War Department / WW2 era rolling stock

[GreenGiraffe22]

well the title really sums it up, I'd love to see some WW2 specific rolling stock and war departmen wagons. Tanks / aircraft parts / military parts on wagons would be awesome! (Here's one I made earlier)/media/tinymce_upload/051c1c862065aa5d6a5fc77b1a1c0fbd.jpg

Also something like Bachmann's ambulance train pack but WW2 era would be really great!

I realise it's probably a very niche market so perhaps things would have to be limited edition?

The range of Southern black locos is much appreciated, keep them coming! ;] 

[Fazy]

Bachmann have a wagon coming out soon with or without a tank on it. 

[LCDR]

 A lot of WD rolling stock was in fact built to main line railway designs but painted up in Army or Navy colours, and given War Department (later Ministry of Defence) registered numbers.

The chief types first built exclusively for the military were -

Rectank - . A bogie flat wagon with the deck slightly lower than the headstocks. First appeared during WW1 to carry tracked AFVs (Armoured Fighting Vehicles) (these were at first code named 'water tanks' for security, hence the generic name that stuck). Designed by the Railway Executive Committee, hence REC Tank. (Not to be confused with Rectangular Tank Wagons which were early 4 wheeled vehicles for carrying liquids, particularly tar!)

Warflat - a bogie flat wagon of high carrying capacity (45 or 50 tons) which was also designed for carrying heavier AFVs (tanks) , and also introduced in WW1,  the floor was level with the top of the headstocks. Jacks were provided under the buffers to relieve pressure on the wagon springs when loading from the ends, or moving vehicles from wagon to wagon.

Warwell - a bogie wagon of similar length and construction to a Warflat, but which had the centre of the wagon depressed significantly below the headstocks. Introduced during World War 2 to accomodate the taller AFVs especially the American vehicles that were being brought over for 'Overlord'.

Ramp wagon - a flat wagon with jacks and detachable wheelsets. By removing one set of wheels it formed a ramp up or down tanks could be driven to load or unload AFVs where there was no adequate end loading dock. Once the wagon was deployed at the end of a rake of Warwells or Warflats the rails were protected by spare sleepers and tanks could easily use the ramp.

 

The War Department / MoD also had open wagons and covered vans. And used railway owned vehicles too. They would carry stores and equipment and munitions as well.  The Royal Ordinance Factories operated a large fleet of tank wagons carrying various chemicals used in the manufacture of explosives and propellant.  The Air Ministry had built a very large fleet of tank wagons during WW2 to keep the RAF supplied with petrol. After the war these passed to various oil companies. War time train loads could be very interesing for instance sea mines for example loaded in open wagons, also RAF bombs and artilliery shells or torpedoes. Many military loads were carried in wooden crates which often bore the stencilled name or initials of the service who owned the goods. Boats loaded on Warflats or Rectanks make an unusual sight, special cradles were made to keep the boat upright, even landing craft went by train.

One other WD wagon to mention was the bogie  'Parrot' crate wagon. Designed to carry aircraft in crates or sections it owed a lot in its design to the RAF's own 'Queen Mary' road trailer with open girder work sides.

 

After the First  War surplus Rectanks were adopted by some of the railway companies to carry wheeled or tracked construction and agricultural machines and large road vehicles. They also built their own, and some used the same code for the vehicle.

[LCDR]

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Here is a WW2 War Department 'Parrot' wagon, designed to carry aircraft in crates, sold by the WD since purchased by BR and converted by the Southern Region into a cable laying wagon. The cable drum supports and the handrails are later additions and not original. Photographed at Chichester around 1985.

[LCDR]

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ROF Nitric Acid Tank Wagon

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ARMY Guards Van (built by SR)

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WD Palvan

 

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WD van (at Beverley)

 

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ARMY RECTANK at Beverley

 

 

 

 

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A 'modern' WARFLAT

 

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Former WARWELL now used by BR as a bogie bolster with added bolsters

 

 

[da4472vid]

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My Armoured Train   

[da4472vid]

 how about a rail gun

 

[GreenGiraffe22]

See Hornby, you're spoilt for choice!Food for thought, I hope. :)

[edward_goodwin]

A British rail gun is long overdue , l think the 12 inch caliber would be practical , the German ones would be rather unwieldy. Thanks Eddy.

[96RAF]

Without reposting the picture from the OP - as an airframe fitter - I wouldn't want to be responsible for my actions against the 'perp' if any 'kite' of mine came in after having been chained down in transit - the damage caused would have be horrific and probably rendered the poor aircraft Cat-5. (google it and look for the PPRuNe link).

 

I would post a direct link but if I use my on-screen touch keyboard for any purpose, it renders my copy and paste inop until next restart - any body know why?

[GreenGiraffe22]

I might make that spitfire look burnt out, in which case it is on its way to be melted down and recycled ;] 

[Postman Prat]

 

 

...........I would post a direct link but if I use my on-screen touch keyboard for any purpose, it renders my copy and paste inop until next restart - any body know why?

 

Hi RAF

 

If I understood the question I might know the answer  -  but don't count on it !!!!

[walkingthedog]

It is a bit  heavy handed RAF. Also the Beaufighter appears to have shrunk in the wash. 

[96RAF]

@PP

 

my pc has the option to bring up an on screen keyboard which is handy for finding those symbols in the alternative character set that my greek keyboard hides in odd places.

 

however once i have used this facility my normal keyboard looses the ability to copy and paste and the mouse right click context also  fails for some reason.

 

this makes copying in text strings to make into links impossible and i wondered if anyone else had met with the problem.

 

i quite often see tanks from Robertson Barracks (ex RAF Swanton Morley) sneaking along the MNR on flat wagons 

being freighted in or out for exercises or deployment.

[81F]

A British rail gun is long overdue , l think the 12 inch caliber would be practical , the German ones would be rather unwieldy. Thanks Eddy.

I have an unbuilt kit for a german one but as I had a few 1:72 bits for my laout I didn't think that would matter. However on looking at the parts I think I will have problems gettig it to run so it has been consigned to the VERY long term projects shelf!

 

8Fs can also be repaintedf (after adding airbrrake equipment and there is also the J95

[81F]

/media/tinymce_upload/2d11146782f6c2f74de3febad1bf8803.jpg As an aside I think it's true to say that resurant cars were taken out of use during WW2 (please correct me if I'm wrong) so you won't be eeding any of those (pullmans included?)

 

WW2 paint jobs are also easy (unlined black!) just make sure the loco your modelling did get that livery and resprey.

 

 

[Rup1]

This is more of a question but could form an idea.

Were a few of the GWR 56xx 'comandered' by the WD and if so were they painted in a WD scheme?

Could that be a potential model for the future - though realise that Hornby haven't traditionally produced the 56xx.

[Postman Prat]

 I've never heard of any 56XX being taken over by the WD, but anything's possible. More likely they would have handed over the pregrouping 0-6-2Ts inherited in 1923. I would not expect time and money to be spent on repainting.

 

I never profess to be an expert on matters GW so hopefully a more knowlegible person will come up with an answer

[81F]

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I know it's the wrong war but I'm sure Corgie make other tanks! Here is one of my rectanks (the first to be completed less lettering). It is made from a 3d print (not one of mine) and the bogoies are Ratio. The wheels and couplingsare Hornby.

 

I have another three to build once I have rinted off the NEM adaptors for the bogies. Once I have finished them I'm sure Hornby or the other company will produce a perfect rtr model - they usually do!

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[Southernsteve]

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Here is a WW2 War Department 'Parrot' wagon, designed to carry aircraft in crates, sold by the WD since purchased by BR and converted by the Southern Region into a cable laying wagon. The cable drum supports and the handrails are later additions and not original. Photographed at Chichester around 1985.

Very good point LC&DR. A lot of the flat wagons from the second world war were still in use for 30 40 and up to 50 years after the war. These would make fantastic models and with some changes you have a wagon for 1940s right up to 1990s. Some stayed with military and others converted to engineering 

[LCDR]

 A number of large rail mounted guns operated in Kent and East Sussex during WW2. The troops gave some of the bigger 13 & 14 inch ones names like Winnie, Pooh, Piecemaker, Scene Shifter and Bosche Buster (this last an 18 incher!). They were kept in tunnels during air-raids and during the day, when not needed. The Elham Valley line from Canterbury West and Cheriton was one of their bases, as well as the cliffs above Dover Harbour. Near the coast at Dover they were usually moved by requisitioned diesel shunting locos, which belonged to the LMSR and SR but elswhere they were hauled by requisitioned GWR Dean Goods locos . Ammunition was moved in French, German and Italian owned covered wagons that were stranded in the UK after the Invasion.  Spur sidings laid out in curves were provided to help the troops aim the guns.

 

Some of the GWR Dean Goods 0-6-0 had extra pannier tanks added such as WD 197 , but most like  WD171 of the same class ran in near original condition. 108 if these locos were requisitioned and many went to France, never to return. About 29 different Dean Goods operated with the rail guns in this period.  Smaller guns were deployed at various locations along the eastern coasts if England and some of the Dean Goods operated there. These trains had 9 and 12 inch guns mounted on well wagons.

 

A very unusual armoured train worked by armour plated LNER F4 /F5 2-4-2T operated in East Anglia.  And even the little Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway provided an armoured train.

 

The comedian Spike Milligan recalled his exploits with some of these guns in Sussex  in his autobiography.