A.T.C. ramp.

[OzzyO]

Hello all,

came across these nice close ups of two A.T.C. ramps in the foreground of a couple of reference photos of a loco that I'm about to start building. It looks like it could be the same location, but not the same ramp. These look to be test ramps that would be at the end of yards,

The full photo,
Make a note of the flat bottom rail in both the above photo and the photos below,

When you look at the full photo the above A.T.C. ramp "could" be on a running line.

That apart just a couple of good photo of A.T.C. ramps.

OzzyO.

 

[Compton castle]

They were long, around 40 foot

 

[Ian G]

Resolven Grange worked most of its life from Newport and later north and south of Bristol.

Ian G

 

[mickoo]

View attachment 40891 They were long, around 40 foot

Interesting to see this one has notched sleepers for the ATC ramp, where as Ozzys is mounted on plain flat sleepers.

 

[cbrailways]

I have seen the first two photos somewhere before (Possibly in GW Journal). I think they are both taken at Slough West with the loco on the Up Relief and the ATC ramp is on the Down Main so a full length ramp. I think the photo was taken just before Slough was resignalled onto the panel box hence the incomplete connection from the Up Main to the 10ft. Remember also that the ramps were not parallel to the rails. This prevented a slot being cut into the loco pick up shoe over time. The need to notch the sleepers was dependent on the rail chair type/height.

The colour photo was taken at Reading East Junction (looking East along the Up Main) after Reading panel was commissioned.

Chris

 

[oldravendale]

Remember also that the ramps were not parallel to the rails. This prevented a slot being cut into the loco pick up shoe over time.

Not railway stuff but.....

In the '60s I worked for Kodak and one of their photographic group outings was to BEA Engineering at Heathrow. (That's British European Airways before BA was even a twinkle in the Stock Markets' Eye). The Tridents were, we were advised, the first aircraft in the world to be fitted with an automatic landing system. Pilots were instructed to use it as a routine, I suppose a form of Beta testing. It was so accurate that the aircraft wore a hole in the runway when landing. As a result a random variability was built in to the system as a modification.

This story is not apocryphal, but may suffer from memory lapse over the succeeding 50 years. OMG, I suddenly feel VERY OLD.

Brian

 

[daifly]

Brian
Having flown the Trident for 12 years (1972-84), I can assure you that any 'holes' were due to the firmness of repeated manual landings! The Autolands were generally smooth but the manoeuvre algorithms of the time would have provided more than enough variability! The Trident main gear was not a traditional bogie but had extended axles with pairs of wheels either side of each undercarriage leg. On landing, all eight mainwheels 'arrived' together instead of the progressive situation on the conventional bogie.
Dave

 

[oldravendale]

Thanks Dave!

Unfortunately most of the people on that tour in the 60's are no longer with us so confirmation of the comments at the time are unlikely to be received. It may well have been some comments by an over enthusiastic guide and equally our misinterpretation of what we were told! Equally, I now seem to have a forgettery which I put down to all the new stuff pushing the old stuff out through my ears and other orifices.

Thanks for your clarification.

Brian

 

[Compton castle]

My first completed ATC ramp beneath the western. I need another two for Ranelagh Bridge. Plus another two for a few other projects. They look superb in place.

 

[Compton castle]

Here's a better one

 

[simond]

Does look nice, Steve.

I haven't forgotten that I said I'd make a working one....

Best
Simon

 

[Compton castle]

Every GW layout should have one or two!!

 

[S-Club-7]

GWR ATC brackets are available from Off The Rails and the wooden parts are available from @BrushType4 at Intentio