KevinWalsh Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Hi all, Back in the 80's I was doing my Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award exped on Dartmoor and we started off at the camp ranges just south of Okehampton; on the ranges there was a light railway between some buildings and the butts. Does anyone know what gauge this was and what was actually used on this railway. If I can track down any pics or track plans it's possible this might make an interesting little diorama. Thanks in advance Kev Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Kev - this may help http://www.dartmoor-...ampton_Camp.pdf My guess is that the railway was either used to transport munitions from storage magazines to the firing points, or just possibly for mobile targets Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinWalsh Posted October 27, 2010 Author Share Posted October 27, 2010 Thanks for that Shortliner, there were other files/links on the main website that gave me some idea of the layout. Might be one to consider for the future as a little diorama that can portray different periods depending on which figures and weapons are used. Kev Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Bird Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Kev - this may help http://www.dartmoor-...ampton_Camp.pdf That's an amazing website. What a pity railway installations aren't so well documented! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 You really need to find somebody who was in the Artillery, and SHOUT AT HIM! (Sorry, I'm reminded of "Good Morning , Vietnam!") Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Kev - this may help http://www.dartmoor-...ampton_Camp.pdf My guess is that the railway was either used to transport munitions from storage magazines to the firing points, or just possibly for mobile targets It sounds like the arrangements at Shoreburyness and Lydd Ranges, both of which had/have rail-mounted targets. The latter has hosted an RCTS railtour, using Wickham trolleys. I like the photo of Basil Fawlty setting the table in the Officers' Mess! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Hi all, Back in the 80's I was doing my Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award exped on Dartmoor and we started off at the camp ranges just south of Okehampton; on the ranges there was a light railway between some buildings and the butts. Does anyone know what gauge this was and what was actually used on this railway. If I can track down any pics or track plans it's possible this might make an interesting little diorama. Thanks in advance Kev Hi Kev, Do you mean Rowden Ridge Firing range ? Cheers Jan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
R A Watson Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 The line was indeed to carry moving targets for gunnery practice, although I have never been there one of the senior members of the Plymouth Club used to go up regularly to maintain the rolling stock, he was a civilian fitter with the R E M E based at Coypool workshops in Plymouth. I believe the basic layout was a simple circuit, and the motive power modified small Wickham trolleys, although there are stories of failure of the auto reversing gear (a simple trip switch actuated by a vertical rod attached to the track) causing some confusion. Not too sure about the gauge but I believe it was two foot. Wally Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinWalsh Posted October 27, 2010 Author Share Posted October 27, 2010 Hi Kev, Do you mean Rowden Ridge Firing range ? Cheers Jan Jan, Thanks for that, that's exactly the area I meant. In fact we used the wall of the shed as a windbreak for our cooking area and had our tents pitched about 10ft from there. Kev Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
industrial Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 They are two lines listed in the IRS 14EL book that came out in 2006(I have not got the 15EL which came out last year) one is listed as 2'6" gauge with one Wkm loco, and the other one is listed as 600mm gauge with two Wkm locos but these are listed as OOU. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Tain Range, where I used to work, had a similar system for teaching twartime urret gunners to shoot at moving aircraft targets - somewhere on the net there is a photo. EDIT _A quich search throws up this - last item on the page http://images.google...yB-qT4Ab85dmcAQ also http://www.scotlands...RCAHMS&id=90557 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engineer_London Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 ex-Okehampton target trolley now at Leighton Buzzard: http://narrowperspectives.ukgeeks.co.uk/p58845878.html ex-Lydd trolley, now at Amberley, photograph taken with a model in mind... Also on the 2' trolleys, some useful background information for modelling: http://www.bala-lake-railway-society.org.uk/express03/d-wickham-a-son.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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