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Imperial War Museum Duxford


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Does anyone know how much is left of the 2ft gauge railway at this site? It’s been ages since I last visited but when I was last there track was still down alongside the airfield. A recent aerial view suggests this is still the case whereas a slightly older Google Earth view also shows the remains of the balloon loop at one end - something I never saw as it is outside the museum area. I know that the stock has gone to the East Anglian Transport Museum (not to be confused with the Railway Museum at Chappel), but reading a little online it is interesting to note that the Simplexes there are on long term loan from the IWM - they have a military connection as they are ex-target range locos (according to the IWM website - EATM website has them as having worked in gravel extraction before Duxford). The only locos I ever saw there were the two WW1 Simplex locos (a 20hp and a protected 40hp) displayed in the museum - I assume they are still there as they are listed on the IWM website as on display at Duxford, although I notice on the aerial view that the spur from the main line into the Land Transport Hall (where the locos are) has been severed from the track alongside the airfield. I thought all the track might have also gone to the EATM, which the balloon loop might have done as it appears to have been lifted. Does anyone know if any track is still on site? It would also be interesting to know if the locos that remain on display were ever intended to run at Duxford or whether they were for display only with the younger locos actually running.

Edited by 009 micro modeller
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The two WW1 Simplex locos [20hp and protected 40hp] are still displayed in the museum in the land warfare WW1 diorama. There is no trace of the former outside line or any other NG exhibits, so these are either in an IWM store or have been de-accessioned.

 

I've not been to the IWM at Salford Quays so dont know what is there.

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I've not been to the IWM at Salford Quays so dont know what is there.

 

I don't recall seeing anything railway related there when I went a couple of years back. I suspect the museum won't be to many RMwebbers liking, being more of a social history museum dealing with WW1/2/Cold war than a lineup of interesting looking military hardware. 

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  • 1 year later...
On 21/12/2018 at 12:24, Neal B said:

I've visited Duxford twice in the last year and i didn't see any evidence of a railway, although that could be an indictment of my observational skills. I did see some aircraft though. I think.

 

According to Google Earth, the track is still there, though it has been cut in half (circled in red).  There seem to be a number of tipper wagons on the isolated loop, though they are outside the museum grounds, at least the parts the public can access.

 

The IWM never really made much effort to promote the railway, yet it always seemed busy when it was running.

 

The static exhibits are still inside the Stygian gloom of the Land Warfare Hall.

 

jh

duxxy.jpg

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