The LNER Encyclopedia

During WW2 the LNER, along with the other railway companies, produced some armoured trains mainly for coastal defence work.
One of these trains was known as "Armoured Train B" and was based at Alnmouth from 1940 until April 1942, and covered the area between Newcastle and Berwick, and also some of the Border branch lines.
I know that it was hauled by F4 2-4-2T No.7072, but have not been able to find out any further details. Can anyone help?

Ill check my back issues of Railway Bylines they did an article on the LNER armoured trains a while ago.

Just found bylines article its about Armoured train N based around North Lincs area if you are interested it gives typical armoured train detail and some good photos i can scan and send if you need it.

Thanks D, it would be interesting

Hi,

I'm looking for information about three Home Guard armoured trains, "J", "K" and "L". As far I could find, they were manned by HG from 1942, after a period of service in British and Polish units. "J" was manned by 5th Fife Battalion, "K" by 10th City of Edinburgh (3rd LNER), and "L" by guardsmen from 7th Aberdeenshire Battalion. So far I couldn't find many more info than on http://www.tankmuseum.org/ixbin/indexpl ... lity_type= , plus some photos found through google images. I'm searching for any technical informations and service records about those three trains. Was the set F4 2-4-2 Tank Engine - 2X standard goods wagon - 2X standard 20-ton coal wagon (rebuild to a gun car) a "standard" one in relation to "J", "K" and "L" trains?

I know that I ask a lot of questions, but I'm trying to write a PhD work at University of Gdansk (Poland) about Home Guard, and I'm trying to find information everywhere I can

Have you tried the World War Two Railway Study Group?

http://www.saxoncourtbooks.co.uk/ww2rsg/

Hmm, not yet. Thank You for the link

Did you know that the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway also had an armoured train? The Somerset Light Infantry (Territorials rather than Home Guard) created and manned this. The train was 'Hercules' and two ex-Ratty bogie ballast wagons, each with a Boyes anti-Tank gun and two Lewis guns (one as a AAA gun). There was one confirmed 'kill', of a Dornier, and several 'assists'.

I have a very good friend who works on the RH&DR and is very interested in its history. The kill that the crew of the armoured train claimed is now thought to have been a German pilot who believed he was diving on a full-sized armoured train - when he realised it was a small one, he was too close to the ground to pull up and ploughed in!

Haha, fantastic! The scale issue reminds me of First World War Home Defence pilots of the Royal Flying Corps - the latest Zeppelin-Staaken bombers (aeroplanes not airships, absolutely huge, wingspan just a metre shy of the B29 atomic bomber) which were attacking London were often confused with the usual Gotha bombers which were about half the size, hence the attacking British fighter pilots attacked from a much further range, thinking they were a lot closer

There were 10 F4's Armoured and camouflaged which received suffix A to L (no I)
I believe the trains were named after the engine suffix

I can post more details if you want them

Roy..

Topshed wrote:There were 10 F4's Armoured and camouflaged which received suffix A to L (no I)
I believe the trains were named after the engine suffix

I can post more details if you want them

Roy..

Thanks, any information would be welcome.

Autocar Publicity wrote:Did you know that the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway also had an armoured train? The Somerset Light Infantry (Territorials rather than Home Guard) created and manned this. The train was 'Hercules' and two ex-Ratty bogie ballast wagons, each with a Boyes anti-Tank gun and two Lewis guns (one as a AAA gun). There was one confirmed 'kill', of a Dornier, and several 'assists'.

Here it is, running "wrong line" on the Up into Dymchurch station and bristling with guns.

Took me a while to find this one in the collection, hence the delay in responding.

There was one confirmed 'kill', of a Dornier

Were they credited with that? One account I read stated that the pilot appeared to have been confused by the size of the train, thought he was attacking a full size one and therefore was higher than he really was and simply couldn't react in time when he realised his mistake, so crashing.

jwealleans wrote:

There was one confirmed 'kill', of a Dornier

Were they credited with that? One account I read stated that the pilot appeared to have been confused by the size of the train, thought he was attacking a full size one and therefore was higher than he really was and simply couldn't react in time when he realised his mistake, so crashing.

Yes, this is what my friend who works on the RH&DR has told me happened.

I am also fascinated when travelling the line - and the number of small neat circular ponds alongside the tracks - made by Mr Goering and his landscape designers of the Luftwaffe!