4mm On the Narrow Gauge.

Jon Gwinnett

Western Thunderer
Excellent in so many ways.

I'm finding the centenary publicity quite difficult, my little family lost two brave men in the first war, one a gunner with the Royal Garrison Artillery. We still have the letter his CO wrote to his mother, and it's heartbreaking to read this man speak in such mundane terms of the horrors he has seen, and which he cannot convey or comprehend the effect that will have on those back home.

The other, a private (Guardsman?) in the Grenadiers vanished in the horror of Passchendale.

These models, beyond their instrinsic quality, stand tribute to those two, and all the other brave farmhands and men of all professions who marched off to war and never came back.
 

Alex Duckworth

Active Member
Excellent in so many ways.

I'm finding the centenary publicity quite difficult, my little family lost two brave men in the first war, one a gunner with the Royal Garrison Artillery. We still have the letter his CO wrote to his mother, and it's heartbreaking to read this man speak in such mundane terms of the horrors he has seen, and which he cannot convey or comprehend the effect that will have on those back home.

The other, a private (Guardsman?) in the Grenadiers vanished in the horror of Passchendale.

These models, beyond their instrinsic quality, stand tribute to those two, and all the other brave farmhands and men of all professions who marched off to war and never came back.
"No Thankful Village"... a must read for anyone who is moved by the significance of the centenary.


Thank you all. I started to model the WDLR after finding some photos of my grandfather who was a mounted driver in a RFA field gun team. He was the son of a railway worker and interested in anything to do with them - I like to think that he would have enjoyed the models.

Alex.
 

Neil

Western Thunderer
Lovely models even without the emotional significance. My grandad volunteered (I have an idea he lied about his age) and fought in the trenches. He was fortunate to be shot and wounded sufficiently to be sent home.
 

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
track gauge is 8mm
This little bit of the OP just tickled me - a simple statement that totally understates the effort required.... :) :thumbs:

My paternal Grandad & maternal Greatgrandad were in WW1. They both survived, but died way before I was born. It'd be easy to say "I wish I'd met them", but I doubt I'd have heard much about it from them. Like the majority of those men, apparently, they never spoke about their experiences, even to their immediate families.... which almost says more about the horror they went through than a detailed account....
 

ceejaydee

Western Thunderer
Fantastic models and I'll agree with Jon about the photos not giving away the size... I'd have guessed at 1:43 scale on 14mm track minimum but more likely 1/32 scale on 3/4" track; but 4mm scale on 8mm track - WOW :bowdown::bowdown:
The Dick Kerr petrol tractor is such an ugly beast but I love it :thumbs:
 

Alex Duckworth

Active Member
Last of the W^D photos. John Bull resin 6inch howitzer with extra detailing on Parkside bogies, Parkside "E" well wagon modified to "F"class, Meridian 40hp. protected Simplex with interior detail. This gun mounting was an experiment by a Canadian light railway company, the gun would be swivelled sideways to fire with its trail in a semicircular metal track, just visible stowed in the wagon.

DSCN1965.jpg

Alex.
 

SimonT

Western Thunderer
Alex,
can you tell us anything about the use of these guns? The movement forward of the guns was a major problem because of the ground and it was sometimes the reason why attacks stalled as the creeping barrage couldn't move forward to protect the infantry. Was this an attempt to get around the problem?

Simon
 

Neil

Western Thunderer
I've recently finished reading Christian Wolmar's Engines of War. If you haven't already guessed it centres around the roles railways have played in conflicts since the Crimean war. The largest part of it is devoted to WW1. I thought it might be a bit dry but it's been a fascinating read. More of a tactical overview than an intimate blow by blow account, highly recommended.
 

Alex Duckworth

Active Member
Alex,
can you tell us anything about the use of these guns? The movement forward of the guns was a major problem because of the ground and it was sometimes the reason why attacks stalled as the creeping barrage couldn't move forward to protect the infantry. Was this an attempt to get around the problem?

Simon
I'm sure that someone toyed with the idea of a mobile battery, but I've only ever seen or heard of two examples, this gun and a 60lb field gun similarly mounted. Some 18lb guns were moved on transporter wagons (photo 3) and heavier pieces such as the 6 and 8in. howitzers were sometimes moved on specially adapted "F " wagons. The great majority of 18lb guns and limbers however were moved by six horse teams and manpower whilst the heavier guns were pulled by Daimler or Holt tractors, early four wheel drive trucks, or in many cases also horse teams. Traction engines were used for the big guns initially but were too easily bogged down and their steam exhausts were a tempting target for German artillery spotters, this same reason kept NG steam engine use well behind the lines and out of artillery range. Front line supplies and shells for the batteries were moved up at night by petrol tractors.

Alex.
 

Alex Duckworth

Active Member
As it's been a good while since I posted, a few more 4mm narrow gauge items. First up, a scratchbuilt motorised skip running on a
Portram chassis, second a peat railway type Lister built on a skip chassis, model is scratchbuilt from scrap etch and whitemetal on a Saltford Models chassis. Also on a Portram. Lastly a Cranmore class Peckett built from the excellent Small Run Batch kit.
Alex.

DSCN2865.jpg P1070553.jpg P1070557.jpg P1070697.jpg P1070699.jpg
 
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