Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum, and this is my first post, so bear with me. My wife and I have just bought a house in Harton, Shropshire (UK) and back in the day the single branch railway used to run right through the garden where our house now stands. I guess the railway line was removed as a consequence of the Beeching report which saw many small branch lines in the UK close.

The old Station Building is my immediate neighbour, and part of the platform is still there in my garden. The Station building next door is now called 'The Ticket Office' and has been faithfully restored and is occupied by a tenant.

I have found the remains of an old railway truck under a very overgrown tree at the end of the garden where the platform remains, and digging around it I came across the item featured in the photos. Does anyone know what this is? I'm guessing it is railway related - it is very heavily built, has two vice jaws, and the handle is very worn in the hole where it sits. The odd thing is, the handle cannot be turned because it has a 'key' in a slot at the bottom of the hole which prevents it from rotating.

I can supply more details but hopefully someone can shed some light on it for me. Many thanks for taking the time to read this rather lengthy post...

Dave - the Cannon

It is a blacksmith's post vice. There should be a leaf spring to separate the jaws, there is a piece of it on yours under the clamp with the wedge retainer. The bracket screws to a bench top. The fixed jaw leg goes into a pocket in the floor. Makes for a very rugged vise. The key you see keeps the nut from turning. The screw is probably locked up.
Size of the vise is determined by the jaw length.

You can see mine in this shot of my blacksmith shop.

Agree, blacksmith vice. But I must say you have a super cool garden. I dread having to get mine ready for this growing season. But if I had old vices and railway platforms in my garden I might enjoy it more. Cool post by the way, out of the ordinary. Regards, John.

Would one of these have been found in a steam shop, and if so what would it have been used for? I could see it being useful for bending a long piece at its midpoint, say a hand rail or pipe of some sort.

I think you will find it is a blacksmith’s vise not a blacksmith’s vice…which would be something like intoxicating drink to excess.
Keith

I believe that it was Mr. Churchill who once said that the Americans and the British were two peoples separated by a common language. As the artifact was found in Shropshire it is indeed a 'vice' rather than a 'vise'. Nothing in this comment is intended to imply that the smith might in fact have more than one.

GME

Keith,
I have a whole bunch of different vises and admittedly a couple of vices….
I think auto spell tom-foolery came into play on my first post. Got it right half the time!