Longmoor Military Railway

The Longmoor Military Railway (LMR) was a British military railway in Hampshire, built by the Royal Engineers from 1903 in order to train soldiers on railway construction and operations.

Route

The following standard gauge locomotives were present in August 1963 cite journal |last=Farmer |first=Keith |title=Longmoor Military Railway |journal=Industrial Railway Record |month=March |year=1966 |volume=9 |pages=199–205/220 |url=http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/9/longmoor.htm] :

Closure

In light of the reducing role of the military and the severely reduced British Empire, it was decided by the Ministry of Defence to close the railway. On hearing of its impending closure local locomotive preservation groups became interested in acquiring the small but complete rail system, and a bid was placed to purchase LMR along with the airstrip at Gypsy Hollow which would have enabled the production of a unique transport museum. The MOD rejected this proposal, which had been backed by the Association of Railway Preservation Societies and The Transport Trust. However the Army did offer the last 1½ miles of line from Liss Forest Road to Liss. The offer was accepted, a provisional lease was drawn up and planning permission was sought for developments at Liss [ [http://www.dypevag.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/liss.htm Liss, Hants ] ]

Unfortunately the people of Liss did not share this enthusiasm and opposed the planning permission. Several residents raised £9,100 in a successful bid to buy this last piece of line. Longmoor Military Railway closed down on 31 October, 1969, though for another two years some locomotives and stock remained on site, and there were occasional movements.

Preservation

Some of the stock of the LMR did pass into the hands of preservationists, and some was also bequeathed to the Museum of Army Transport at Beverley, Yorkshire, including:
*WD Austerity 2-10-0 - LMR 600 Gordon
*Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST - No.118 "Brussels"

(Note that the Museum of Army Transport itself has since closed, and the vehicles in its care have transferred to the National Army Museum, although it is thought that most are held in storage).

Locomotive 600 "Gordon" has been resident on the Severn Valley Railway which, according to one of the SVR's directors, has been donated to the SVR by the Transport Trust. [ [http://forum.svra.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=625&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30 SVRA forum - Locomotive 600] ]

In popular culture

The railway was used as the location for a number of films including The Lady Vanishes (1938) and The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery (1966).

Gallery

References

Further reading

* Ronald, D.W and Carter, R.J, (1974) "The Longmoor Military Railway", Newton Abbot: David & Charles, ISBN 0-7153-6357-3.
* Mitchell, V. and Smith, K., (1987), "Branch Lines to Longmoor", Midhurst: Middleton Press, ISBN 0-906520-41-X.

External links

* [http://www.hants.gov.uk/museum/history/railways/rail17.html History at HantsWeb]
* [http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/9/longmoor.htm Industrial Railway Society article from 1966] also includes a map of the system
* [http://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/12/postscripts_to_longmoor.htm Recollections of LMR operations]
* [http://web.ukonline.co.uk/cj.tolley/cjt-brho.htm History at Military Railways in Hampshire]
*
*cite episode
title = Longmoor Military Railway
credits = Platform 14 Ltd
network = ITV Meridian
url = http://www.alongtheselines.co.uk/
series = Along These Lines
airdate = 2008-04-20
season = 1
number = 2