered? And it must have been solid metal to cope with the weight of the filled wagons

 

 

The mule is not self propelled, it is cable hauled.

[Mike258747]

The mule is not self propelled, it is cable hauled.

 

Thanks for the replies. Looking closely at the photo the cable can be seen running between the tracks.

[DiveController]

The mule is not self propelled, it is cable hauled.

Thanks, David. That makes a lot more sense.

Why then would you need a mule at all rather than just attaching the cable to the wagons?

Or was that it, there was no attachment or detachment of the cable, just shunt the mule back with the next set of empty wagons? The winch would have to be recessed beneath the trackbed, I presume?