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By: - 28th September 2010 at 22:16 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
From when i was younger on a school trip to Duxford they did use the small tracks by the land warfare hall as an example of how they moved ammunition on the western front, i think they did have a little train not sure if it is the one inside the land warfare hall this was about 20 odd years ago so memory might be a little flaky.
curlyboy
By: - 28th September 2010 at 22:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Probably the narrow gauge train that used to run along the track in front of the Land Warfare Hall......
By: - 29th September 2010 at 07:42 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I haven't looked at the grid reference quoted - I suppose I'd have to do something with one of those online aerial map websites for this purpose - but doubt that what is there - if one is talking about the present - is the IWM Baldwin 10-12-D Class 4-6-0 pannier tank which was imported from India in, I think, the 1980s as this is now under restoration at Porthmadog in North Wales. But I suppose that the 60 cm gauge track and/or other rolling stock might still be at Duxford.
By: - 29th September 2010 at 09:14 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hopefully this link will take you straight there:
I had no idea that there was ever that ‘loop’ of track at Duxford and it looks like a lot of rolling stock too. Not sure if the longer stock is diesel locomotives or more probably small passenger coaches?
I can remember there being a steam locomotive at Duxford and IIRC it was from Honk Kong and had been captured and used by the Japanese (and it even had some bullet holes in it)?
By: - 29th September 2010 at 09:21 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
If you look at the Bing map, taken more recently there is little trace of it.
By: - 29th September 2010 at 09:29 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yes, I’m not sure of the date of the Google Maps image, not sure if it is even post-Airspace (but pre new shop and entrance obviously).
A little googling turned up this (and yes I know it's a model):
http://www.appc27.dsl.pipex.com/wdlr.htm
Looks about right to me.....the right colour too! ;)
By: - 29th September 2010 at 09:31 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I recall there being an armoured First world war petrol engine in the Land Warfare Hall. one example of this is currently at the Leighton Buzzard Narrow Guage Railway and I believe is owned by the National Railway Museum. The LBNGR also has a 4-6-0 Baldwin, which was restored in their workshops. below is a except from the BBC website regarding armoured trains:-
When the First World War got bogged down in trench warfare, thousands of miles of narrow-gauge railways were laid to supply the front lines on both sides. Although many steam engines were used, they were vulnerable to enemy fire, and lightweight petrol-engined locos were developed. One of the leading manufacturers was Motor Rail, of Bedford, who had developed a gearbox with the same number of speeds in both directions--those derived from road vehicles had only one in reverse! Over 260 of these distinctive armour-plated machines were built in 1917-18, helping the Allied advance in the latter stages of the war. Many were sold for civilian use after the war, one of the users being the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway, Bedfordshire, for whom they hauled sand trains until the 1950s. The railway is now one of the leading narrow-gauge heritage lines in England, and has two of these in its collection. War Department No 3098, pictured, is in working order, and on long-term loan from the National Railway Museum collection. No 2182, one of the rarer fully-armoured type, was donated by the National Army Museum, and will be restored to working order when the necessary funds have been raised.
Interestingly, my father served in the MEAF in the late 1940's / early 1950's on the island of Masirah, in the Persian Gulf. Similar engines were used to move fuel from the dump to the airfield. Masirah was a staging post, once described as the loneliest posting in the RAF. He has quite a few photos of RAF and Ethiopian / Indian Airlines Dakotas, oil company Doves, French AF JU-52'S using the airfield, including some showing some extremely low flying. I will, when time allows, scan some photos in as although they are not brilliant quality, they are extremely evocative. Another which may be of interest is a burnt out Blenheim (I think) but I am not sure whether it is on Masirah or at Khormaksar.
By: - 29th September 2010 at 09:38 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Good link from Google CD, it doesn't look as though the track has a complete loop for playing at train drivers!
By: - 29th September 2010 at 09:40 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
No, and somebody seems to have built a fuel-dump across the track too! :D
By: - 29th September 2010 at 10:30 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
it looks like a lot of rolling stock too. Not sure if the longer stock is diesel locomotives or more probably small passenger coaches?
It looks as if most of the rolling stock comprises Hudson V skip wagons. There appear to be some WD flatbed bogie wagons as well. Because of the lack of focus, its hard to say whether what is in the middle is a locomotive.
I can remember there being a steam locomotive at Duxford and IIRC it was from Honk Kong and had been captured and used by the Japanese (and it even had some bullet holes in it)?
I have a feeling that the locomotive in question was actually in Singapore when captured by the Japanese forces, survived being worked by the Japanese and on the liberation of that country was repatriated to the UK. But as I'm not entirely sure, I'll look it up, when I have time, and post again.
By: - 29th September 2010 at 10:36 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yes, it could well have been Singapore rather than Hong Kong (or Honk Kong even :o).
By: - 29th September 2010 at 10:39 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
There was a thread on this on a another forum,possibly National Preservation,sometime ago.The exhibit inside the Land Warfare Hall is still there and some of the track outside.When the fuel dump was altered the track was severed and I believe relocated along with the rolling stock.
Colin
There is still a thread on NP under Motor rail Simplex armoured locomotives,it dates back to 2008.
By: - 29th September 2010 at 10:45 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yes, some of the outside track is still there but the points and the track that connected to the Land Warfare Hall are long gone; too many people tripping over it I suppose!
By: - 29th September 2010 at 11:08 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
it could well have been Singapore
Yes, it was Singapore - both the name and location of the locomotive - and there's more information about it at http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.operations.mod.uk/60anv/newsItem_id=3302.htm
By: - 29th September 2010 at 13:46 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Where There is Smoke There are Shells
The railway at Duxford was laid down at the time of the Land Warfair Hall (LWH) being built. the intention was to show the use of the Simplex Petrol engines during WW1 in the trenches. the infomation to hand at the time was as follows..
The forward artillery batteries would use in the region of 38 Tons of amunition per day, Horse drawn transport was not able to cope in winter periods. Steam engines gave there positon away to the german artilery spotters and would be shelled. So narrow gauge railways were laid to supply the forward positions with ammo, rations & replacment troops. The petrol simplex was the engine that did the job without giving its positon away.
]The exibit in the LWH was at the time thought to be of enough interest to be be rolled out on occations, so a roller shutter was included in the building and track laid to the airfield rails.
The airfield rails were laid to public transport standard by Balfor Beatie. Two Lister powered engines were obtained along with a number of tiping trucks
from Orffod Ness coastal defence works that had been carried out some years before, an ammount of track was also brought to DX, this with the tipper made the shunting yard in the loop at the far western end of the airfeld.
The carridges were purpose made for the job to public transport standards of the time but with austair period design.
The reasons for its disuse are veried between Cost, HSE,CAA
The good news is that it all went to railway meuseums to be loved and cherrished as we do with our aircraft.
The doG still cant spell
By: - 29th September 2010 at 14:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Shame it couldn't have been incorporated into the site transport system. Kids (and dads) would have loved going back and forth sat in the tipper trucks, being 'deposited' at the requested stop!!!
By: - 29th September 2010 at 14:39 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Just what I was thinking and I know one grandson who would have been first in the queue!:)
By: - 29th September 2010 at 14:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Interesting thread. Wasn't the 'crowd-side' bit removed after someone tripped and broke a leg in June 2004, or am I confusing that with another incident? I was there and remember the ambulance and rumblings of "Oh, they're bound to remove the track now" at the time...
I remember taking a ride on the LWH railway at Classic Flight '92 (I think) and being buzzed by 'Happy Jack's Go Buggy' and the Buchon. I was only 4, but by God, I remember the train shaking as they went overhead like it happened yesterday!
By: - 29th September 2010 at 15:16 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Shame it couldn't have been incorporated into the site transport system. Kids (and dads) would have loved going back and forth sat in the tipper trucks, being 'deposited' at the requested stop!!!
Elfin safety would go abso-bleedin-lutely ballistic :D:D. Tipping kiddies out of railway wagons, whatever next :eek::eek:
By: - 29th September 2010 at 15:31 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Maybe safer than dodging the site transport minibus.........
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By: ZRX61 - 28th September 2010 at 21:51
52° 5'15.75"N 0° 7'11.07"E
Looks like a minature train?