Railway General Knowledge.

[A Challenge]

I once had a dream involving this thing (a literal quadruped with trunk and tusks) -- dream sequence set on the West Coast Main not far north of London; and in World War II, when presumably "anything went": but one takes it that dreams don't count.

I doubt it does but I do like the dream!

Long shot, but is it something to do with the elephants kept in the Tower of London in rather inhumane conditions years ago, were they used for some form of shunting?

 

[Ashley Hill]

I once had a dream involving this thing (a literal quadruped with trunk and tusks) -- dream sequence set on the West Coast Main not far north of London; and in World War II, when presumably "anything went": but one takes it that dreams don't count.

However surreal I’m afraid it won’t count. Sorry

 

[Ashley Hill]

I doubt it does but I do like the dream!

Long shot, but is it something to do with the elephants kept in the Tower of London years ago, were they used for some form of shunting?

I’ve no idea but it’s not what I’m looking for.

 

[Spamcan81]

Are we talking about Stephenson’s steam elephant? If so, Wallsend.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Are we talking about Stephenson’s steam elephant? If so, Wallsend.

I had to Google that one,it’s not the one I’m thinking of. As I was ignorant of this one,no.
To be clear this Elephant I’m thinking of shunted wagons between 1924 and 1963.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

This doesn't have anything to do with the "Elephant sidings" at Sheffield does it?

No idea if an actual elephant was used, just remember the name of the sidings...

 

[DerekC]

Are we talking about Stephenson’s steam elephant? If so, Wallsend.

On a point of order - "Steam Elephant" is now thought to have been designed by John Buddle and William Chapman and was wrongly attributed to George Stephenson. I do think that was an excellent answer to the question however, even though it might not have been the one required! I am sure it did lots of shunting at Wallsend Colliery.

Edit - and a little happy Googling has revealed another "Steam Elephant" patented by one James Taylor in 1860, manufactured in Birkenhead and shown at the International Exhibition in 1862. Which all goes to show that you can ask a perfectly simple question and find out all sorts of things you may or may not have wanted to know!

 

[Ashley Hill]

This doesn't have anything to do with the "Elephant sidings" at Sheffield does it?

No idea if an actual elephant was used, just remember the name of the sidings...

I’m afraid not.

On a point of order - "Steam Elephant" is now thought to have been designed by John Buddle and William Chapman and was wrongly attributed to George Stephenson. I do think that was an excellent answer to the question however, even though it might not have been the one required! I am sure it did lots of shunting at Wallsend Colliery.

Edit - and a little happy Googling has revealed another "Steam Elephant" patented by one James Taylor in 1860, manufactured in Birkenhead and shown at the International Exhibition in 1862. Which all goes to show that you can ask a perfectly simple question and find out all sorts of things you may or may not have wanted to know!

Oh my. Perhaps I’ve dug myself a hole here. However as stated above,for clarity the Elephant I’m thinking of was operational from 1924 to 1963. I understand it is now also preserved.

 

[D6130]

Is it a locomotive named "Jumbo"?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Is it a locomotive named "Jumbo"?

Afraid not.

 

[Grumpy]

Teignmouth?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Teignmouth?

Correct. The Elephant was a Sential Steam Tractor built in 1924 for the Teignmouth Quay Co. and used for shunting on its quay. Here is a photo of it from Vought Sikorsky’s twitter page.

Apparently it’s preserved in the Netherlands.
Over to you to ask the next quay () question.

 

[Cowley]

Correct. The Elephant was a Sential Steam Tractor built in 1924 for the Teignmouth Quay Co. and used for shunting on its quay. Here is a photo of it from Vought Sikorsky’s twitter page.
View attachment 175196
Apparently it’s preserved in the Netherlands.
Over to you to ask the next quay () question.

That’s a wonderful thing!

 

[Gloster]

Slightly odd colours there. I would expect a box van to be either grey or bauxite, not green. It could be one owned by the port company for their internal use, but I would not expect it to have the full BR number neatly painted on and the word Derby scrawled on the door. For that matter, how often do you see green axle-box covers?

 

[Grumpy]

Correct. The Elephant was a Sential Steam Tractor built in 1924 for the Teignmouth Quay Co. and used for shunting on its quay. Here is a photo of it from Vought Sikorsky’s twitter page.
View attachment 175196
Apparently it’s preserved in the Netherlands.
Over to you to ask the next quay () question.

Name of Plymouth resident making unprecedented visit to Yorkshire in January 1977?

 

[Cowley]

Name of Plymouth resident making unprecedented visit to Yorkshire in January 1977?

Western Fusilier (D1023)?

 

[Peterthegreat]

Wasn't it 1013?

 

[Cowley]

Wasn't it 1013?

Damn. I think you’re probably right actually.

 

[Grumpy]

Western Fusilier (D1023)?

No

 

[Grumpy]

Wasn't it 1013?

Invalid answer-question asks for a name

 

[Peterthegreat]

Western Ranger.

 

[Grumpy]

Western Ranger.

Correct. Well done. Over to you.
I used ”unprecedented” in reference to scheduled passenger trains.
Ranger’s visit had several witnesses and photographic evidence. I believe there were lots of rumours of Hydraulics working through with car trains from Morris Crowley in the middle of the night, but I’ve never seen any confirmation.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Thank you.
Which tunnel on the Midland Main Line disappeared in 1969?

 

[RDP]

Broomhouse?

 

[Peterthegreat]

Broomhouse?

Is correct. It was opened out into a cutting.

 

[RDP]

Cheers.

On the subject of tunnels....

There are two tunnels named Charlton Tunnel on the national network neither of which is in south east London. Where are they?

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Is one of them on the Coastway route near to the Channel Tunnel?

 

[RDP]

Is one of them on the Coastway route near to the Channel Tunnel?

Not on either of the Coastway routes which don't go anywhere near the Channel Tunnel although the latter is not too far away from one of them.

 

[Ashley Hill]

It’s been a few days,any clues?

 

[RDP]

It’s been a few days,any clues?

As post 15358 says one of them is not far from the Channel Tunnel. The other one is on a freight only line.