Building Near Kirkstall Forge Along The Canal

shutthatdoor · Post by **shutthatdoor** » Mon 16 Jun, 2014 5:21 pm

Hi folks! Please excuse my ignorance. What is a 'Plate Layer'?I could look it up but I figured I will probably get a better explanation on SL. Thanks.

jim · Post by **jim** » Mon 16 Jun, 2014 5:55 pm

Hi shutthatdoor. Not ignorance at all. Us old railwaymen always assume that others know what we are wittering about. Platelayers were the old track maintenance men in pre-mechanised days when all track work was done by manual labour with pick, shovel, hammers, spanners, and suchlike. They were usually set up in gangs of five or so led by a ganger, and were responsible for a fixed length of track - usually no more than five miles, but in busy or complicated areas much less. The hut was for meals or shelter. "Rule one: Rain, hail or falling snow, into the cabin you must go".The term "platelayer" comes about because an early form of railed transport used wagons with ordinary unflanged wheels running on flanged cast iron "plates", hence platelayers

Post by **cnosni** » Mon 16 Jun, 2014 5:58 pm

jim wrote: Hi shutthatdoor. Not ignorance at all. Us old railwaymen always assume that others know what we are wittering about. Platelayers were the old track maintenance men in pre-mechanised days when all track work was done by manual labour with pick, shovel, hammers, spanners, and suchlike. They were usually set up in gangs of five or so led by a ganger, and were responsible for a fixed length of track - usually no more than five miles, but in busy or complicated areas much less. The hut was for meals or shelter. "Rule one: Rain, hail or falling snow, into the cabin you must go".The term "platelayer" comes about because an early form of railed transport used wagons with ordinary unflanged wheels running on flanged cast iron "plates", hence platelayers Still referred to as such these days, as well as P-Way (Permanant way) men, the permanant way being the tracks/routes.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Mon 16 Jun, 2014 7:00 pm

shutthatdoor wrote: Hi folks! Please excuse my ignorance. What is a 'Plate Layer'?I could look it up but I figured I will probably get a better explanation on SL. Thanks. Here's a fascinating film how platelayers of yesteryear used to do the job.I first saw the film in the York Railway Museum. I still remember the snigger when the film narrator said 'Every morning Bob inspects his length' That said it's a great film, the quality gets better as the film runs on.It's very interesting especially as they had everything in the wheelbarrow for every eventuality, from measured packing, shims for the fishplates, new ferrules & keys plus all the tools needed.Not a hi viz jacket in sight too.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5O5S-fa ... 3mqwd&hd=1

shutthatdoor · Post by **shutthatdoor** » Tue 17 Jun, 2014 6:35 pm

A big Thank you guys, jim, cnosni, phil dvsn for your answers to my question. I am now educated and in no doubt as to what a Plate Layer is. It is, as I suspected, so much more interesting and informative to get answers from SL contributors.I work in the logistics side of bus transport and have little knowledge of railways but find them fascinating. How did you find that film phil? I had no inkling there may be film collections online of this type of stuff. (I shall be watching more) It's very 'Cholmondley-Warner' but absolutely fascinating. The engineering solutions like the use of ferules to take the battering instead of the chair and the re-gauging of tracks must have been borne of years of experience and knowledge. What strikes me most is that these guys may have been seen as working class, but everybody of any position relied on their experience and knowledge to keep them travelling safely.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Tue 17 Jun, 2014 6:51 pm

shutthatdoor wrote: How did you find that film phil? I had no inkling there may be film collections online of this type of stuff. (I shall be watching more) It's very 'Cholmondley-Warner' but absolutely fascinating. The engineering solutions like the use of ferules to take the battering instead of the chair and the re-gauging of tracks must have been borne of years of experience and knowledge. What strikes me most is that these guys may have been seen as working class, but everybody of any position relied on their experience and knowledge to keep them travelling safely. Hi shutthatdoor .I first saw the old film in the National Railway Museum at York many years ago. I'm in a group called ''British Rail Old School'' on FACEBOOK A really nice set of friendly old time employers with some fantastic photos, stories, and memories to be told. Non of them seem like demonic demons burning in the depths of facebook hell really. The topic of platelayers came up and I remembered the old film, a quick check on google search and I found it straight away online. You are able to embed videos to play on other social media platforms, no link clicking involved. They loved the old video and had a good old chat about how they did things. Or didn't do things.Come rain, hail, sleet, and snow - To the Platelayers hut you must go

Chappers · Post by **Chappers** » Thu 19 Jun, 2014 12:49 am

View of the front. The ground floor looks like a terrace house layout, but I don't know about the first floor with steps to the door on the side of the building.I wonder if that's a platelayer stood outside ?

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » Sat 21 Jun, 2014 5:45 pm

As it is today.

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » Sat 21 Jun, 2014 5:46 pm

As it is today.

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » Sat 21 Jun, 2014 5:48 pm

Wasn't sure how to put all 3 pics together, so did it like this. Sorry for any inconvenience.