5" gauge steam locomotives are big and heavy. So how do we transport them to and from the track?

How do you transport a 5" steam locos by car? This series of pictures shows 'The Wildfowler' on return from Urmston today.

Click on each picture for a larger image.

 'The Wildfowler' secured to the board which fits behind the front passenger seat. 

The board has raised sections of 5" guage to guide the wheels and prevent the loco slipping sideways when secured to the board.

The yellow webbing strap passes across the cab floor (which is protected by cloths to prevent paintwork damage) while the front of the loco is clamped to the board using a threaded rod with a wing nut on top.

A steel plate under the front 'protector bar' of the loco enables the front of the loco to be clamped to the board without compressing the springs.

 Hydraulic trolley with extended plywood top is raised to the same level as the board in the car.

 The loco is simply wheeled from car to trolley. The front of the trolley's extended top rests on the car's boot sill so the trolley will not tilt under the weight of the loco.

The trolley is fully lowered and the loco can be wheeled into the garage on the trolley, where it will remain until the next outing.

Raising the trolley to full height in the garage provides an excellent 'bench' for working on the loco, but does not offer 'underneath' access.

At the club track we have pneumatic platforms and traversers to similarly enable the locomotive to be effortlessly moved from the car to the preparation bays, and then onto the track. 

Needless to say, these models are far too heavy to even contemplate lifting them without mechanical assistance.

.