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THE MIDLAND RAILWAY ASSEMBLAGE TRAILS
"The Enthusiast's Trail"
Stop Fourteen: Banking Engine Staff

Turning around and heading back toward where we entered...

A long staff, looking a bit like the baton a relay racer might hand over or even a policeman's truncheon. Largely made of brass but with a wodden handle, it is inscribed as below.

Stop 14

Where: A11 (drawer)

What: Banking Engine Staff

Material: Brass and wood

Why: This wooden handled brass staff is engraved “Banking Engine Staff. Elmton & Creswell Junc. — Clown“ and is unique. It allowed banking engines having reached the summit, to return to Elmton & Creswell on the single line rather than continue through the section to Oxcroft Junction. A notch on the end of the staff interacted with the tablet instrument, preventing another tablet from being issued while the staff was out, even if all the tablets were in the instruments. The extract from the 1921 Sectional Appendix displayed below explains its use in more detail

Ref: RFB31419

Text which reads: Arrangements for working freight trains between Seymour Junction and Elmton & Creswell Junction. Drivers of freight trains and light engines may, when necessary, return lito any of the sidings between Barlboro' Colliery Sidings and Elmton & Creste Junction to Barlboro' Colliery Sidings or Elmton & Creswell Junction, 88 the CAse 1204p be, as provided by the Train Tablet Regulations for the working of ballad trains, without going through the whole section. Up freight trains going beyond Clown may be worked by one engine in front and one in the rear from Elmton & Creswell Junction to Clown or Barlboro' Colliery Sidings in accordance with the following instructions: A Banking Engine Staff has been provided in connection with the Tables Instrument at Elmton & Creswell Junction, to authorise the Driver of an engine assisting a train in the rear from Elmton & Creswell Junction to Clown to return from Clown without going through the section to Barlboro' Colliery Sidings. The Staff is lettered 'Banking Engine Staff, Elmton & Creswell Junction and Clown'. When an up freight train going beyond Clown is worked by one engine in front and one in the rear from Elmton & Creswell Junction, and both engines require to go through to Barlboro' Colliery Sidings, or beyond; or when an up train assisted in the rear from Elmton & Creswell is going to Clown only ; the Tablet must be shown the Engine-driver in front of the train, and the Engine-driver in the rear of the train must carry it, and the Banking Engine Staff must not be used If the engine in the rear from Elmton & Creswell is going beyond Barlboro Colliery Sidings, it must be placed in the front of the train at Barlboro' Colliery Sidings Up freight trains going beyond Clown worked by one engine in front and one in the rear, must be brought TO A STAND at Clown Station to admit of the General Instructions for working down inclines being carried out, and to enable the engine in the rear to be detached if it is carrying the Banking Engine Staff.