Oil Trains to MOD depots

[scottishlocos]

All

 

I know fuel oil trains were the mainstay of quite a few MOD depots during both wars but when did these trains stop running not talking about the aviation fuel traffic but fuel oil traffic which was for either storage or use by the depot for heating /powering equipment

 

Was there any of these oil trains during Falklands or Gulf War 1

 

Trying to find out if I can justify oil tanks for my late 80s early 90s MOD micro layout

 

Dave

[rob D2]

I’m not sure about anything earlier than 90s, but there is a picture of a class 58 with a single TTA arriving at Long Marston as a special movement for an exercise . This would be about 97.

 

 

Coal did continue till about 2000 to bicester for heating, so you could try that instead maybe

Edited October 24, 2018 by rob D2

[Fat Controller]

I don't think periods of heightened military activity would necessarily lead to more oil for use within bases, though, perversely, they might have been busier after such occasions, as aircraft were brought back for overhaul. The fuel oil would have been used for space-heating of hangars to reduce condensation-damage to the more delicate bits of equipment. Apart from Bicester, RAF St Athan used to receive fuel-oil until the late 1960s. I'm not sure about any other establishments being so-served.

Aviation-fuel terminals seemed to often be located some distance from the bases they served; often they'd be located between several sites, and would often also be connected to pipelines.

[Arun Sharma]

There are photographs around 1964ish of 34051 Winston Churchill taking trains of tank wagons to the MOD fuel depot at West Moors. This traffic continued via Wimborne until 14 Oct 1974.

Fat controller is correct in that the major RAF airfields based along the line of the M40/M4 had their JetA1  fuel delivered from [mainly] underground pipelines starting at Milford Haven.

 

[edited to add addnl. info]

Edited October 24, 2018 by ted675

[Irish Padre]

Didn’t RAF Leuchars have oil traffic in the 80s-90s ?

[arran]

Didn’t RAF Leuchars have oil traffic in the 80s-90s ?

The Leuchars traffic only finished a few years back, it ran to a depot at Linkwood about 3 miles from the base .

 

Regards Arran

[rob D2]

Read the question.... “ not talking about the aviation fuel traffic “....

[whoppit]

I worked the Ludgershall MOD branch during Gulf war 1, no oil trains worked into there. Ammo, vehicles and medical supplies only.

[Caledonian]

Read the question.... “ not talking about the aviation fuel traffic “....

 

The OP wasn't, but he isn't the only one enjoying this thread

[scottishlocos]

Guys

 

Many Thanks some great posts and pictures I already have some tank wagons and wanted to know if I could use them looks like it was only aviation fuel delivered to the MOD depots by rail after the steam/early diesel era

 

Dave

[colin.divall]

There are photographs around 1964ish of 34051 Winston Churchill taking trains of tank wagons to the MOD fuel depot at West Moors. This traffic continued via Wimborne until 14 Oct 1974.

Fat controller is correct in that the major RAF airfields based along the line of the M40/M4 had their JetA1  fuel delivered from [mainly] underground pipelines starting at Milford Haven.

 

[edited to add addnl. info]

To be pedantic (or merely accurate, take your pick), 14 Oct 1974 was when the Wimborne-West Moors (MoD) section was taken out of use. The trains to the depot had petered out earlier that year, in the summer. At the time (I lived in the area), I firmly believed the last trains had been around June/July, but there's some photographic evidence that there might have been some movments in August. Beyond that - zilch!

 

Colin