Priddy's Hard 30inch railway
parish:
county:
RNAD Gosport
Gosport
Hampshire
Period - 1900s & 1910s & 1920s & 1930s & 1940s & 1950s & 1960s & 1970s
Before 1904 the 18inch gauge railway was partly superseded by a 30inch gauge line at Priddy's Hard. Both 'grooved' and 'flanged' rails were used on its double track system. Motive power was human. In 1904 it had 30 trucks and one 14cwt travelling crane. The trucks were flat bed which could have wooden attachments for holding different sorts of shells. Trucks used in the Laborartory area had brass wheels, to prevent sparks. A line went from the shore end of Shell Pier to a shingle bank called the 'burning ground' where condemened cordite and gunpowder was destroyed.
By 1929 it had battery locomotives, rail tractors supplied by Greenwood and Batley, Albion Works, Leeds. At least one other loco came from Wingrove and Rogers, Kirby, Liverpool. There were 8 locos. By 1960 the system had been replaced by diesel road tractors. A small manual section susvived in use to 1977.
Shell Pier:- ... two arms from shore, one 689 feet long ... other 669 feet long ... 'T' head 228 feet long ... Tramway, 2 1/2 feet gauge, thw whole length of both arms ...
