Simplex 40hp 'Protected' petrol locomotive

[Rlangham]

Simplex 40hp petrol locomotive as used on War Department Light Railways - there were three degrees of protection, open ones (ie no armour whatsoever), protected (as seen) and armoured, which looked a bit like a tank. The protected and armoured ones earned the nickname 'Tin Turtle' for obvious reasons. This one's been regauged from standard gauge (that used on normal British railways) to 2 foot gauge as commonly used by the WDLR.

 

 

 

[Rick W]

Never seen that before , where is it?

[Tony B]

Duxford land Warfare hall?

[Rlangham]

Yep, Duxford Land Warfare Hall, where day becomes night!

[Tony B]

See the other thread, not nicking picture mate, but Picassa is a great tool and FREE!:-D

 

 

[woa2]

What happened to the one Salvage Squad restored on Channel 4?

[Great War truck]

There is another one at Leighton Buzzard and another at the Claypits museum. I think there are a number of survivors, just not all armoured.

 

Tim (too)

[Rlangham]

The Salvage Squad one is owned by a collection of narrow gauge locomotives based near me in Staffordshire - I e-mailed them but it's currently on loan to Leighton Buzzard (or somewhere in Wales, can't remember), but it'll be back at the end of the year

[Rick W]

Leighton Buzzard is just down the road from me, there is a narrow guage railway there, is that where it is based?

[Tony B]

There are quite a few knocking about on railways and preserved mines etc. The Big Pit at Bwylch had one unarmoured. The one at Duxford can be seen running at times.

[Great War truck]

Leighton Buzzard is just down the road from me, there is a narrow guage railway there, is that where it is based?

 

Thats right. This is what they say about it.

 

LR3098

Type: 4-wheel petrol mechanical

Date: 1918

Builder: Motor Rail, Bedford, England (Works No. 1377)

A rare working survivor of the “protected” (lightly armoured) 40hp petrol locomotives built for the War Department Light Railways, for supplying the First World War battlefields in France. After the war, several of this type were used to haul sand trains at Leighton Buzzard, but all were scrapped by the end of the 1950s. LR3098 worked at Knostrop sewage works, Leeds, and is on long-term loan from the National Railway Museum, York. It was restored to working order for the railway’s 80th anniversary in 1999, and was featured in “The One Show” on BBC1 in June. LR2182, a more heavily armoured version of the same type, awaits restoration.

 

But even more interesting is this WW1 Baldwin loco. My understanding is (and do correct me if i am wrong) that this one was brought back for the IWM Duxford, but the restoration got so expensive that they sold it off to LB who have just completed the restoration. Sad really as Duxford had just laid a track for it (coming out of the land warfare hall) for it to run on. They have now taken up most of this. I guess it is better that it remains at LB as that way it will get regularly used.

 

778

Type: 4-6-0T (side tank)

Date: 1917

Builder: Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, USA (Works No. 44656)

One of 495 locomotives built by Baldwin, for the War Department Light Railways. They operated on the thousands of miles of narrow-gauge tracks that supplied the front line trenches in the First World War. It then worked in India until the 1980s, finishing at the Upper India Sugar Mills in Uttar Pradesh. The first of its type to steam in Britain since the 1940s, it entered service in 2007, following a major overhaul. Click here for more details. It is due to operate next on 14th,17th, 24th & 25th August.

 

There are photos of it here at:

 

http://www.btinternet.com/~buzzrail/page21.html

 

I have not seen it. I should go someday.

 

Tim (too)

[Bystander]

Of course there are the Ffestiniog examples as well. In the case of Simplexes the first loco exer to run on the preserved Ffestiniog in 1954 was one, albeit something of a bitza: http://www.frheritage.org.uk/wiki/The_Simplex. In the case of steam locos there is their ex-WDLR 1916 built Alco, although as with much of their rolling stock it has been cut about a bit: http://www.frheritage.org.uk/wiki/Mountaineer_II. Another rather cut about WW1 survivor on the FR is the petrol powered Baldwin: http://www.frheritage.org.uk/wiki/Moelwyn

 

There is another Simplex at Amberley: http://home.fastnet.co.uk/gerrycork/amberleyrail/our-locos.htm.

 

Another Baldwin 4-6-0T is on the Wesh Highland Railway (Portmadog): http://www2.whr.co.uk/s/stock/794.

 

There may be others, but this is what comes to mind.

 

There are also a handful of preserved standard gauge locomotives that were borrowed by the WD during WW1 - the P Class twins 27 and 323 and the Adams Radial Tank on the Bluebell Railway come immediately to mind.

[Bystander]

Have now done a little research on WW1 WD engines, further ones to add are:

 

• a 1' 11 1/2" gauge WDLR Simplex at Leeds Industrial museum (WD 10756);
  
• a further Simplex at the Ulster Transport Museum (WD 246)
  
• standard gauge Barclay 0-4-0ST "Lord Fisher" on the East Somerset Railway http://www.eastsomersetrailway.com/stock.php?num=1398;
  
• standard gauge 0-6-0ST Peckett "Westminster on the Northampton & Lamport Railway http://www.nlr.org.uk/stock/swestmin.htm;
  
• standard gauge Hawthown Leslie 0-4-0ST "Invincible" on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway see http://www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/ and follow the links.
  

Better stop before this becomes a trainspotter's website!

[N.O.S.]

Better stop before this becomes a trainspotter's website!

The 2008 Golden Anorak Award is currently held by a Scammell nutter - you'll have your work cut out getting it off him!!!

 

So long as it is military related nobody on here will mind in the slightest!

 

I saw the dismembered Duxford Baldwin whilst under protracted repair at Leiston, Suffolk - sad really......

[Rick W]

Spoke to a long standing family friend today who works at Cranfield. He knows the chap who is in charge of the restoration and conservation at Duxford.

[chevpol]

there is a unprotected simplex on display at Apedale mining museum here in north staffs, part of the Mosely Transport Trust collection.

 

if I can find it, I will post a piccy (its somewhere stored on my comp, piccy I mean before anybody says owt!!!!)

 

all the best

 

Mark :cool:

[Bystander]

I saw the dismembered Duxford Baldwin whilst under protracted repair at Leiston, Suffolk - sad really......

 

Presumably this is the same one that is now with the WHR(P), which will now steam again, going someway to compensating for the cutting up of the abandoned WD 590 by the MoS in Dinas shed in 1941-2.

 

If we are thinking about all military locomotive survivors the thought occurs that the German Feldbahn locomotives should be mentioned, of which there are a few survivors.

 

Then of course there is this: http://www.wdlr.org.uk/WDLR/appeva.htm

 

In finding this I Found this list of presevered WDLR equipment, which also lists surviving wagons: http://www.wdlr.org.uk/WDLR/preserveduk.htm

[Tony B]

Oh Gawd! does this mean a Rail section? :shake: Level crossing on the club house drive? On the other hand, the re-enactment possibiliys are endless, 'French resitance derailing trains':cool2:. As there is a theory that the Great War started because of Railway time tables, it is warranted.

[abn deuce]

Would a single crossing be enough or will it need to have all three a bridge a tunnel and a level crossing so all the combinations can be explored ?

[Tony B]

Give everybody a chance to play with their various kit. :-D

[Great War truck]

Great idea. Perhaps maybe a sub forum. But where else would get the opportunity to post great pictures like this:

 

 

Tim (too)

[N.O.S.]

I've recently acquired the set of three books on WW1 British Army light railways -

 

NARROW GAUGE AT WAR 1

NARROW GAUGE AT WAR 2

LIGHT TRACKS FROM ARRAS

 

Published by Plateway Press. www.plateway.co.uk Excellent books - free postage offer on at present!

 

Plenty of material for a Rail Section on HMVF - just think of the giant rail-mounted guns, the R.O.D. locos of WW1 and 2 shipped over by USA and Britain to operate the partially destroyed European rail network, etc.etc.

 

And if some motive power is needed for construction of the Clubhouse line, I might just be able to help (after a litle work) -

[AndyFowler]

Not sure that hard hat will be much protection ! Not where I would stand ! :-D

[N.O.S.]

And the HMVF monthly SAFETY AWARENESS award goes to.......a fireman of course!

[Rick W]

Bring on the rail forum! Wolverton Works made and repaired wings for Mosquitos and Hurricanes! So many railways now long gone ran from ammo dumps to the main lines, Yardley Chase springs to mind.