CC2001 Pooley Weighbridge

Weighbridges made by the world famous firm of Pooley of Birmingham were found on many British railways but particularly the old Great Western system. Most of the larger goods yards would have had one as well as private factory sidings, docks and harbours, mines and quarries. Every goods wagon had marked on its side a “Tare” weight. This weight was expressed in Tons -Hundredweight's (Cwts) - Quarters - Pounds but usually just Tons and Cwts on railway wagons.

When a wagon had been loaded and before being made up into a train it had to be run onto a weighbridge and weighed. The clerk in the scale hut would then deduct the Tare weight from the loaded weight to work out the weight of load to be charged to the customer. Mines often had this as their only method of determining output. Railway modellers will appreciate the operating potential of a weighbridge particularly on the smaller layout as a means of adding to the shunting and operational interest.