The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 10, Issue 6 (September 2, 1935)
Improved Facilities at Railway Docks
Improved Facilities at Railway Docks.
Important schemes of development and modernisation have for some time been in progress at the South Wales docks of the Great Western Railway. As a result, the shipping facilities in this corner of Britain have been brought right up-to-date, and increased freight handlings may be anticipated in the future. One interesting improvement is the introduction of special appliances for the prevention of the breakage of coal during shipment. These consist of an escalator comprising a number of trays worked on an endless belt. Each tray as it is filled lowers the coal without breakage, and thirty-four of these machines have so far been installed. The “Norfolk” spade, or mechanical digger, has also been introduced successfully, to clear wet coal from wagons. Fifteen of these machines are in service, and they clean a wagon in a few minutes, as against manual labour of more than half-an-hour.