Structure comprising (29),(30),(32) on the site map, https://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/cement-works-10-site-map-explained.5333/ Here is where cement is packed ready for distribution to outlets supplying trade and domestic users where bulk is not appropriate. The cement arrives at (32) via an aerial conveyor from the transfer house (26), this part of the building comprises a tower section where the cement arrives into a large hopper which in turn feeds the bagging carousel intermediate hoppers sized to suit the bags to be filled. This video in particular 0:40 to 1:09 shows a 1960s machine and then how they were enhanced over 50 years with increasing automation, As the carousel rotates empty bags are attached to it, they are carried and filled, removed to a conveyor and sealed, then the process repeats. The process in the 1960s was partly automated and part manual. Sacks in the 1960s were probably not plastic as now most likely paper possibly with a plastic film lining, fabric sacks were machine stitched closed, plastic sacks welded, paper sacks glued or stitched. The bags are then conveyed to the warehouse area (29) for temporary storage, then, depending on the shipping method they are they moved to different areas. For transport by rail they are taken to the canopied platform (28). For road transport by lorry to the loading bays (30), or by forklift to smaller vehicles in the lorry parking area (31). That completes the process from quarrying to despatch, the next stage is the bedding in of buildings, landscape finishing and some ancillary equipment. Here is the building and platform in situ prior to bedding in. Jim Update: Added postscript - Warehouse and Platform Re-work to this thread Return to index of articles.
Postscript - Warehouse and Platform Re-work I usually add some info on the construction but forgot this time so I include it now. The warehouse building was bought already assembled in a damaged condition some years ago and appears to be to 1:148 scale, and possibly made by Piko. It fitted in very well here. Shown here after the initial cutting of the aperture in the tower to accept the incoming conveyor to the bagging carousel. After that I partially dismantled it, removing roofs, doors and windows, repaired the wall cracks and sprayed the walls and roofs. Expo light grey primer to tone the brickwork towards the grey stone appearance of the locality and dark grey for the roofs. Windows and doors were hand painted in the customary blue and glazed before refitting, the loading bay doors were very well glued in place so were painted in place. A raised floor was included at the open roller shutter doors to add pallets ready to load. Personnel doors were overlaid with 5 thou plastic card to scale them up to 1:87 proportions to match the scale of the reworked Walthers building kits and painted blue before refitting. The end doors for the forklift truck at ground level open to show a wall set back from the opening to disguise the rest of the building's interior. Signage was created using images sourced online adding similarly styled custom lettering and printed onto a self adhesive label. This was fixative sprayed and attached to 15 thou plastic sheet and when dry cut to size for fitting to the building. The entrance to the platform was from a scrap building, the portal just large enough to allow a forklift truck to pass through, windows at the platform level bricked up and flooring added locally to this entrance. Resulting spare window frames from this area were useful to replace those that were wrecked during removal from other places. The canopied platform is the Hornby R9815 Covered Loading Bay with added railings and steps and toned in colour to match the warehouse. Both structures were finished off with a dusting of Army Painter white primer to give a dusty cement powder finish. Jim