Fire Devils

[Bob G]

I have eventually received my LSWR water cranes and fire devils. These are ex Peedie Models who I have now found out are produced by www.Onlinemodelsltd.co.uk who also do the Erkon/Berko coloured light range (of which I have plenty to wire up).

Four big water cranes with big drains for the loco shed, and two slightly smaller ones with smaller drains for the platform ends. The smaller ones came with Fire Devils.
As I post-date steam on BR, where would I put these fire devils, and what were they used for?
If I had two water cranes either side of a platform, would they share a fire devil, and would it be in the gap or closer to one crane than the other? And would there have to be space for passengers to walk past?

I'm realising there really are things I know nothing about 

Bob

[chrism]

They were usually located close to the column so that the heat reduced the risk of the water freezing in the column and the swinging tube - so two on a platform would almost certainly need two fire devils.

Since the columns would normally be close to the end of a platform there shouldn't be the need for passengers to get past.

[Bob G]

Ah that would make sense. A bit of old fashioned technology. Were they not needed in loco sheds then?

[The Q]

Heres a picture of a fire devil in position, under the parked arm of the water tower.


Highland railways didn't need a separate fire devil, their water towers had it built in, with the firebox in the side of the tower,  the heat ran up the sides of the main tower.. inside the chimney surrounding the tower water tube.

[chrism]

Were they not needed in loco sheds then?

Hot embers from a recently emptied firebox would serve the same function and there wouldn't be as much need to keep things "tidy" on shed.

[The Q]

They were usually located close to the column so that the heat reduced the risk of the water freezing in the column and the swinging tube - so two on a platform would almost certainly need two fire devils.

Since the columns would normally be close to the end of a platform there shouldn't be the need for passengers to get past.

health and safety would have kittens today though..

[Bob G]

Does anyone know what colour they would have been in BR (southern region) days.
Were they just grey steel, or were they painted green?

Bob

[chrism]

Does anyone know what colour they would have been in BR (southern region) days.
Were they just grey steel, or were they painted green?

Burnt 

[Bob G]

Does anyone know what colour they would have been in BR (southern region) days.
Were they just grey steel, or were they painted green?

Burnt 

I meant the water columns! Sorry!

[chrism]

Does anyone know what colour they would have been in BR (southern region) days.
Were they just grey steel, or were they painted green?

Burnt 

I meant the water columns! Sorry!

Ah, right. Those on the platforms would very likely have been the same colour as the rest of the station buildings, at least in the early days when station staff were keen to keep "their" station nice and tidy.

Those in loco depots would probably have been black or grey when last painted, although the paintwork would probably have suffered the tests of time.

[Newportnobby]

They were usually located close to the column so that the heat reduced the risk of the water freezing in the column and the swinging tube - so two on a platform would almost certainly need two fire devils.

Since the columns would normally be close to the end of a platform there shouldn't be the need for passengers to get past.

health and safety would have kittens today though..

..and they probably have a procedure for having kittens, too.

[exmouthcraig]

@Bob G which type crane have you got Bob?? We have bits and pieces in the "library" with SR and BR (S) paint colours, can see if we've got info on the right crane

[Bob G]

@Bob G which type crane have you got Bob?? We have bits and pieces in the "library" with SR and BR (S) paint colours, can see if we've got info on the right crane

They are LSWR cranes with no boom. The valve is in different positions on the platform mounted one and the loco shed one. Rotated 90 degrees, presumably for convenience.
These are ex Peedee 3D prints.

Bob

[exmouthcraig]

Southern Region Cheif Civil Engineers Dept May 1949. .....

Water Columns

All Grey No. 8 (except hose)
Columns enclosed in Anti Freeze material NOT TO BE PAINTED.


Grey No. 8 is listed in SR Infrastructure Paint Colours as

Dark Battleship Grey, British Standard Equivalent colour of British Admiralty Grey

[Bob G]

Thank you, kind sir.

Grey it is then. How typically southern utilitarian!