November 2008 marks the 90th anniversary of the end of the 1914-1918 First World War. This will probably be the last major anniversary where that conflict remains within living memory. To mark this, the Moseley Railway Trust will be holding a special event at its base at Apedale on Remembrance Sunday, 9th November 2008.
The Moseley Railway Trust has a significant collection of artefacts relating to the military light railways built for the British Army in France and Belgium to supply the frontline forces during the First World War. With the cessation of hostilities, equipment that had not been delivered to the war fronts, and equipment that had been repatriated from the battlefields was collected together in storage depots in the south of England. By 1920, this war-surplus equipment was made available to the civilian market, and industry was quick to take up this cheap, readily available pool of railway equipment. This equipment became the catalyst for many industrial narrow gauge railways.
The November 9 event will commemorate not only the end of the Great War, but also the part narrow gauge railways have played with the British Military for more than 90 years. The event will see the return to the collection of the "Tin Turtle", a protected (armoured) Motor Rail locomotive built in 1917. This locomotive featured in the Channel 4 "Salvage Squad" series in 2003.
It is planned to operate a number of demonstration goods and military trains during the day. There will be sales & information stands and Military Vehicle displays. Refreshments will be available in the cafe run by the Apedale Heritage Centre, the Moseley Railway Trust’s partner in the Apedale development. Contact us here for more information.
