Smoke Gets in my Eyes

The Moseley Railway Trust is gearing up towards its second and final public event of 2008, when we are open to the public on Sunday 9th November (full details here). The event is on Remembrance Sunday, which is of course 90 years since the end of the First World War. We have therefore been checking out the genuine WW1 items in the collection. One which has slumbered for longer than most is MR1320 of 1918. This loco was built as a 40HP petrol-powered "Tin Turtle" type loco (remembering that these locos came in the open, enclosed and protected variants). However, it was sold on into industry (as with so much WW1 railway equipment). The quarry fitters did not have complete respect for the historical artifact in their care. It was re-engined with a Dorman 4 cylinder diesel, which necessitated a fairly comprehensive rebuild to get the drivetrain to line up. It also acquired bodywork which can only be described as aesthetically challenged. Our first photo shows the loco at Inns & Co, Sawbridgeworth quarry, Hertfordshire, in September 1966 (photo courtesy Peter Excell). Fortunately, later generations did recognise its importance, and it was preserved, first at Brockham, then Amberley. After that, it had a while at a private site in Wales, then Cadeby. The loco was really a bit too large for the Cadeby line, and certain lineside trees had to be "sculpted" to allow it to pass! The loco moved to Apedale with most of the rest of the Cadeby fleet in 2006.

The loco hadn't been run for some years at Cadeby - size and mechanical issues made it an unpopular choice - but the MRT has risen to the challenge, and it now runs reasonably well. The photo below shows the loco being coaxed back into life with the gentle assistance of a 48DL Ruston. It's not perfect - it currently features a total-loss coolant system, and at least one of the engine cylinders sees its role more as an observer than active participant. It is also reasonable to assume that the emissions are some way short of Euro3 (hence the title of this week's post). But it goes, and, barring disaster, it will haul demonstration trains on 9/11/08. Come and see us or contact us here.

Apedale Update - It's all a matter of Opinion

It's been a little while since we've had a general update on Apedale progress, so here goes.

Tracklaying has resumed again; those who visited our September open days will have seen trains operating on what is known as the Red Shed Bypass line; the main passenger running line will run parallel to the Bypass line, then alongside the large Aurora North storage shed, and then beside the site access road until the Stage One terminus at Apedale Road is reached. Later stages will see the railway cross Apedale Road and head into the Country Park, but that's in the future.

Laying the passenger running line has been delayed by obtaining the necessary consents to divert a slightly inconvenient footpath. Whilst this churns through the corridors of power, we have commenced work on the railway alongside the access road. The need to preserve the current footpath means that the new section of railway is not connected by rail to the existing system, which makes construction rather challenging logistically. Thus far, two approaches have been tried - firstly to build the track into panels elsewhere on site, and then transport by crane to site and lay into position. This can be seen in this week's first photo. The alternative approach is to build the track in situ, bringing all the required parts to site using the dumper truck. It's fair to say the jury is out on the best method. The second photo shows the MRT "A" Team contemplating said dumper truck.

If you fancy coming along and telling us where we're going wrong, then we're on site every Saturday - contact us here. You can come along and just have a look around on November 9th, when we mark the 90 anniversary of the end of WW1 - more details here. And if you come on that day, offering opinions on the best way to build track is not mandatory.

Tanks for the Memory

You've read before in these pages how both sides used narrow gauge railways for logistical support during the First World War. Many of the vehicles used were specifically designed to serve a need. One less obvious one is the need for fresh water - given the infamous mud of Flanders Fields, one would have though that water was not in short supply. Mind, I'm not sure I'd be too keen on drinking the contents of a shellhole, given what might be lurking under the surface.

The Moseley Railway Trust has completed the restoration of a water tank wagon used in the First World War. In the War Department Light Railways classification, this type was known as the Class H Water tank. It's believed that about 200 of the water tanks were built, by a number of builders, of which perhaps the best known is Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon (see the works photo below). The bogies now fitted to the wagon seem to have parts from a number of builders; one of them seems to have been supplied by the still-in-existence Brush Traction (see here) of Loughborough for the Salonica campaign.

After the war, six of these tank wagons, along with much other war-surplus material, were sold to the Nocton Estate Railways in Lincolnshire which were developed specifically because of the availability of cheap war-surplus material, and used to transport the potatoes grown there from the fields to the dispatch yard. At Nocton, our tank wagon continued to work in the purpose for which it had been designed, the conveyance of drinking water which would otherwise have been unavailable; it was used for many years to convey drinking water to estate workers’ dwellings that were not connected to water mains. Once this use had ceased, the tank was removed from the chassis and for many more years served as a static emergency water supply. The five other Class H tank-wagons purchased by the Nocton Estates at the same time, had all been scrapped by the 1960s, leaving this tank as a unique survivor. The Moseley Railway Trust, recognising its historic value, negotiated its acquisition from the Nocton Estates. The Trust also acquired suitable bogies to enable it to fully restore a complete WDLR Class H bogie tank-wagon.

The Moseley Railway Trust is very grateful to the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council for the PRISM grant-funding to enable this restoration to have taken place. We also acknowledge the help and support of Paul Jarman from Beamish who oversaw the project for PRISM.

As a World War One vehicle, the Class H will take a starring role at our Remembrance Sunday event on Sunday 9/11/08 - read all about it here.

As ever, get in touch here.

Lord Austin - an aristocrat amongst Locomotives

The Moseley Railway Trust's extensive collection of narrow gauge locomotives includes many built by the company of Motor Rail, who were based in Bedford. Like many (all??) successful engineering businesses, Motor Rail understood the value of a robust and standardised product. Hence, their locos tend to have a strong family resemblance to each other. That said, they were not averse to building something a tad different from time to time. Once of these was the 12/20HP petrol engined locos, of which 28 were built as a design of lightweight petrol locos. Unlike the vast majority of Motor Rails, they did not use a Dorman engine. Instead, they were fitted with Austin side valve four cylinder petrol engines.

A star of the MRT collection is Motor Rail no. 6035, which is one of the four survivors of this type, and the only one to still be in working condition. Known as Lord Austin, from its engine, it was delivered new to the brickworks of Midhurst Whites in Sussex. It was specified to operate under a very low clearance, and it was also important (for reasons lost in history) that the driver faced in the opposite direction to usual. This latter, apparently simple, requirement, actually required some fairly serious engineering to achieve. The control layout on this loco is different to a standard Motor Rail, and this has been known to catch out the unwary experienced driver.

Lord Austin has spent a few days in the Aurora Works recently for a few minor repairs and adjustments. This week's photos show it stretching its legs outside.

If you want to know more about Motor Rails, visit here.

You have one last chance this year to come to Apedale and see Lord Austin and all the other delights which lurk therein - our Remembrance Sunday event on 9/11/08. Look here for more details. As ever, contact us here.