Model Railway Forum

Good Afternoon one and all,

For my 00 model "Lower Thames Yard" I am researching loads for one of the local pickup goods up the High Wycombe branch in 1960/2.
I got out my copy of the "Marlow Branch", and this suggests that the railway carried the following materials in and out of the Mill:-

Inbound:-
Coal (daily?)
Esparto Grass (periodically), some 25 sheeted wagons from Brentford Docks
Caustic Soda (tank)- again periodically

Outbound:-
Paper (boxed, in vans) - the main product was writing paper.
Coal empties
Open wagon empties
Caustic Soda Tanker - empty.

So my first question is:-
What else was used on a regular basis in paper production- particularly writing paper.

It seems the coal and the resulting empties were handled by the evening Hinksey- Slough goods (I expect the empties returned north on the morning Slough to Hinksey?).
It therefore looks like the regulars for the local pick up would be vans.

Secondly:-
Looking at what was handled at Bourne End Yard, so might be on this train, I noticed there were occasional handlings of boats.

So I want to track down (and model!!) the right sort of boat, this would make an interesting load perhaps on a bogie well wagon?

Hope you are all well and staying safe
Best regards
Paul

I worked in a paper mill and briefly incoming, Pulp in bales by barge and lorry (about 2'x2') Acid by tanker in lorries, alum the same various drums in various sizes, bits of new machinery, waste paper in bales for pulping (for cardboard) China clay in bags along bagged chemicals and starches. We had our own 4 wheel diesel shunter and 4 large sidings with mainly ventilated vans for despatch plus many 20T lorries. Large stacks of waste paper stacked brick like in bales outside. Our own power station with one cooling tower and very high buildings as the "machine house" containing 4 Walmsley paper making machines, cutters, winders and coilers with a large despatch bay. Probably a bigger set up than a print paper mill. The finished goods were eith palleted sheets or wrapped reels. Both were usually the height of a man. There are few pics here of the interior and exterior but not in super deatil for modelling. The pics only show some of the parts of one machine. There are some photos nothing to do with the factory in there.
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/francckk/th ... ard-mills/
And an aerial shot which you will need to copy and enlarge as it seems a bit small on here.