Hydraulic buffers by Ransomes and Rapier, Ipswich

[Deleted]

The recent removal of some Ransomes and Rapier hydraulic buffers from Baker Street and their replacement by modern contrivances begs me to ask where such buffers once existed ( some in areas not visible to the public? ), where they still exist and which survivors are in operational condition.

Their use goes back to 1905 at least, the C&SLR had four sets by 1905.

A few years ago these were some to be seen..............

London Queens Park Sidings LT-B One no. R&R P(R) type unit, at North end of Siding no. 22 ( not in commission for several years )

Putney Bridge LT-D 1 no. R&R hydraulic buffer unit to Platform 2: Parallel type with reservoir above and small worksplate

London Mansion House LT-C/D 1 no. R&R hydraulic buffer unit to Platform 2: Parallel type with reservoir above and small worksplate.

Ealing Broadway LT-Ce/D District 1 no. R&R hydraulic buffer c. 1921 to 3 no. Platforms. Parallel type with reservoir above and small worksplate. Central Line did have at least one no., removed 1990s

London Baker Street LT-M 2no. R&R units to Platform no. 1. Parallel type.
These were built into a tiled masonry enclosure!
2no. R&R units to Platform no. 4. Parallel type.

London Aldgate LT-M 2no. R&R units to Platform no. 2. Cannon type.

Have any units removed been preserved? ( as have some off ex BR lines ) - or all broken up?

[carltona]

The Mansion House example was still in situ recently when I passed through.

[railtechnician]

Sept 16, 2013 13:32:33 GMT @chrisc said:

The recent removal of some Ransomes and Rapier hydraulic buffers from Baker Street and their replacement by modern contrivances begs me to ask where such buffers once existed ( some in areas not visible to the public? ), where they still exist and which survivors are in operational condition.

Their use goes back to 1905 at least, the C&SLR had four sets by 1905.

A few years ago these were some to be seen..............

London Queens Park Sidings LT-B One no. R&R P(R) type unit, at North end of Siding no. 22 ( not in commission for several years )

Putney Bridge LT-D 1 no. R&R hydraulic buffer unit to Platform 2: Parallel type with reservoir above and small worksplate

London Mansion House LT-C/D 1 no. R&R hydraulic buffer unit to Platform 2: Parallel type with reservoir above and small worksplate.

Ealing Broadway LT-Ce/D District 1 no. R&R hydraulic buffer c. 1921 to 3 no. Platforms. Parallel type with reservoir above and small worksplate. Central Line did have at least one no., removed 1990s

London Baker Street LT-M 2no. R&R units to Platform no. 1. Parallel type.
These were built into a tiled masonry enclosure!
2no. R&R units to Platform no. 4. Parallel type.

London Aldgate LT-M 2no. R&R units to Platform no. 2. Cannon type.

Have any units removed been preserved? ( as have some off ex BR lines ) - or all broken up?

There was/is two more tracks adjacent to platform 1 Baker Street in what is the boiler house basement area of Chiltern Court, the nearest track still had the hydraulic buffer stops fitted and they were still visible through a gap in the wall when looking across the platform 1 buffers. Having said that it's almost 20 years since I last worked there.

[slugabed]

There were (a couple of years ago) several of these stacked up on the platform at the disused Osterley station.On the Down side,if I remember correctly.
They were clearly visible from passing Picc trains and may well still be there.

districtdavesforum.co.uk/thread/19071/bye-weird-thing
Also relevant?

[domh245]

The one at Putney Bridge is still alive, and will stay for a while yet.

[bassmike]

There was one at Stanmore -don't know if its still there.

[phillw48]

If any are going spare I'm sure the Ipswich Transport Museum would be interested, even if the LT museum was not.

[wattman]

Sept 16, 2013 15:39:10 GMT domh245 said:

The one at Putney Bridge is still alive, and will stay for a while yet.

A recent picture (also featuring an interesting WW II pillbox)


20130809 Putney Bridge (London) by Museum van mijn Twintigste eeuw, on Flickr

[domh245]

And the single aspect signal WG14.

[Dstock7080]

Sept 17, 2013 20:30:27 GMT domh245 said:

And the single aspect signal WG14.

'single aspect'?
WG14 is a conventional station starting signal.

[domh245]

Whoops. Whenever I've observed it, it has always looked like it was a single aspect.

*note to self - be more observant*

[bruce]

WG14 is a S.R.C.L.

[Chris M]

Sept 18, 2013 17:33:52 GMT bruce said:

WG14 is a S.R.C.L.

And what is an "S.R.C.L." please?

[Tom]

Short Range Colour Light.

The signal is unusual as it has a non-standard number plate which I suspect to be an original District Railway one.

[Tom]

Sept 16, 2013 13:32:33 GMT @chrisc said:

The recent removal of some Ransomes and Rapier hydraulic buffers from Baker Street and their replacement by modern contrivances begs me to ask where such buffers once existed ( some in areas not visible to the public? ), where they still exist and which survivors are in operational condition.

Recent? We removed them in January and June(?) 2010! I have a photo somewhere of the ones from Platform 4 half way down the platform as they were wheeled to a point they could be craned out.

Ealing Broadway lost its hydraulic buffers last year, the Central line ones were removed some time prior to 1984 (and I'm sure reganorak will confirm the actual date).

Aldgate's were removed in the last three or four years.
There was one at Stanmore until a few years ago, I think it was removed as part of the Seven Car Works.

As far as I know Mansion House is the only working example, I think at Putney Bridge the sand drag is intended to try to do most of the work. I'm not sure if the Queen's Park one still exists, but I would expect so.

[rincew1nd]

IIRC there are twin ones at Queen's Park, similar to the ones at Bradford Interchange. A photo of mine in the quiz not that long ago included them, taken from the southbound Overground platform looking south across the UndergrounD platforms.

[Chris M]

The quiz photo from 6 January 2013. Credit: Rincew1nd


(click for a larger version)

[wattman]

Sept 18, 2013 22:02:03 GMT rincew1nd said:

IIRC there are twin ones at Queen's Park, similar to the ones at Bradford Interchange. .

20070920 Bradford Interchange

[rincew1nd]

Thats the ones. As they're compressed they'll be the ones the sprinter ran away into, nobody could figure out how to reset them, so they erected a modern one in front.

[Deleted]

Baker Street - I couldn’t remember when I’d last seen the buffers there, but certainly knew they’d gone by the day the Queen named the S unit, when I happened to pass by and took a look at the four wheel coach parked at the buffers. Any photos yes please.

Ipswich Transport Museum - I have had contact with them regarding both R&R breakdown cranes and buffers - they be pleased to receive a gift of one - if they knew where to put it!, and it came free delivery and preferably with a donation. Preservation locations at present - Leicester North and Midsomer Norton.

Queens Park - Those short stroke buffers are fairly well hidden. I’ll have to take a walk beyond the ‘Do Not’ notice and take a piccie.

Bradford - An acquaintance, then at the York Civil Engineers Office, was involved with changing the Bradford buffers from water to hydraulic operation - he'd be less than amused to think that the operational paperwork has been lost. He recalls that a pre H&S testing procedure on the water controlled buffers was to bump up a loco against them in the wee small hours and watch a fountain of dirty water spray all over the hopefully empty platforms.

[rincew1nd]

The Queen's Park ones are viewable from thepublic area of the Southbound Overground platform, my picture above was taken without passing any "do not" signs.

[phillw48]

Sept 20, 2013 14:37:17 GMT @chrisc said:

Ipswich Transport Museum - I have had contact with them regarding both R&R breakdown cranes and buffers - they be pleased to receive a gift of one - if they knew where to put it!, and it came free delivery and preferably with a donation. Preservation locations at present - Leicester North and Midsomer Norton.

Yes the Ipswich transport museum is despite its large size rather crowded. But well worth a visit, the best time to go is the last saturday in June, when you can visit the Ipswich model railway club and model engineering society all on the same ticket, a free vintage bus service links all the venues.

[rincew1nd]

There's been some recent Twitter interest in this thread:

Thread unlocked should any members wish to contribute to the debate here.

[philthetube]

Sept 19, 2013 16:55:11 GMT rincew1nd said:

Thats the ones. As they're compressed they'll be the ones the sprinter ran away into, nobody could figure out how to reset them, so they erected a modern one in front.

The ones at Baker St used to be tested every month by compressing them with a slow moving train.  Someone there must have known how to do it, not me, I only pushed them in.

[bruce]

If my ageing grey cells serve me correctly I seem to remember that there is a disused tube gauge hydraulic buffer at the end of the disused siding at Euston on the Northern Line City Branch. Also I think there is one hiding in the Angel disused siding.

[patstonuk]

Rather further afield, there's still a magnificent array of R&R buffers to be seen at Barcelona's Estació de França.

[ducatisti]

Sept 20, 2013 19:43:14 GMT phillw48 said:

Yes the Ipswich transport museum is despite its large size rather crowded. But well worth a visit, the best time to go is the last saturday in June, when you can visit the Ipswich model railway club and model engineering society all on the same ticket, a free vintage bus service links all the venues.

Having Ransomes and Rapier as a local manufacturer must be a double-edged sword for any museum. They have lots of long-lasting products to have as artefacts, but they are bloomin' huge and heavy.