Sash window - never intended to be opened?

[LoftyAmbitions]

I've got a 1890s Flat with a bay window. Fairly typically large centre window and two smaller flanking ones.

The side windows were screwed/painted/sealed shut until I freed them last week. No pullies in the boxes either. La

Found the base of the bottom rail and its mating part of the cill had no paint on them at all!
Just wondering if anyone has come across this before?

It's almost as if they were never intended to be opened when installed!

 

[Notch7]

I've got a 1890s Flat with a bay window. Fairly typically large centre window and two smaller flanking ones.

The side windows were screwed/painted/sealed shut until I freed them last week. No pullies in the boxes either. La

Found the base of the bottom rail and its mating part of the cill had no paint on them at all!
Just wondering if anyone has come across this before?

It's almost as if they were never intended to be opened when installed!

Its not unusual....as Tom would say.

In fact there often isnt a weights box on the sidelights -if you measure the width of the timbers between the main centre box sash and the flank windows, you might find there isnt enough space for 2 weight boxes which would require about 8" - 9" overall.