Trains and regiments

[scrimnet]

Thousands of miles of railways were built during WW1 right up to the front of varying gauges...Tiny almost miniature railways took stores to the trenches to save man labour.

The loco looks continental by the chimney, but may overseas contracts were filled by British loco builders such as the Vulcan Foundry.

All sorts of local railway bits would have been commandeered by the army, not just to carry guns, but also stores ammunition and food....You would be amazed at the amount of horse and mule fodder required daily, it all had to be carried!

[scrimnet]

That is quite likely a RE button...

[meles]

See how similar this one is? A Balwin saddle tank.

meles

[scrimnet]

Similar, but the cab and coal hopper feel a bit more "British" on the ROD one...Perhaps a copy could be sent to the RE museum?

This one looks to have a Westinghouse pump system fitted, and it doesn't look like a retro fit either...I was thinking along the lines of a Brotan boiler, but even that is not quite there!!

[scrimnet]

Oh dear...Just realised...I'm sounding like a true rivet counter now...

Now then...Where's me Thermos, sandwich box and bobble hat?

[meles]

They're next to the book where you write down the numbers! 

(No offence intended, scrimnet - I used to do that once, hence my ability to find the pictures of the locos so quickly!  )

meles

[scrimnet]

There are some similar tank locos on here

http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/3+4/overseas_2.htm

But no panniers....

I have been busy googling 2-6-2s and looking through some period books I have, but most of them are British locos...

[Blackdog]

Hi,
    A snippet has emerged that at some stage he was in a front line trench and witnessed a friend being shot for not going over the top, leaving him with bitter feelings.  Apparently he only ever spoke about the Ypres front.  Did the RE serving on the railways get put in the front line for going over the top or is this family tales.

[scrimnet]

Sounds a bit tosh to me 

This is a list of the Sappers shot during WW1

Pnr Ernest Beeby 212 coy RE
Shot for desertion 09.12.1916

Spr Frederick Malyon 12 coy RE
Shot for desertion 04.04.1917

Spr Robert Bell 123 Field coy RE
Executed for murder 22.05.1918

A/Cpl Alexander Chisholm 20 Army troop coy RE
Executed for murder 17.05.1915

Spr Arthur Phillip Oyns 50 Searchlight coy RE
Executed for murder 20,10.1917

And one attached from the 9th Gordon Highlanders
Pte Francis Murray
Executed for murder 01.10.1916


As you can see...Most of them were murderers!

And no one from the ROD....

There was always a trial, and the order had to be confirmed...

There was no summary execution in the British Army (although at times I have been tempted!)