Guest Jack Benson Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 Hi, Were there any MoD/WD/MoS rail served depots in East Devon? This query goes way, way, way back to WW2 Thanks and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JohnR Posted May 23, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 23, 2020 Newcourt sidings on the Exmouth branch was the only one I am aware of. Closed just after the Falklands war, and the depot has now had a new housing development built on it, so a new station has been built to serve it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 Hi, There was a MoS buffer store just east of Exeter, numerous corrugated buildings but no online images however I do not expect that photography was encouraged during WW2. Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo_Tim Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 This video gives a flavour of Newcourt during WW2 - I'm not sure the non-rail scenes are Newcourt (possibly nearby), but I'm pretty sure the rail and wagon unloading part is. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted May 24, 2020 Share Posted May 24, 2020 That is Weirfield Farm now a golf course, Click here Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Siberian Snooper Posted May 24, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 24, 2020 ISTR we used to order some gear from a store in the Exeter area, but I have no idea where the store was or what we ordered from there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingdom2 Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 About 20 years ago, I began to compile a list as an attempt to identify, initially from published accounts, those wartime depots (excluding operational bases such as barracks, airfields, radar stations and dockyards),which were rail served (these are underlined in the atached list). However the sources used revealed so many service establishments that it was decided to list all those which may have generated or received rail traffic, and to try to identify, and separate out, those with rail access later. The dates given are those where the site was first mentioned John Devon Depots.doc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pb_devon Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 The dates given are those where the site was first mentioned John Devon Depots.doc 40.5 kB · 16 downloads First mentioned where? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingdom2 Posted May 28, 2020 Share Posted May 28, 2020 The sources used to produce the list (which now runs to some 5000 entries) are varied, including British and US Official Histories, Army Council Instructions and Admiralty Fleet Orders, Railway Clearing House Handbook of Stations 1938, 1949,. 1956 and 1962, Parliamentary Debates and Reports, publications of the Industrial Railway Society and others The availability of material on the Internet has provided many references, from republished original documents to the websites of local historical societies. All references have, wherever possible, been crossmatched Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pb_devon Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Another source for you to refer to, albeit for Plymouth area, is Plymouths Hidden Railways by Paul Burkhalter, pub Twelveheads Press. Covers all the military railways in that area. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingdom2 Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Thanks for the reminder pb_devon, I have a copy but it has slid down the 'to do' list - so many books, too little time ! John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 On 22/05/2020 at 23:26, Jack Benson said: Were there any MoD/WD/MoS rail served depots in East Devon? This query goes way, way, way back to WW2 There's one obscure military line that goes even further back to WW1 Quote The Black Forest or Mamhead Railway started at Starcross Junction. Built in 1918 as a military timber line it ran for the most part directly on the road surface. Little mentioned and leaving no traces it is now a forgotten ghost. Even the local museum has no records of it, just blank faces. It closed in 1919 and was lifted soon after. The locomotive that ran on it was finally sold to Exeter Gasworks in 1923. The Line was worked by Italian and German POWs and a camp was situated just below Black Forest Lodge. https://starcrosshistory.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-black-forest-railway.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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