News from January 2006

La Meuse No 3355, sold by B&WLR

Loco No 3355, built by SA de La Meuse, Liege, Belgium 1929 has been bought from the B&WLR by Chris & Rachel Phillimore, for a future project. The loco has been dismantled and is currently at a Bennett Boilers, undergoing work to gain a new boiler Certificate. Other work is being undertaken. More news and phots to follow.

Posted by Chris Phillimore on 17 January 2006

MRT acquires WW1 Water Tank

The Moseley Railway Trust have just taken delivery of a former WW1 narrow gauge railway watertank. This water tank wagon, currently devoid of an underframe and bogies, was originally classified in military service as a “Class H” for use behind the trenches during the First World War on the extensive 60cm trench railways built by the British.

The French, American & German armies too used similar 60cm gauge systems, and these short-lived “supply lines” helped preserve the bloody stalemate in that conflict, bring supplies up to the front line, shells to the guns and taking wounded to the rear. Water tanks such as this one would have been used to provide potable water for troops and animals, as well as water for cooking, washing, steam engine boilers etc in the dryer areas of France and Belgium. After WW1, this tank wagon was purchased by W Dennis & Sons along with much other material for the extensive 60cm rail system at their farming estates in Lincolnshire. The tank, devoid of its underframe and wheels saw out it’s days as a large water butt for fire fighting purposes, and its recent delivery to MRT represents the culmination of over 4 years work and negotiation.

Utilising a pair of standard WDLR bogies acquired on behalf of MRT several years ago and the construction of a new wagon mainframe, it is intended to reconstruct this historic piece of rolling stock which will be unique in the UK. Of all narrow gauge military railway rolling stock in WW1, these watertanks were the only known vehicles to carry camouflage livery!

Source: Moseley Railway Trust – Latest News

Posted by Peter Bowyer on 30 January 2006