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По умолчанию RAILWAYS AND WAR before 1918. TRANSPORTING TANKS IN THE FIELD

RAILWAYS AND WAR before 1918. TRANSPORTING TANKS IN THE FIELD


The transportation of tanks from England to France was, of course, only a small part of the total operation. It was often necessary to move tanks considerable distances in and behind the battle zones either to bring out captured or disabled vehicles, or to move up complete squadrons of vehicles for an impending attack. Since efficient road-transporter vehicles had not yet been developed, the tanks had to be moved either by rail or on their own tracks; the latter expedient was used as little as possible owing to the inherent unreliability of these early mechanical monsters. There was therefore always a need for large quantities of wagons and for some means of loading and unloading in primitive conditions.

Ramp wagon for loading tanks

Means of unloading where no loading banks existed was provided by use of special ramp wagons delivered in the spring of 1918. These were built by the little known firm of Stableford and Co. of Coalville, and were basically long-wheelbase (12 ft 8 in.) flat wagons with massive channel steel solebars and cross members to the underframe. One pair of wheels on its axle was detachable as a unit complete with axlebox; removal being effected by means of a pillar screw-jack which could lift the entire underframe and enable the wheels to be unbolted and run out from underneath the wagon. The other end was equipped with a pair of strong steel-channel girder supports which were packed up on sleepers to make a firm ramp.

Loading tanks via a ramp wagon

The plate shows how tanks were loaded on to a train of bogie wagons. The procedure was somewhat similar to the present-day one of loading cars on to a car carrying train. Each tank simply crawled up the ramp wagon which was positioned end-on to a train of wagons and fitted with hardwood cleats to give the tracks something to grip. The receiving wagons were positioned with all screw jacks lowered on to steeper packing and taking the weight, so that each tank simply drove gingerly along the train to its appointed wagon. Most common receiving vehicles were of course the standard RecTank wagons as seen here, often equipped with extra jacks under the centre part of the underframe. It will be noted that, where loading gauge restrictions permitted, tanks about to take part in an operation were often transported in battle condition. These British Mk. IVs are carrying fascines for bridging trenches and other small obstacles.

Stableford 40-ton well-wagon with captured tanks

The demand for tank carrying vehicles led to other wagons than the RecTank being employed in small numbers. One specially designed wagon was the 40-ton well-wagon shown here. This was a massively-framed wagon built in small quantities by Stableford & Co. in spring and summer of 1918 to cope with the increasing weight and size of armoured vehicles—hence the well, to ease loading gauge problems. It had a wood plank decking to give grip to tank

tracks and could be either side or end-loaded. As with the RecTank, heavy screw jacks were provided at either end and at each end of the well. This particular example is pictured carrying a German ATV tank captured during the British offensives of summer 1918.

Ex-GWR Macaw bogie wagon with Renault tanks

Civilian bogie wagons were pressed into service at times especially for carrying lighter armoured vehicles. This shows an ex GWR Macaw wagon of the Woolmer Instructional Military Railway (later replaced by the Longmoor Military Railway) carrying two light French Renault tanks; these were light enough even to be carried on the 60-cm. gauge and were normally loaded either side-on or by crane. It was normal practice in the field for available railway wagons to be used to carry any Allied vehicles as required.

RAIL-BORNE CRANE

35-ton breakdown crane (U.K.)


War conditions on railways inevitably lead to an increase in derailments and, hence, the need for efficient rescue equipment. For most of World War One, the British War Department was dependent on second-hand breakdown cranes or on equipment borrowed from the British main line railways. It was not until 1918 that a standard 35-ton crane was produced for the Transportation Department by Stothert and Pitt Ltd. This was a girder-jib steam crane mounted on one 6-wheeled and one 4-wheeled bogie, and fitted with the usual sponson outriggers for stability when working. It normally ran with two standard match-wagons, a long-wheel-base 4-wheeler to carry the jib and a low-sided bogie wagon for stores and equipment. The crane was capable of the heaviest tasks envisaged by the R.O.D. and could easily lift a normal о-6-о goods locomotive when using the appropriate yoke.

STANDARD GAUGE SHUNTING LOCOMOTIVES

Baldwin 2-6-2ST (U.S.A. for U.K.)


Among the smaller locomotive types ordered for the R.O.D. standard gauge lines in France was this massive looking 2-6-2 saddle-tank. Its character comes pardy from the big saddle-tank with its steam dome and two-sandboxes dwarfing the cab, but the boiler was also large for a locomotive of this nature. It appears to have been intended for heavy yard switching and for handling trains over portions of route where no turning facilities were available. One hundred were ordered from the ever prolific Baldwin locomotive works in May, 1917 under the R.O.D. serials 1501-1600 but there is some doubt as to whether more than 75 were ever delivered.

Baldwin 0-6-0T (U.S.A. for U.K.)

More like the normal shunting-engines were 50 0-6-0 side-tank locomotives delivered from Baldwins in the winter of 1917-18. Unusual features for American locomotives included the British-pattern cab with rear coal bunker and what appears to be a crude feed-water heater. The locomotives were intended for yard and dock shunting, as witness the twin sandboxes and the bell; this was an obligatory fitting on French railways for locomotives likely to work alongside or over roads. R.O.D. running numbers were in the 651-700 series.

MOVING MEN BY RAIL

Officers had special coaches; the rank and file got rougher treatment although even the roughest was far preferable to having to march for miles and miles.

The 'Blighty' train

Perhaps one of the major memories for many troops was the 'Blighty* train, taking them to the ports on leave, or as wounded; and, not quite such a pleasant memory, its equivalent conveying them to the front. This was usually composed of the oldest and most ramshackle vehicles available and especially in the early days of the war when slogans were rife. These often got covered with scrawled remarks. No doubt the long-suffering railways regarded them in much the same light as present day concerns regard football match 'specials', and budgeted accordingly.

50 hommes, 8 chevaux

As the war went on, even elderly carriages became a luxury. It was probably the French, that logical race, who first hit on the idea of the 'dual-purpose* van, and not only calculated that one horse took up the space occupied by five men, but said so on the loading instructions. They saw nothing odd in it; after all the equivalent tradition of 'fourth class* for natives in both British and French colonies was longstanding and what were the military but a species of native? The truck inscription which led to so many wry jokes was merely a sensible administrative advice to stop the vehicle being overloaded and ensure that its occupants had enough fresh air; the grilled air vents, coverable by hinged flaps in inclement weather, were standard for such trucks.

Moving men on the 60-cm. gauge

The light railways on both sides were even more basic in their transportation. They simply cleared the ammunition or the salvage out of trucks and filled them up with men. It was in any case an act of disinterested kindness on their part to carry people in bulk since the Poor Bloody Infantry were supposed to march the five odd miles to or from base when relieving each other in the front line. In such circumstances nobody objected to crowding and discomfort and in the later stages of the war trains like this became common. At least on the British Light Railways, all the operating districts did their best to respond to the requests and it was not unknown for a complete regiment (two battalions) to be moved in a few hours by a succession of trains. As for the men and their officers, on a cold wet night with the roads ankle deep in mud, even forty to a wagon was sheer luxury.
154 Ambulance wagons for the 60-cm. gauge

One of the most common reasons for moving men at all by rail, especially near the front line, was also one of the most tragic; seriously wounded soldiers had to be conveyed to the rear with as little further harm as possible. The work of the numerous standard gauge hospital trains is famous but it may not be so well known that even the light railways had their ambulance trains. The British ones were typical examples.

First British use of ambulance vehicles was on the lines of communication specifically at a series of base hospitals on the Trouville Plateau which were reached over a light railway some si miles in length. For these a series of large covered vans was built, based on a lengthened and widened bogie wagon chassis.

These vans were officially dual purpose vehicles, being convertible for the carriage of goods. They were fitted to carry nine stretchers in tiers of three, one tier being faced by a longitudinal seat for walking wounded, and had a centre corridor with access through sliding or hinged double doors at each side. In addition narrow-end doors allowed attendants to pass through the train while in motion. These vans were later used also in rear areas on the front-line railway system and several have survived.

Much more common on the British side, however, were the numerous conversions of standard bogie wagons to the ambulance role. As can be seen both the 'D' and 'E' series were thus utilised, a standard 'conversion kits' being provided which included stretchers, racks and a framed tarpaulin 'roof'with side and end flaps; up to twelve stretchers could be accommodated, though six were more usual. These wagons were a great improvement on the former methods of perching stretchers on any available vehicle but were not by any means perfect; with the screens down and a full load the atmosphere inside must have been stifling and loading was not easy. In this respect the 'D' class was favoured since it had full length drop doors while the 'E' class had only a central door; on the other hand the well on an 'E' class enabled the attendant to stand upright within the wagon.


ARMOURED TRAIN 1918-style

Czech-built armoured trolley (c. 1918)


Very little is known about this interesting vehicle, which is illustrated here to show a development just beginning to take effect at the end of World War One. It was built by Skoda Ltd. and was officially termed by the German Army an 'armoured trolley' (Panzerdraisine). Its stated purpose was to reconnoitre over railways destroyed or damaged by the enemy and to act as a protector for engineers restoring them—a sort of one car equivalent to the British armoured train of the South African War. Armament was two machine guns in a revolving turret and the armour was obviously intended to stop only small-arms fire and shrapnel splinters. The car was 3*5 m. long and 1*7 m. wide, and was designed for standard gauge. Like most trolleys it could not be marshalled into a train but a coupling pin and bar was provided so that it could be towed in an emergency. It was definitely an armoured rail trolley, not an armoured car on rails and a slightly updated version was indeed used by the Germans in World War Two.


Редакторы: Admin
Создано Admin, 18.02.2011 в 17:00
Последнее редактирование Admin, 18.02.2011 в 17:00
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