ploughman Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 I am trying to research the history of an RE Railway Diesel loco that was shipped to Suez in 1943. The number was 37, or later 70037. 0-4-0 153 hp Diesel Shunter. Built by Drewry Car Company in 1941 for the Ministry of Supply. Flameproofed for work in refinerys and ammunition depots. Part of a batch of 20 built. 4 of these engines were actually landed on Juno beach post D Day the remaining 11 were shipped into Cherbourg in Sept 1944. http://www.stichting162.nl/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/D-day-landing.jpg Number 37 has survived and is currently stored on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway at Pickering N Yorks. At some point in its life after its military service it was renumbered to 16. It worked at Trafford Park in Manchester, then Jarrow Newcastle and finally at BP Saltend near Hull before being passed on to our group. http://www.yorkareagroup.co.uk/wp-content/gallery/plant/thumbs/thumbs_16.jpg We believe that it returned to UK in 1947 and was sold ex Kings Newton near Derby. Can anyone supply unit details that it would have come under? Any detail of operations in Suez? Any history of any of the locos? The other locos in France were involved in rail and bridge reconstruction in the Caen area and supply depot work. 5 more locos were shipped out to the Middle East in 1952 any detail on these would also be welcomed. As a group we are looking at the possibility of returning this loco to active use on the NYMR as it has been out of use now for about 10 years. Any information or help would be gratefully received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigeP Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Hmm, that looks remarkably similar to a loco I drove at Long Marston in the Royal Engineers Depot. Date was probably 1985 I think. It was in lovely condition and the controls were similar to a steam loco's. It even had something resembling a firebox. However, I thought it was a Barclay. I know that doesn't help your quest, but a lovely project. Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Have you been in touch with Foxfield at all? They have WD820 and might be able to help you as regards history etc? Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Cracking project there, I never knew they shipped over locos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towbarlover Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Cracking project there, I never knew they shipped over locos. http://www.stoomstichting.nl/Display.php?Subject=8811 British War Department Steam Loco, still in use in Rotterdam / Holland. No air brakes............!!! Towbarlover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally dugan Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 hi The information you require was kept at the Museum in Beverley until it closed, they were then sent to the Royal Engineers Museum at Chatham. These files hold all the information you require, I noticed that there was some surprise at locomotives being shipped to other parts of the world during WW2. One of the least known uses of locomotives operated by the British Army was in Iran on what was called the Persian corridor, in September 1941 british royal engineers commanded by Brigadier Godfrey D Rhodes was sent to operate a railway from Tehran to the port of Bandar Shah on the caspian sea. This was to take war supplies to Russia and protect Britains oil interests, in December 1941 dozens of ex LMS 2 8 0 locomotives started to arrive. In 1941 9 hundred and 78 tons a day were sent to Russia by 1943 this figure had risen to 5 thousand 4 hundred tons a day, this railway system was nicknamed the back door to Russia. Regards Wally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughman Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 Thanks for the replies. Time to get investigating. It will be strange going back to Chatham as last there in about 1986 on a reservist call up excercise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Johns Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 (edited) I never knew they shipped over locos. With crews trained at the Longmoor Military railway in Hampshire http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longmoor_Military_Railway also famous for the location of "the Great St Trinians train robbery" film! Edited February 25, 2013 by Nick Johns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pavy8 Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Cracking project there, I never knew they shipped over locos. Not only that, but hundreds of miles of abandoned/bankrupt track in the from here in the states was removed and shipped overseas for use in the war effort. The local railway museum sits where the 'Columbus, Delaware, and Marion Interurban Railway' used to run, all 72 miles of which was removed for the war effort. The rolling stock at the museum sits on donated track, of which we need more of haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Hi All, Talking about Longmoor, why were these locomotives called "Longmoor"?? It's a WD type steam locomotive, shipped over to Europe, at the end of war, and used in Holland for some time, and ended up in the Dutch main railway museum in Utrecht. Cheers, Lex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 (edited) Hi All, Talking about Longmoor, why were these locomotives called "Longmoor"?? It's a WD type steam locomotive, shipped over to Europe, at the end of war, and used in Holland for some time, and ended up in the Dutch main railway museum in Utrecht. Cheers, Lex Thousandth locomotive built to be ferried to Europe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD_Austerity_2-10-0_73755_Longmoor Stanier 8F's 2-8-0 were also used on the continent during the 2nd World War. Two came back from that region quite recently http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_Stanier_Class_8F Something went wrong... ROD 2-8-0 Locomotives were used during the 1st World War for the same reasons http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GCR_Class_8K R A Riddles also designed the post war steam locomotives for British Rail the 9F being a particular favourite of mine Edited April 1, 2013 by ferrettkitt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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