The Moseley Railway Trust is delighted to announce a preservation
first at the Tracks to the Trenches Gala. For the first time, a re-union of
each of the four different types of War Department Light Railway “Motor Rail”
locomotives will take place. These pioneering little locomotives made a huge
contribution to the Allied war effort during World War One. They were used to
move supplies and men from marshalling yards right up to the front line.
The smallest of these was the 20HP tractor – on which the
driver was fully exposed to both the elements and the effects of enemy fire.
Surviving accounts tell of hair-raising exploits including trains disappearing
into newly-created shell holes. There will be at least three, maybe more, 20HP
tractors in operation at Tracks to the Trenches – one of these will be visiting
Apedale from the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway.
The other three types were all 40HP, powered by a Dorman
four-cylinder petrol engine. The three types were:-
The Open version. This had steel ends, and a simple roof
supported on four poles. The Open version will be represented by loco No.1381,
which will visit Tracks to the Trenches courtesy of the Amberley Museum and
Heritage Centre in West Sussex. This loco was built as an
The Protected version, which added steel doors and a much
more substantial roof to the design. Apedale resident No.1369 will fly the flag
for the Protected. This loco was restored a few years ago on the “Salvage Squad”
TV programme, and recently spend a period on display in the Dutch railway
museum in Utrecht.
Finally, the Armoured locos, which were intended for the
most hazardous duties, and afforded the driver a reasonable degree of protection
from small arms fire and the like. Loco 461 is a unique survivor of this
design, which resembles a small tank on rails. This locomotive visits the event
courtesy of the Greensand Railway Museum Trust and the Leighton Buzzard Light
Railway.
Phil Robinson, MRT Chairman, said “This meeting of the
Motor Rails will be a preservation first, and something which the event
organising team and the various locomotive owners have worked very hard to
arrange. This is yet another reason why Tracks To The Trenches should be firmly
written into every railway enthusiast’s diary!”
On-line ticketing is now available for the event –
tickets bought on-line avoid the gate queues and qualify for a free copy of the
event guide. On-line tickets are available via here. Tickets can also be
bought for a night-time photoshoot on Friday 12th September, and for
the very limited number of “Access All Areas” passes, giving unparalleled out-of-hours
and behind the scenes access, ideal for the keen photographer.
The Tracks To the Trenches event will be on September 12,
13 and 14 at the Moseley Railway Trust’s Apedale site, near
Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. Keep watching the press for more details,
or visit the event’s own website, www.ww1-event.org or the Facebook page.
