Imitation soldiers head to the front - Date? Photographer?.

Leighton Buzzard Bedfordshire England United Kingdom - Following the major 5-8 May 2016 gala in France marking the centenary of the Froissy-Cappy-Dompiere lines construction and commemorating the 100th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme, the focus of marking the contribution of the War Department Light Railway contribution to the 1914-1918 war effort switched to the British side of the Channel.
 
Two years ago Moseley Railway Trust staged a spectacular Tracks to the Trenches event at its Apedale Valley Light Railway near Newcastle-under-Lyme, the like of which had never previously been seen at a narrow gauge heritage railway.
 
This event marked the outbreak of WWI and provided an excellent demonstration of how 2 foot (610 millimetres) gauge railways transported soldiers, ammunition, and supplies to the front line.
 
They even constructed a section of replica WWI battlefield trenches to provide a complete vision of how light railways supported the front lines.
 
Over 13-15 May 2016 Moseley Railway Trust held Tracks to the Trenches II, this time marking the centenary of the 1 Jul 1916 opening of the Battle of the Somme.
 
The UK-based locomotives which visited Froissy a week earlier all headed for Apedale to join the resident fleet and further visitors.
 
Six in Steam Backed by I/C
 
In all, Tracks to the Trenches II featured six steam locomotives in action.
 
The guests comprised Greensand Railway Museum Trust's 10-12-D Baldwin 4-6-0T WDLR number 778 (BLW44656/1917) from Leighton Buzzard Railway, West Lancashire Light Railway's Kerr Stuart "Joffre" 0-6-0T+WT (2405/1915), Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0WT 1643/1930 Surrey County Council number GP 39 from Statfold Barn Railway.
 
These visitors joined Apedale residents Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0WT 1238/1916 (now numbered 104), Kerr Stuart 0-6-0T+WT "Joffre" 3014/1916, and Kerr Stuart 0-4-2ST "Tattoo", more usually named "Stanhope" but for this event running without name plates which normally cover the painted name Tattoo on the tank sides, its appearance thus according with the original illustration of the locomotive in Kerr Stuart's catalogue.
 
The Ffestiniog Railways WWI 4wDM 40hp Protected Simplex MR507/1917 WDLR number 2228 and Baldwin 2-4-0DM BLW49604 number 7011 (hitherto "Mary Ann" and "Moelwyn") attended to show off their new-look WWI appearances which had been unveiled in France, together with Fairbanks-Morse speeder "Busta".
 
Clever Interpretation
 
During WWI steam locomotives could not venture too near the front for the obvious reason that steam and smoke would all to easily reveal their presence to the enemy.
 
Steam operations to forward depots are in effect replicated at Apedale by passenger and freight trains working the main Apedale Valley Light Railway running line.
 
Steam would hand over to internal combustion to convey loads closer to the battlefield, demonstrated at Apedale by a link line from AVLR proper at the loco shed leading to the field railway system, enabling further trains to run into the "forward areas".
 
These were primarily handled by internal combustion, although the smaller steam locomotives were sometimes seen tentatively venturing up to a water tank wagon to replenish supplies.
 
From "Wizz-Bang" Corner (where a 20hp Simplex stranded in a shell hole graphically demonstrated the dangers this close to the front!) a lightly laid line drops down to the back of the trenches.
 
This final stretch is the preserve of the lightest petrol/diesel Motor Rail locomotives which worked shuttles of soldiers, ammunition, supplies, and evacuated wounded soldiers from the front following the periodic battle demonstrations by re-enactors.
 
Adjacent to the field lines (where additional track has been laid recently to extend the system) was a tent camp for the re-enactors and a section of field delineated as an arena for WWI cavalry displays, which generated much authentic-sounding gunfire.
 
Four-Legged Horse Power
 
WWI reflected a transition period from traditional fighting methods to an era where technology rapidly forced a change of thinking as to how war was waged.
 
Railways and road transport played an increasing role, steadily replacing but far from usurping (yet) horses and mules.
 
A couple of months prior to Tracks to the Trenches II Moseley Railway Trust secured a £10,000 HLF grant to interpret the role of horses in civilian industrial railways and delivery of supplies to the front lines during WWI.
 
This helped enable making horses, mules, and horse-drawn vehicles a significant feature of the event.
 
A particularly novel demonstration was the periodic display of a horse hauling a WWI D Class bogie open wagon.
 
Digging for Victory Grant
 
The HLF grant also encompassed construction by MRT of a trench tramway wagon, a lightweight four-wheel vehicle capable of carrying one ton (or four stretchers) produced in field workshops by Royal Engineers for use on the very lightest of track to be hauled by horses, very light locomotives, or even pushed by hand.
 
These were produced in field workshops by Royal Engineers, and during this event volunteers set about building one in the open air of the field.
 
Fortunately, the excellent weather enjoyed over the three days allowed significant progress to be made on this most inventive of demonstrations.
 
Other exhibits ranged through field guns, armoured cars, steam road wagons, and model railways with a WWI theme.
 
Overall, a cracking event, well done Moseley Railway Trust.
 
Will the format be repeated?
 
Very possibly, in 2018 to mark the end of The Great War.
 
Next Event Leighton Buzzard in August and September
 
Leighton Buzzard Railway (LBR) is the other UK narrow gauge line with a major collection of WWI equipment and era-appropriate heritage, the line was built as a direct result of WWI using much surplus war equipment.
 
Unsurprisingly, LBR is also producing a big event to mark the centenary of War Department Light Railways commencing WWI operations on the Western Front.
 
This will take place over two weekends, 28-31 Aug 2016 and 1-5 Sep 2016.
 
Expect a big line up of motive power, headed by Greensand Railway Museum Trust's 10-12-D Baldwin 4-6-0T WDLR number 778 which is resident at Leighton Buzzard.
 
The first guest locomotive to be confirmed is Moseley Railway Trust's Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0WT 1238/1916 in a visit reciprocating number 778's appearance at Apedale.
 
The original Leighton Buzzard Light Railway (the title of the line prior to preservation) had two steam locomotives of the same type when it opened in 1919, both of which were scrapped long ago.
 
MRT's Hudswell Clarke 1238/1916 visited LBR in 2008 prior to its restoration, but has never steamed at Leighton Buzzard.
 
Further guest WWI era steam locomotives and stock announcements are anticipated.
 
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