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LMSS Masthead

Fostering Interest in Research & Modelling of the London, Midland & Scottish Railway

LMS Directors Tour Of Inspection of Northern Division Workshops and Motive Power Depots

June 11th, 12th & 13th 1945

PERTH

PERTH MOTIVE POWER DEPOT

This shed is the concentration depot for the Perth area which includes the sheds at Dundee, Aberdeen, Forfar and Blair Atholl.

The allocation of engines is 72 passenger and 37 freight, and for the area 154 engines. Of the 72 passenger engines, 29 are of the standard Class 5 4-6-0 type which are engaged on passenger train working be-tween Glasgow and Inverness, Perth and Carlisle.

The staff of the depot consists of 374 footplate grades, 82 artisan staff and 80 shed grades and in the area 643, 113 and 134 respectively.

The shed is situated on the site of the Caledonian Railway Perth South depot and was built in 1936 when the Highland Railway Shed at Perth North was closed and the staff and engines transferred to the present accommodation, It is a fully modernised shed with. a mechanical coaling plant and ash lifting plant. The coaling plant has two 75-ton bunkers and is of modern design. The coal consumption averages 417 tons daily, most of which passes through the mechanical, coaling plant. Two engines, namely, those working the 8.20 p.m. and 8.55 p.m. Perth to Euston each night, are coaled by hand with first class Scottish coal by means of a mechanical conveyor. This arrangement is due to war-time conditions. as normal coal supplies are not now available. This procedure-is adopted so as to ensure that the ·two engines concerned, which are of the Class 7 4-6-2 type, are coaled solely with first quality coal.

A 70-ft. turntable fitted with vacuum tractor is installed.

The breakdown equipment consists of a standard train with a 30-ton Cowan and Sheldon breakdown crane with an articulated jib.

A No.1 equipment for dealing with repairs is installed and two 40-ton travelling cranes. The No.1 equipment includes the following :-
  Wheel Lathe with journal truing attachment
  12" Gap Lathe and. 7" centre Lathe.
  24" Planing Machine.
  3' 6" Radial Drill and Sensitive Drill.
  15-ton Hydraulic Press.
  24" Wet tool grinder.
  Whitemetalling Hearth with gas jets.
  Coppersmith Hearth & Blacksmith Hearth.

The depot is, therefore, in a position to deal with all types of normal shed repair.

There is an enginemen's hostel adjacent to the Motive Power depot which is of the latest type with 37 beds. Canteen facilities exist at the north end of the Yard where a special building has been provided. The canteen is run by the staff themselves under the guidance of a Company's chairman.

An additional ashpit has been authorised on the West of the existing ashpits for the purpose of giving increased ashpit accommodation.

Whilst the existing ashpit accommodation was sufficient at the time of the modernisation, due to the additional traffic as a result of the War it has been found that the present accommodation is insufficient to deal with the engines requiring disposal.

This ashpit will also be necessary for dealing with additional engines at the Depot when the closer working arrangements with the London and North Eastern Company are brought into operation.

PERTH SOUTH MPD PLAN

PERTH CARRIAGE & WAGON WORKSHOPS.

The Workshops at Perth were built in 1847 for the Scottish Central Railway Company and taken over by the Caledonian Railway Company in 1865 for the repair of locomotives, carriages and wagons.

Due to the reorganisation of the Workshops in the Northern Division, repairing of locomotives ceased in 1927 and the main portion of the buildings was reconstructed as an Outstation Carriage and Wagon Shop.

WAGON REPAIR SHOP.

The Wagon Repair Shop covers an area of approximately one acre and is equipped with a 25-ton electric traverser at each end of the Shop. All wagons enter the various sections or the Shops at the north traverser road and on completion leave by the south traverser road.

There is accommodation for 60 wagons and a staff of 72 employees maintain an average output of 400 repaired wagons per week.

SAWMILL.

The Sawmill is mainly employed in the reclaiming and conversion or parts from second-hand end scrap timber and the equipment consists of band, ripping and pendulum. saws, mortising and drilling machines.

LIFTING SHOP.

This Shop deals with wagons requiring repair to wheels, axles, axleboxes and undergear and is equipped with one 20-ton electric overhead travelling crane and portable pneumatic tools, etc.

WHEEL SHOP.

The Wheel Shop is equipped with tyre turning lathe, journal lathe and two tool grinders.

SMITHY.

Reconditioning of wagon mountings is done in this Shop, where there is a Smith's hearth, screwing and drilling machines and a tool grinder.

CARRIAGE REPAIR SHOP.

The Carriage Repair Shop (north of the wagon Shop) is fitted with a 10-ton electric hoist for lifting vehicles when renewal of bearings, springs, buffers , etc. is necessary.

The Carriage Cleaning Depot is situated adjacent to Perth General Station. A staff of 52 employees deal with ordinary Outstation maintenance repairs and carriage cleaning in all its branches. There is an electric boosting plant and vacuum cleaning plant. The average number- of carriages dealt with is 830 per week.

Electric current is supplied by Perth Corporation at 460 volts D.C. for power and 230 volts D.C. for lighting.

Steam for testing carriage heating systems also for heating Works is obtained from a locomotive boiler partly fired with scrap timber.

Compressed air for portable tools and paint spraying is furnished by a motor driven air compressor having an output of 300 cu.ft. per min. at a pressure of 90 lbs. per sq. in.

PERTH WORKSHOPS PLAN

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