Talk:Weed-killing waggons
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Does anyone know anything about the weedkillers used? Presumably Infrastructure Department can tell us what is used now. It would be interesting to hear what was used in the past. Sodium Chlorate?
MarkTemple (talk) 16:43, 25 March 2016 (UTC)
What is the source for suggesting the original weed-killing waggon was put together in the 1920s? The first of the big four GB Grouped Railways to introduce weed-killing was the Southern in 1931 (see weedkillers). It is tempting to think Col. Stephens with his S.R. connections introduced the idea to the FR in 1931 before his death in October that year. MarkTemple (talk) 20:29, 20 February 2020 (UTC)
Back in 2015 there were lively discussions on the festiniograilway@yahoogroups.com (Happy days!) as a lot of historic photos were appearing on ibase at the time. We covered all sorts of topics including the coaling stage at Portmadoc New, many signalling questions including capstans, the Mystery Carriage (again inconclusive), and the tank wagons including this one. On 21 Dec 2015 MdeC said I've only ever seen that style of lettering on the c1923 blueprints for the signalling installations, the superscript 'LY' is a dead giveaway. He also on the following day came up with the archive quote, but that is dated 1934, well into the Austen period and after the SR introduction of weedkillling as we now know. When I came to summarise the discussion for Festipedia I probably placed too much weight on the stylistic assessment, and of course if that was the house style in 1923 it may well have continued so in the 1930s. It is also unlikely that the corporate image was so rigidly enforced in those days than it might be today - though the 'Toy Railway' image which was to come was very much a matter of presentation and marketing. I admit I didn't have any hard evidence of dating and it might now be safer to say it was put together in the 1930s. I didn't know I was inadvertently claiming a Festiniog First. It could just about have been a final initiative from the Colonel, inspired by the SR. Thank you for raising this challenge, it's always good to re-examine the evidence (if any). George Cash (talk) 12:33, 21 February 2020 (UTC)