Greasers and Buffer Stops
| As well as the running rails, there can be several other appendages to the track that are all designed to assist with the safe running of the railway. Some are part of a larger safety scheme and some are there just in their own right. |
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A good example of a stand-alone piece of equipment is the automatic flange
greaser. They are to be found on tight radii curves and their function is to
apply a little grease to the flanges of the wheels as they pass. This is done
by means of a small treadle on the inside of the rail that, when depressed by a
passing wheel, pumps out a small amount of grease. They might not reduce all
the squealing that is sometimes to be heard, but they do reduce considerably
the wear on the wheels!
photograph by Ian Morgan |
| Our old friend the buffer stop. They are to be found in many
shapes and patterns, but all with the one aim. This example is made entirely
from old bullhead rail and was once very common indeed. A variation on this
theme was a buffer stop of very similar construction but with a wooden beam in
the place of the two crosswise rails. Looking at the end of these two rails
gives a good picture of bullhead rail's cross section. In both cases the
running surface is uppermost.
See also the unusual buffer stop that was at Watergate Siding. photograph by Ian Morgan |
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This page was last updated 13 April 2004
