Renovated rail chairs

[Dave Smith]

Colin. You would remember when the electrification of Southern came as far as Gillingham- about 1938? The actual electric line finished at buffers just before Woodlands Road bridge, after the washing shed. Or, being 11?, you were not into railways then? I presume the continued electrification to the coast in 19?? was still 3 rail? 

[Colin walsh]

Railways,and there asoceated equipment have a history and terminology all of there own.
I started work on BR at Gillingham motive power depot as a engine cleaner,had a number of jobs in between,ended my railway days as a class one signalman ,(old crossing keeper) I held many positions ,among them depot shunter (stains) engenering shunter,mobile operations managers assistant,releaf shunter covering many different types of yards ,at times it was interesting,at times boring,and some times having to be involed in situations I took a long time to get over.found the bit about the running rail and it's fittings interesting.Railway history is deeply intertwined with our history ,

[MartinR]

There's a tiny bit about chairs at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_fastening_system#Chairs

[Smiffy]

Stewie, you learn something new everyday - I never knew these were called rail chairs.

[Stewie]

Hi Dave They are what the running rail 'sits' in and hence the name 'rail chair'. Each sleeper has two screwed to it and they effectively hold the rail(s) firmly in place and at the required gauge. The foundry dates are printed on the castings and are 1898 for the LC&DR and 1912 for the SE&CR respectively.

[Dave Smith]

Stewie. How old are those chairs then? LC&DR & SE&CR must have vanished many, many moons ago. Were they chairs in carriages, bolted down ( & you had a spanner, ha,ha) or waiting rooms, or?

[Stewie]

Gave my old rail chairs a paint up over the last couple of days. Examples from the 'London, Chatham & Dover Railway' (LC&DR) and 'South Eastern & Chatham Railway' (SE&CR).