The new family trail leaflet includes photos of an egg
transit label and an elephant – here is a little bit more detail about why railways
had an association with those items.
Displayed on the museum’s cattle dock there is a photo
showing the loading of the Chipperfield Circus elephants 1961. Incidentally the
goods conveyance “Rate Book” in the booking office there is evidence of how
much actually cost per mile to transport elephants, and indeed many other wild
animal; that’s something always highlighted in during guided tours.
Illustrated below is a herd of elephants proceeding along
Crouch Street Colchester, on this occasion this was a visit from “Buffalo Bill's
Wild West show” in September 1903.
Three trains were required to transport the circus which
comprised 800 performers Sioux Indians, Plains Cowboys, Russian Cossacks and
500 horses which climaxed in a demonstration of horsemanship and shooting role
playing an attack on the Deadwood Stage (coach).
As a contrast from large objects – small objects carried by rail include
distribution of eggs. This was a commodity often carried by passenger trains in
the guard’s compartment, as were live chicks. Eggs were one of the products
promoted Great Eastern Railway – for it had prepared a demonstration train to
boost the local farming economy and help more self-sufficiency and no doubt a
prospect of greater railway profits.
Found in a hundred year old magazine ( in the Museum
Archive -Railway Magazine July 1920) was a description of such a train. After
the upheaval of the First World War an ambulance train ( shown in the Heritage
Centre on a roll-up display panel) was converted into a “Poultry and Small Stock Demonstration train”. This was
partly because the quantities of poultry and eggs imported to Great Britain
were disrupted one of the principal sources had been reportedly cut off by the
Revolution in Russia.
Three cars were used for demonstrations, plus a dining
car for the use of demonstrators in lecturers, and a composite brake van
exhibited a collection of livestock and the latest approved agricultural
appliances.
Experts were on hand to give further guidance and information
regarding poultry, bees, rabbits, goats, cheese making, bottling and canning in
fruits, and allotment gardening. A tour of East Anglia followed calling at many
local stations including St Botolph’s Colchester, Sudbury, Clacton, Chelmsford,
Braintree and Bishops Stortford together with another 29 others.
Phil Ainsley 26 06 20
