Klondyke Sidings

[caliwag]

A history question...many old goods yards had reception, sorting and cripple sidings but can anyone shed light on the railway use of the term "Klondyke sidings"?

For instance, looking at a 50s layout of Newport (NER) yards, there are a substantial set of sidings, to the outside of the main reception and sorting and with a through line, simply called Klondyke...only accessible from one direction!!

Similarly, in a 20s article about the extensive Bass brewery railway at Burton on Trent, in amongst the sidings serving cask-washing plants, maltings, ale-loading sidings we find "...an extensive fan of sidings known as Klondyke, with a storage capacity for 400 wagons"

If the term is used for short-term storage, how does the term Klondyke apply and from whence does it arise?

Cheers Peeps, if anyone can shed any light on this. Keeps me awake at night!!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Maybe lost in the mists of time, and there seems to have also been Klondyke Sidings at Edinburgh Waverley and at Derby, at but as regards the Klondyke Sidings at Neasden Depot (on the London Underground - Metropolitan Line) it has been suggested elsewhere that it arose because they were first provided at the time of the Klondike gold rush in Canada in the late 1890's. It has also been suggested that the name arose because the trains used in the peak hours were parked there during the middle of the day and at night and they were renowned among train cleaners for being a treasure trove of coins which had fallen down behind the seat cushions etc.

MOTWYW (!)

 

[DarloRich]

there is a klondyke yard in york according to the trusty quail

 

[matchmaker]

Bit OT, but the East European fish factory ships that used to visit Shetland were known as "Klondykers".

From a 1993 newspaper article:

"Their spending power may be limited, but they are called Klondykers because this is a gold rush - more frantic this year than ever before. The treasure is the shoals of cheap mackerel and herring in the seas off Shetland. Eighty-eight vast factory ships are moored in the harbour. Aboard may be more than 10,000 people, doubling Lerwick's population."

 

[caliwag]

Thanks for the replies. Indeed klondyke sidings do seem to have been everywhere. I knew about the York ones (apparently disused now).

When I worked for the Intercity architects department in York, we were involved in the design and hence some coordination for the the ECML electrification in York and Newcastle.

This throws no light on my OP but I recall in one of the many meetings that the question of where to assemble weekend engineering trains cropped up...the response from one of the divisional engineers was "well we have got the Klondyke sidings in Holgate yard"...to which several nodded agreement and several chuckled. I never thought to ask then...probably not the right time really (green architect and all that!!)

Someone must know the history. Yes I did read that cash-down-cushion answer...seems plausible, but not in a goods yard!