Sean N Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 This is really interesting. I had no idea this existed. http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/features/index6.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pzkpfw-e Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Still exists. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2299032/Rare-200-tonne-railway-gun-make-historic-journey-Utrecht-mark-300th-anniversary-treaty-ended-Spanish-War.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean N Posted November 3, 2014 Author Share Posted November 3, 2014 (edited) That's only one of the 18" barrels, L1; according to the other article, Boche-Buster itself - the rail carriage, mount etc. - was cut up in the 1960s. Edited November 4, 2014 by Sean N typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Currently sitting at Fort Nelson, methinks: Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean N Posted November 4, 2014 Author Share Posted November 4, 2014 Same barrel and carriage as in the Mail article, I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utt61 Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 (edited) Have a read of this thread on here, you may find it interesting. There is footage of HMG Boshe-Buster deploying and firing on exercise in Devon on the DVD "Britain's Railways: The Home Front War Years 1944 to 1945" produced by Strike Force Entertainment and available from many online sources (incidentally this is DVD 3 of a three disk set, and is excellent indeed, very well worth watching if you're at all interested in Britain's railways in WW2). Strictly speaking it was the mount (an WW1 mount intended for a 14" howitzer) which carried the name, HMG Boche-Buster was fitted with an 18" howitzer in WW2. In strategic terms it was functionally useless, lacking the range to fare across the channel (only the experimental hyper-velocity gun "Bruce" could really claim to be capable, and that suffered from other defects which rendered it, too, strategically useless)! The preserved carriage (which is a proofing carriage or sleigh) intended for test firing only is in many ways more interesting that then tube. It predates the 18" howitzer considerably. The move of L1 and the Proofing Sleigh to Utrecht on loan was the subject of an episode of Channel 5's series "Monster Moves". If you can put up with the facile commentary it is quite interesting, and is still available online at http://www.channel5.com/shows/monster-moves/episodes/gigantic-gun-monster-moves Edited November 4, 2014 by utt61 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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