Road Machines Monorail Revisited July 2021 скачать в хорошем качестве

Road Machines Monorail Revisited July 2021

Monorail system Road Machines (Drayton) Ltd, 1960 Serial RM9514 Supplied to Bishops Waltham Waste Water Works this contractors’ monorail system was used to carry sewage sludge. It was donated to Amberley Museum by Southern Water Services Ltd in 1991. The unit runs on double flanged wheels hydraulically powered by a JAP (J A Prestwich Industries Ltd.) single cylinder petrol engine. Development of this industrial monorail system was started in 1942 by Noel Green of Aveling Barford Ltd. The rights to the design and manufacture were acquired by Road Machines (Drayton) Ltd in 1946. This company ceased trading in 1967. Construction and supply were taken over by Metalair Ltd of Wokingham and continued until 1983. The machines were simple, rugged and stable and generally powered by 4½hp petrol (as in this case) or 7hp diesel engines but Calor Gas and electrically driven versions were also produced. There was no driver and an automatic stop fitted to the track prevented travel any further than the desired point. The track was normally produced in 12ft straight lengths and 6ft curved sections with a radius of 12 feet. The unit runs on top of the single rail with guide wheels on each side. In 1966 there were an estimated 800 users of the system, mostly civil engineers. Projects included the first Forth Road Bridge and the original Severn Road Bridge as well as work for the London Underground and British Railways. The system was used extensively on engineering schemes overseas including land reclamation and irrigation. Initially the monorail was set up as a static display until members of the Museum’s RailGroup took responsibility for the exhibit. They have since restored the motive power unit to working order and laid out the monorail track for demonstration purposes.