Narrow railways to the Front

[dphillips]

I am interested in railways and understand that narrow gauge railways were used to carry supplies to and from the front. Does anyone know of any correspondence connected with these?

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Dave,

I thought I would ask for you to explain a little bit more about your interest. I think (I am no expert on railways), that you refer to the narrow gauge used in WW1 on the Western Front (but you might be asking about something else). Other that the Army Post Office R__ date stamps and the relationship to railheads in WW1, can not day that I have seen a great deal more.

Regards Peter

[dphillips]

Hello Peter

Yes. It was the narrow gauge railways used in WWI that I am interested in. I think a lot were operated by engineers and that they were taken up and relaid as required. Any material that I can find will be helpful and of interest.

Many thanks. Dave

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for that. I see the IWM make some reference to light railways I read this https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/transport-and-supply-during-the-first-world-war which has a great picture of what would be a narrow gauge railway delivering ammunition to the front. What I do not know is if the British Army railheads where civilian railway locations ? Having looked in Proud (History of the British Army postal Service Vol II 1903 - 1927) it would appear not, with the early pages giving some diagrams of how mail was transferred from Supply trains to the railhead post offices and onwards to Brigade FPO's , I would assume that some of this might have been with light railways, along with the ammunition?

Proud lists all of the Railhead datestamps.....have you seen this?

Regards Peter

[Graham Mark]

Hello
A book which will be useful, from the Official History series is "Transportation on the Western Front".  In its 1937 edition it is probably pretty scarce, but the IWM / Battery Press reprint of 1992, ISBN 0898391792 should be not so difficult to find.  There is a box of 14 maps to accompany the volume and 17 sketch maps in the book itself.
Of course not just railways are covered but certainly there are sections of the book with deal with light railways.
I hope this will be useful
Graham