The pattern and joiners’ shop contains a 5 in. Holtzappfel lathe; and a small circular saw; 2 instantaneous-grip vices; saw tooth-setting machine; and a variety of other special appliances, in addition to a full set of joiners’ tools.
The saw-shed contains a 30 in. circular saw bench; a band saw; a small general joiner; an 11 in. planing machine, and a small emery grinder.
The engine house contains an 8 horse-power Otto gas-engine, of which the water circulation is effected by a small centrifugal pump.
The drawing office is fitted up with the usual appliances, and is in telephonic communication with my house and two of the stations on the railway.
The general stores comprise timber; foundry sand of various qualities; five kinds of pig iron; copper, spelter, tin, &c.; bar, rod, and angle iron; wrought-iron tubing up to 2 in.; bolts, rivets, nuts, and pins; steam fittings of all kinds; every sort of requisite needed in the construction of small railways and rolling stock, and also for meeting house and farm requirements.
The pattern store contains patterns for all the locomotive, carriage, wagon, signal, permanent way, and general experimental work; and for drain grates, gutters, &c. which are supplied from Duffield for my other estates.
The shops are lit by gas, and the 15 in. gauge line runs throughout. The construction, both in wood and iron, is done as far as possible to template, and every endeavour is made to turn out the very best work, which is perhaps the more easily attained in that there are no profits to be considered. At the same time it should be explained that the shops and machinery are, throughout, though good and sufficient for their purpose, in no way models of excellence. Their object is only to turn out the chiefly experimental work required, and the gradual additions that have been made during the twenty-five years of their existence have been done as cheaply as was consistent with efficiency.
Outside the shops are a weigh-bridge for weighing rolling-stock and loads, and a six-ton crane to tranship heavy goods from drays to the 15 in. railway.
Adjoining the workshops is the locomotive shed, with rails raised 30 in. above the floor, so as to get more easily at the lower parts of these small engines. It is arranged for two locomotives, and is fitted with an air jet for raising steam, and with a water supply.
The carriage and wagon stock is, for the most part, housed in three sheds at various stations on the main part of the railway, 80 ft. above the workshops.