LONGMOOR MILITARY RAILWAY

[whitepawwolf]

i see in old posts the mention of the the deliberate derailment of an engine and the followup achive info bbc etc...
id be grateful if anyone could provide details accounts of the more important fatal accident that occured in the 1950s. my father was one of the soldiers injured that day,,,, only the odd info seems available ie the vehicles involved in records. old sappers any account most welcome.

regards WPW

[52D]

Not much info but here is your starter.

http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/events ... entID=8713

[whitepawwolf]

cheers 52D, most grateful
as that indicates no published report, its the official line i was hoping to get a lead on or other recalled accounts by anyone in longmoor that day. lest we forget,,,,, something more important than st trinians, on a small railway that in its time helped manage the empire railways.

regards WPW

[whitepawwolf]

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/writ ... y-accident

[52D]

Have you forwarded this report to the railwaysarchive site, they would be most interested.

[whitepawwolf]

i found it ref on another forum, so its something that wasnt known to me either. i have only seen one faded black and white photo of the result which was either now lost or given to beverley museum after i took my father on a visit many years ago. beverley said at the time it was not known to them. to be honest if the longmoor achive and relics should have been given to the Royal Engineers museum instead of beverley originally, this important RE info would have been guarded more more jealously by the Corps and put back on display. i think i read all items were given to the National Army Museum in the end with the closure of beverley.

[Bryan]

As a further departure from Longmoor.
Does anybody know where the German / Italian track wrecking wagon is currently?
I did see it at Beverley many years back.

[manna]

G'Day Gents

I'm pretty sure the wagon your after is at the Tank Museum at Bovington, although I could be wrong

manna

[Coboman]

G'Day Gents

I'm pretty sure the wagon your after is at the Tank Museum at Bovington, although I could be wrong

manna

I'm sure it was there in 2004 anyway

[52A]

Pictures of an earlier incident, O2 hired from the SR derailed at Liss Forest and a train of Rectanks loaded at Longmoor Downs. Must be fairly early as the wagon nearest the camera is still lettered WIMR (sometimes interpreted as Will it Move Railway!)

[pjbryant]

My Uncle, Corporal James Bryant, was one of the 6 killed in that crash. Some more details can be found here:
Dover War memorial: http://www.doverwarmemorialproject.org. ... raysW2.htm
Questions in the House: http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/writ ... y-accident
Severn Valley Railway Memorial opening (last year): http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2011 ... me-attack/

The information I have is that a civilian train was allowed onto the single track military line without the token. This would appear to be not uncommon at the time. However in early morning fog (8:44) a head on collision took place.
The Military engine was pushed back and up over the wooden brake van behind crushing the van to matchsticks. Some died at the scene, and I (now) know Jimmy was rescued but unconscious and died later in hospital, without ever recovering consciousness.

There are three known physical memorials to the 6 who died:
A brass plaque in the chapel at Normandy Barracks, Leconfield, East Yorkshire. This was originally in the chapel at Longmoor, but moved on the closure.
The memorial referenced above at the Severn Valley Railway.
The wall at the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire.
I have photos of the first and last, and hope to have one of the SVR soon.

Recently I have spoken to two people who were there. One soldier was in training at Longmoor and was summoned from class to help at the scene.
The other was on the train, and ran back to the locked (although it should not have been) signal box. He forced open the door, and made the call to summon help to the scene.

2 pictures attached, the article in MovCon magazine, and my photo of hte memorial at Leconfield.

Hope that helps, PJ

[JAWs]

My dad was in the crash.