There are some capstans in Wirksworth Yard which I believe were used for horse shunting.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

In the film "Forward to first principles" there is a scene on horse shunting and the horse is pulling quite a rake considering weight.
The film was made in 1966 by BTF

"Neigh lad, "Neigh" :D

48111

Very good

You say about horses i have only been on one once and never again the dam thing took off over a gate how i stayed on god only knows if scared the s??? out of me never again.

ccmmick.

Thanks lads for that. Can we please bring this thread back on topic: i.e. The use of Horses for shunting!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

Same topic different animal. Shown on a TV Documentary about India several years ago they showed a Sugar Factory where railway wagons were moved by an Elephant!

Ok, well Horses for shunting were widely used in British Railways days, and there was food for the horses and water left at a couple of places in the goods yards.It would be interesting to find out who looked after the horses shoes etc, did BR have their own Farriers ? I really dont know.
The horses were the SHIRE HORSE and stood many hands high, the shire horse is a big muscular horse, and it was chosen not only for shunting in railway yards, but also for pulling draymens carts loaded with beer, and no doubt for other very physical jobs.

I dont think there is a lot more that can be written on this thread, mainly because the employment of these horses by the railway was not a subject which was widely written about in railway history. There are one or two references to them, but not really a lot.

Perhaps a member somewhere will have more information ???????

48111

Well John if you can find a shire horse it could be a nice addition to gala.

48111- Horses were used extensively at the cromford and high peak railway right up until closure.

They shunted the wagons in place as there was not enough work for a locomotive.
What we would see as a shunting loco would be used as first rate locomotives.
The horses were mainly used where it met the main line.
There was a record of a horsepulling carts of coal around at Middleton top winding station which still stands today and so does too the engine which runs off hot air. There is a museum here with much more info that I can give you.

I assume that was Orissa Cement:
http://india97780.yuku.com/forum/viewtopic/id/1084
http://forum.pakistanidefence.com/lo...php/t5274.html
This practice was once common in India, but I don't know if any other locations still use it.

:D:D I might get banned if I made a comment on this ? ;)