Snuff on the rails…

BillSykes

Hi all hope you are all doing well

This is a bit of an odd topic but does anyone know if Wilsons or any other companies in the UK ever transported snuff by train

To cut a long story short I want to create a small model railway with my dad and thought it would be cool to have a snuff mill on it rather than a paper mill or colliery etc but I do not know if any manufacturers ever did ship by rail in the UK

Does anyone know what sort of weekly tonnage Wilsons or anyone would have been producing in say the 1950s (when rail would still have been preferable to road for many companies)

Even if no-one ever did I will probably still do it but it would be interesting if anyone knows

What makes me wonder is the size of tins of snuff etc would they ever have warranted haulage by rain or would a van or lorry have been sufficient

All responses welcome and hopefully someone can shed some light on this

Thanks
Bill

Hoffwell

Why don't you ask Wilson's directly? They are on Facebook, or you could email or even phone them!!

vmank1q

I have no idea but that's awesome.

BillSykes

I am going to try calling them for sure but they wont be open till Tuesday and I am impatient lol
but the whole idea has piqued my interest about other companies too now so if anyone knows anything please post :) If I get anywhere asking Wilsons direct Ill update on here

volunge

Railroad Mills / Helme Snuff Mills in Helmetta (New Jersey), maybe?

https://www.thehistorygirl.com/2012/12/tobacco-town-george-w-helme-snuff-mill.html

BillSykes

Thanks for all the replies everyone
Got a speedy email response from Wilsons who informed me that they have never used rail and to their knowledge neither have any other mills in the UK

So its plan B and the layout will be a fictitious brewery instead

JackGrave

Well by my own knowedge most likely none of tobacco manufactures did not owned any railway vans (boxcars). But definately raw tobacco could be transported by railway to bonded warehouse (or nearest railway station). Same applies to finished tobacco product, that was transported as general cargo on rails.

Jack

BillSykes

@jackgrave thanks thats good info :)