Volume Thirteen - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - even more aspects -1883 - Taff Vale Railway - Wagon Rules & Regulations . . . .

The axles shall not be less than five and a quarter inches diameter through the boss of the wheel, five and three-eighths inches diameter at the back of wheel, and to taper gradually to four and a half inches in the middle. There must be no shoulder to axle at back of boss. The journals to be not less than eight inches by three and three-quarters in diameter, with a radius of not less than five-eighths at collar of neck.

The length of wheel base to be not less than seven feet six inches, or more than eight feet six inches.

The length from centre to centre of journals to be six feet four inches.

The bearings springs to be of the best approved steel, and equal in strength to a spring with two top plates each half-inch and nine plates each three-eighths of an inch thick, and not less than three feet three inches long. Every spring to be fastened to the axle box by four screw bolts of five-eighths of an inch square iron, screwed to a proper plate on the upper leaf of spring, and made to work freely in iron shoes firmly secured to under side of solebars.

The tare not to exceed five tons five cwt., or, if furnished with laminated buffer springs, five tons ten cwt.

DIMENSIONS OF EIGHT-TONS COAL WAGONS

To carry a maximum load of eight tons on four wheels. Inside dimensions to be -  length, ten feet nine inches ; width, six feet ten inches ; depth, three feet five and a half inches to top of capping. In no case must any projections on outside in any place exceed a total width of seven feet eleven inches or three feet eleven and a half inches from centre line of vehicle to either side.

The underframing shall be of good sound oak of the following dimensions : - Solebars, headstocks, and middle bars, twelve inches by five inches ; diagonals, eleven inches by three inches ; end and centre longitudes, nine by three inches. The whole to well and accurately framed and secured by six strong cross and two longitudinal tie-rods, and two knees to each end of diagonals at spring buffer end ; those at the corner to be well secured to sole and diagonal, and to headstock, with bolts independent of buffer ; and one knee to each end of diagonal at dead buffer end.