Miscellaneous Southern Artefacts
| Believe it or not fire buckets have been the subject of
several - we are tempted to say "heated" - discussions within the
Southern E Group! Naturally in days when building materials were more flammable
than those used today and when there were plenty of sources of ignition about -
steam locomotives passing through the station, coal fires heating the station
and gas lamps lighting the station - readily available materials such as sand
and water to extinguish fires had to be available. Before fire extinguishers
were both common and economical the galvanised bucket was the common method of
delivery. The dimensions of such buckets have been a matter of conjecture but
making the assumption that the tools for producing such products have not
varied much over the years here are the dimensions of a modern galvanised
bucket:
Height = 11 inches, Base = 9½ inches diameter, Top = 11½ inches diameter For modellers in 4mm scale these dimensions work out at: Height = 3.666mm, Base = 3.1616mm diameter, Top = 3.8282mm diameter |
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Fire buckets on display at the Bluebell Railway...
photograph by Michael Taylor |
| ... on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway...
photograph by Michael Taylor |
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... and at Ropley station on the Mid Hants Railway.
photograph by Colin Duff |
SEmG member Mike Dunse is the fortunate current owner of the former LSWR Bridestowe station in Devon. Mike occasionally finds artefacts buried in undergrowth around his property including an unpainted Southern Railway galvanised bucket, details from which can be seen below. |
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This page was last updated 3 December 2002
