Tampers pack or "tamp" the ballast underneath tracks to ensure a firmer foundation. This was a manual job requiring large gangs of men for a long time before the arrival of dedicated tamping machines of which this Matisa tamper was the first. British Railways bought a number of these machines in the late 1940s and 1950s. Some remained in use until the 1980s when they were replaced by larger, more advanced machines such as
Matisa's own B41UE.
 |
| DB74007, once based at Boston, seen at NRM Shildon |
| Information for UK builds |
| Builder: |
Matisa Equipment of London |
| Engine: |
Leyland diesel |
| Power: |
70 hp (52 kW) |
A number had new leases of life on preserved railways performing the same job [1].
[1] Royston Morris, Railway Maintenance Vehicles & Equipment (Amberley, 2017) p. 5
