Morris C8 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Original photo of Longmoor Camp ? part of the Military railway. Lots of info in the photo, Trucks, Train, horse and cart. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Now that is a most unusual locomotive - maybe a Fletcher Jennings if they are solid (webbed spoke) wheels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 My feet just came out in blisters and my brow in a cold sweat. I did my last ever Combat Fitness Test at Longmoor either late 88 or early 89 (the entire computer centre staff less essentials went off to play soldiers for a week and decided a CFT would be good to include). The CFT involved an 8-mile squadded walk/run in two hours followed by some other tests (phase 2 was to carry an oppo of the same size and weight with both sets of equipment in a fireman's lift over 100m; phase 3 was special to arm: being RAPC, some wit decided that phase 3 would be "Get on the truck; get off the truck" so we did just that ... except that after all this, "Get off the truck" amounted to "step off the back of the truck and don't give a toss how you land cos the CFT is finished when you hit the deck. The kit included 35lb of webbing, personal weapon and so on. Done in full combats. The run started off well enough except that: 1. It was routed round the old (now lifted) railway line. Nice and level, but we were running on hard core. Eventually I lost touch with the racing snakes. 2. It turned out that the route was only about seven miles long, so the PTI had thrown in a one-mile loop at the end. So as I staggered up toward the end, I found a PTI who (assuming I was coming off the loop) told me I was still in time if I puched. I didn't have the heart (or the breath) to tell him I'd only done seven miles. Having broken the back of Phase 1 (by cheating, albeit accidentally), I found my second wind for Phase 2. But trust me, the sight of a Bedford to climb up nearly broke my heart. Only nearly though. And as I said, 15 stone of me stepping back off hurt when I got back down. Next day, last day of the exercise, I spent having me blisters syringed while the youngsters got to play with bayonets. I didn't care about the bayonet drills: the young female medic was more than welcome to caress my weary feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 That is a wonderful photo. Nice variety of lorry types. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nz2 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 That is a delightful photo of the lorries. I have been trying to identify the makers of the trucks and the steam wagon, but the definition is not that clear. Are you able to copy the photo again focusing in on the vehicles allowing greater clarity to the image? Thanks Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 As close as i can get. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Close up of the train. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtskull Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 (edited) Can we be certain that this is Longmoor? Several points for discussion: 1) A lot of civilians in the photograph. 2) Although the railway with the train on it looks as if it could well be standard gauge, the stacks of track panels to the left are certainly of a much narrower gauge, possibly 2'? Maybe this is a military depot which was served by the main line but also has its own internal narrow gauge system. 3) The wagon behind the locomotive bears the initials of the London & North Western Railway. Longmoor is way outside this railway's territory. Not conclusive in itself I know, but raises a question. Still trying to identify the locomotive.... Edited March 23, 2013 by mtskull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 From the straw boaters and the white upright collars, plus the cut of the jackets I'd give the time line prior to WW1 and with a lot of civillians, possibly some form of open day? The dress is upper clas style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 The 2 trucks left foreground are interesting - no bonnets or radiators! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 As there is so much interest i will put the whole photo up, any idea of what the limbers are for. Sorry i have to put KB collection across the photos as people use them with out any reference to the source. If any one would like i can put up some original Longmoor military railway photos ww1 or pre ww1. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Larkin Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 The 3 lorries to the right of the steamer look like 2 Commers and an AEC in front. I'd make that post-war as AEC were building LGOC buses pre-war and apart from the odd exception AECs don't really feature with the War office until after 1917. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 ASC became RASC in 1918. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I've just ordered this book - it may have the answer to the contractor's locomotive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughman Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 (edited) The narrow gauge track panels look like Prefab panels as used in WW1 trench railways. Recently featured on Michael Portillo's railways in Europe. If this is post WW1 then possibly an auction sale hence the civilians. Looking at the later photo the wagons are LNWR - London North Western MR - Midland Railway NB - North British CR - Caledonian Railway All of which are likely to be a bit far flung from Longmoor. Edited March 23, 2013 by ploughman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 dont be put off by the LNWR wagon, they travelled all over the uk, not just confined to their own railway Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 (edited) Some more original PC photos. These are of Longmoor camp. First one dated 1905. 2nd photos i put side by side. Pre WW1, then close up of them.. You can see the brick building in the first and last photo and can see how the railway is comeing along . I used to live in Borden camp that is near by longmoor camp [ just down the line ]. We had our 2 week training camp there in the 1980s. Keith Edited March 23, 2013 by Morris C8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 (edited) I will try to find a air view of longmoor camp, just before they pulled up the track. Keith Edited March 23, 2013 by Morris C8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 There is all so this book on the Military Railway and here is Longmoor camp from the air. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtskull Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Having studied a higher quality copy of the photo (thanks Keith), a few more clues are evident: *Wagons belonging to the London & North Western, Highland, Midland and Caledonian railways. (Not conclusive in itself but possibly suggestive of a Scottish connection?) *The letters "RAF" can be discerned on two trailers and one lorry; the lorry also bears a circular panel painted on its cab, which corresponds with those in clearer photos of RAF lorries which bear details of which squadron the lorry belonged to. So, certainly 1918 or after, can anyone pin down the design of those limbers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REME 245 Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 There was also a very good article in the July/August edition of the Armourer Magazine. I used to go up to Louisberg Barracks on a regular basis when I was in the TA and intill I saw this article I did not realise how extensive the line was (six and a half miles by 1942). If David Sheppard's plan had succeeded it would have been preserved as an historic railway but a number of residents protrested and brought parcels of land which cut the line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nz2 Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Many thanks to Keith in forwarding a photo with greater clarity and close ups. Beyond the steam wagon, the truck heading away between building does appear to be a forward control type. The position of the front wheel is under the side panel of the door area. Could this be an Autocar ,FWD, Nash Quad, or a Jeffery? As for the two trucks in the front missing the radiators the clarity is not great enough to allow a good identification. The alloy fittings about the scuttle supporting the bonnet point towards a Thornycroft but the wheels don't match. Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 I received that Longmoor railway book. Despite being unhelpful in identifying this photo or the tank locomotive, it is a really fascinating book!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughman Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Is it confirmed as definate that the photo is of Longmoor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtskull Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 (edited) Many thanks to Keith in forwarding a photo with greater clarity and close ups. Beyond the steam wagon, the truck heading away between building does appear to be a forward control type. The position of the front wheel is under the side panel of the door area. Looking very, very closely at this truck, the bonnet, radiator and front mudguard are in fact visible in front of the cab; it looks very much the same as the truck nearest the railway line in front of the steam wagon. What appears to be it's front wheel is, I think, another wheel which has been leant against the cab door. Edited March 29, 2013 by mtskull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.