It was the last Steam & Industry weekend at Apedale last weekend. You never know what might happen on these weekends. This weekend we steamed the newly restored Joffre for some crew training & de-bugging. Whilst it was out and about, we managed to get 2 of the WW1 wagons incorporated into the test train.
Here’s a little taster of what we may be able to repeat again next year…..
Sorry that it has been a little while since the last post (again!) – I have been completely overwhelmed with work at Apedale recently. This has included some WW1 rolling stock projects & organisation of our major Annual Gala (10/11th September).
Anyway, you may have read about the progress being made with some WDLR bogies over the last few months. these have finally made it under a vehicle…
In addition to this newly reconstructed Class D wagon, we also managed to turn out our Kerr Stuart Joffre Locomotive. This is as accurate a restoration as we could manage back to WW1 condition. Seen here with our 40hp Simplex – a sight almost certainly not seen since a around 1919!
DATE FOR THE DIARY – 8/9th September 2012!
Enjoy!
Well, its been a little while again – progress is being made though!
Here we see the latest developments with the ex-Nocton/Alston bogie. It is coming along nicely. The latest addition has been the ex-Ashover wagon coupler, which had to have a significant repair (straighten the shaft & replace the end thread & nut) before it could be used.
Having had the good fortune to find some original drawings, I had ordered a batch of new coupler springs. The first of these were successfully installed on the bogie at the weekend.
The partner to this bogie for the “mystery” project has now been completed.
This is an ex-Ashover/FR bogie & is seen in Aurora Works’ yard, following its final coat of paint.
Currently I am assisting with the Moseley Railway Trust’s apprentice projects, so I’ve not been able to spend as much time on-site working on these projects directly when on-site as previous – many thanks to Mick, Terry & Alex for helping progress things.
I was once told in my day-job, that “there are always evenings & weekends”. Not sure they really meant this type of thing – but seems very appropriate!
Ikea bogie kit
This shows a little of my “homework” projects. Painting/preparing these items away from site really help speed up the project.
Also progressing well is the ex-Ashover bogie. As of 29/30/11, this was successfully reunited with its wheels. It was placed on the track & run around to the workshop complex – probably the first time it had run on rails in over 10 years!
Every so often news & requests for info reach me, about WW1 and related
items/research projects.
This weeks’ intrigue followed the e-mail from the North Gloucestershire
(Narrow Gauge) Railway based at Toddington, Gloucestershire to the Moseley
Railway Trust’s main website (copied below) – updates to follow:
—–Original Message—–
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2011 1:43 PM
Subject: News from Toddington narrow gauge
Hello greetings from the narrow gauge at Toddington. For your information.
‘RARE NARROW GAUGE CARRIAGE SAVED
The North Gloucestershire Railway Company, operator of the two foot gauge line at Toddington, has acquired a rare narrow gauge carriage body which was discovered just six miles away at Teddington Fields. The carriage was situated close to a busy main road for around eighty years, used initially by the owners as extra accommodation and latterly as a storeroom.
Constructed by the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Co on a War
Department D wagon wooden frame it is a semi-open vehicle with glazed
windows on the sides and ends, and is fitted for electric lighting.
The carriage is believed to date from the post World War One period, but its
earliest history before arrival at Teddington Fields is shrouded in mystery and research is still ongoing.
Considering the length of time the carriage has been standing in the open,
it is in remarkable condition, as the roof was covered in corrugated tin sheets, while carrying wheels kept it off the ground and the open doorways were boarded up.
The carriage, generously donated to the North Gloucestershire Railway by the Overbury Estate on whose land it was located, has just been moved to
Toddington where it will be restored in due course.’
With the Trust’s interest in WWI stock, thought you might find this interesting. Also we are very keen to unravel the history of the vehicle, which is unclear at present, so any thoughts are welcome.
I attach two pictures, one immediately on its arrival at Toddington on 4 March and the other on 6 March after removal of most of the extraneous material added by the previous owners. Please feel free to pass this on to any interested parties within your group or elsewhere. Thanks, North Gloucestershire Railway Co Ltd.
As you may have read previously, in November 2010 we successfully recovered the remains of the ex-Nocton Ambulance van to Apedale (Moseley Railway Trust). These remains comprised the main frames of the van (in need of considerable repair) & a rebuilt bogie frame. Unfortunately the mists of time have not been kind to this van and it’s chassis/bogies – there are a large number of parts currently AWOL, including most of the fittings/components for both bogies. Please contact me if you know of any parts available.
WDLR Bogie project - This frame arrived at Apedale from Alston with the Ambulance van in November 2010.
As the arrived bogie frame had been rebuilt several years prior to acquisition, I have taken the decision to start the re-construction of this bogie first. As I am fortunate to have collected together a number of spare parts/drawings over the years and now is the time to start using them! This project is not as impossible as it might seem, although it will deplete my spares holding significantly. These bogies are generally standard designs & could be found under many types of WW1 vehicle. What is this particular example going to be used under (pending the ambulance van being completed)? You’ll have to keep watching…
WDLR Bogie parts - Coupler & brake crank
The first stages of this reconstruction have been to start routing out parts & preparing them for assembly. However, before this all can progress too far, I need to get a set of coupler & leaf (suspension) springs on order….
Many parts! Amongst these are various WDLR bogie parts - including pivot, brake brackets, coupler link pin, etc
Good evening! The Moseley Railway Trust has issued the following press release.
Regards,
Simon Lomax
Publicity Officer, Moseley Railway Trust
PR BEGINS…..
Press Release:- Kerr Stuart steam loco will run for the first time in 50 years at Apedale
KS 3014 - Joffre rebuilding progress. October 2010
The owners of Kerr Stuart steam locomotive no.3014 are delighted to announce that the restoration of this locomotive has now entered its final phase. The locomotive will soon be moving to the Moseley Railway Trust site at Apedale, where it will be used to haul trains on the 2’0” gauge Apedale Valley Light Railway.
It is entirely appropriate that the locomotive is based at Apedale, which is just a few miles from the Kerr Stuart works where the locomotive was constructed in 1916. No.3014 was ordered by the French Commission for their artillery railways, and was delivered new to Nantes, France during WW1. Kerr Stuart built 70 locos of this type, known as the “Joffre” – named after the famous French General. After the war, it was sold from Verdun to a dealer, Brunner & Marchand of Borray, Seine & Oise. In October 1930, it was sold on to a stone quarry – Societe Anonyme des Carrieres de la Valee Heureuse et du Haut Banc, Marquise Rinxent in the Pas de Calais area of northern France. By August 1956, the locos on this site were derelict. In 1974, 3014 and four similar “Joffres” were repatriated to the UK onboard the ferry “Free Enterprise VII” on 11/10/74.
3014 and three of the other locos eventually resided at the Gloddfa Ganol slate quarry museum complex, near Blaenau Ffestiniog. Here, it was mounted on a plinth alongside the museum operator’s house. It became a familar site to passing motorists as they struggled up the lengendary Crimea Pass road out of Blaenau to the north. Following closure of the Gloddfa Ganol museum, the loco was acquired by the 3014 Society. The locomotive has been restored at a number of sites, and was recently test-steamed for the first time in fifty years.
The key remaining activity on the locomotive is to complete the work on the side tanks, followed by detail finishing and testing. It is expected that the locomotive will be completed and moved to Apedale during Spring 2011.
Gareth Roberts of the 3014 Society said “This locomotive has been restored from a scrapyard condition, and it will be marvellous to bring it home to Staffordshire. The Moseley Railway Trust has a growing collection of vehicles from the First World War military railways, so 3014 will complement and add to this collection considerably”.
It is planned to hold a “launch day” for 3014 at Apedale; the date for this will be announced in due course. The Moseley Railway Trust is hoping to determine if there are any surviving Kerr Stuart employees – the company closed in 1930, so it’s JUST possible! Any leads in this regard would be appreciated.
Kerr Stuart Joffre worksphoto
Posted in French Artillery Railways, Preserved Equipment - UK
Tagged 3014, apedale, french, joffre, kerr stuart, loco, moseley, railway, steam, trust
The British Light Railway Operating Companies wore standard British Army Service Dress which consisted of ankle boots, khaki trousers and tunic with a grey collarless shirt beneath; the trousers being supported by braces.
The Royal Engineers insignia worn consisted of brass shoulder titles and a ‘GvR’ (George V) Royal Engineers cap badge in brass for Other Ranks and bronze for Officers, badges and devices denoting N.C.O rank were worn on both sleeves with Officers rank being denoted the standard brass shoulder devices.
The later pattern soft Service Dress caps or ‘Trench Caps’ seem to have been worn for the most part with the ubiquitous Mk.I ‘Brodie’ Helmet being worn in forward areas.
Puttees were not worn by all and seem to have been optional, perhaps being more commonly worn by guards who often had to dismount from the train.
Aside from the uniform various forms of overalls and working jackets and over trousers can be seen in photographs, as dictated by the peculiarities of running a railway. Men are also seen wearing the overall leather jerkins, an item of clothing dating back to Medieval long bow men and still worn by troops through to the 1980s, these were most often worn when working on exposed locos like the Crewe Tractors.
The French 60cm Light Railways were operated by men of the Artillery, more specifically men from the Régiments d’Artillerie à Pied or Foot Artillery Regiments, the men were mainly from the 10eme Régiment d’Artillerie à Pied until, in 1917, all men operating the Light Railways were transferred to a new unit, the 68eme Régiment d’Artillerie à Pied.
The men wore standard Artillerist’s uniform though this changed a great deal throughout the war as the gaudy red and blue uniform still worn in 1914 was superseded by various designs in the famous horizon blue. The uniform situation is further confused as many of the railway troops, not as reliant on camouflage as the men in the front line held on to more colourful items from their old uniforms long after they had disappeared elsewhere. The basics, irrelevant of colour were, like the British, ankle boots, trousers also termed ‘breeches’ which narrowed at the calf to allow the wearing of puttees. A collarless shirt in plain white or with grey pinstripes was worn with braces to support the trousers and over this a short-collared tunic and a greatcoat or ‘capote’ which was manufactured in various patterns.
Above left; triangular greatcoat collar insignia of the 10eme Régiment d'Artillerie à Pied. Above Right; tunic collar insignia of the 68eme Régiment d'Artillerie à Pied.
The insignia was of standard Foot Artillery pattern; red collar patches showing the regimental number in dark green with piping in the same colour. A dark blue-black patch was sometimes also worn on the front of the kepi bearing the regimental number in red. Both Officer and NCO rank was denoted using standard French Army insignia.
Above top; the 1884 pattern kepi worn at the outset of hostilities badged to the 10eme Régiment d'Artillerie à Pied. Above bottom; the 1914-15 pattern horizon blue kepi badged to the 68eme Régiment d'Artillerie à Pied.
The Kepi worn at the outbreak of hostilities was made in dark blue-black cloth with red piping and seems to have been worn by many men until late in the conflict even though it had been officially superseded by a design in horizon blue, this later example can also be seen being worn in various photos. Adrian helmets seem to have been worn rarely by the railway men, when worn they carried the crossed cannon insignia of the Artillery on the front.
As with the British it seems the men operating the French Artillery Railways rarely wore puttees, though over trousers and overall jackets are often seen in photographs, from white through to dark shades though black and white photos don’t allow colour to be determined; these non-uniform items often being worn with the earlier pattern dark blue kepi.
More information is always welcomed – please leave a comment!
Posted in French Artillery Railway - General Information, WDLR General Information
Tagged artillery, british, french, lroc, lrod, railway, uniform, wdlr
I have been running the “War Department Light Railways” website for many years. This site includes a good archive of photos & information, but I have not been able to update it as much as I would like recently. I am aiming to use this blog to provide (as a minimum) regular updates on the various WW1 (& related) projects that I am working on or involved with (normally based at the Moseley Railway Trust (MRT), Staffordshire, UK).
Ambulance van chassis awaiting collection at Alston.
The story of the MRT is really well covered on the official website - suffice to say, since relocating to its new permenant home adjacent to the Apedale Valley Country Park great progress has been made & I have been able to start consolidating my own collection of vehicles together with the Trust collection. A recent item to arrive has been one of the larger surviving components of a former British Ambulance Van. This had seen post-war service at the famous Smiths Crisp’s Nocton Potato Estates in Lincolnshire, UK. It later passed through both the Lincs Coast Light Railway & South Tynedale Railway before being acquired by myself.
Chassis at Apedale - Moseley Railway Trust.
Seen in this post, the “Van” is awaiting collection at Alston in November 2010 & 1 week later at Apedale, now safely stored awaiting the restoration to start. Many thanks to our friends at the South Tynedale Railway & volunteers back at Apedale for helping with this.
Apedale Valley Light Railway
Moseley Railway Trust
Western Front Association