Bicester Military Railway
In heavy rain on 16th October 1971, Bicester Military Railway's Austerity 0-6-0 saddle tank 197 'Sapper' (Hunslet W/No.3797/1953) is seen at the head of the 'Western Trooper' charter brought in from London Waterloo by 'Western' class diesel hydraulic D1033 'Western Trooper' and about to depart for Arncott. Army '197' was one of three Austerity saddle tanks remaining on the Army books by this time. No.192 'Waggoner' was retained on the Marchwood Military Railway until 1982 and No.198 'Royal Engineer' was retained at Long Marston for working special trains. Indeed, the next port of call for this 'Western Trooper' charter was Long Marston, where No.198 worked the special train around the extensive Engineer Park railway network. All three survived into preservation. It is noteworthy that the last of the fourteen Austerities built for military use, Army '203' (Hunslet W/No.3803/1953) delivered in 1955, was withdrawn from service at Longmoor as early as 1963, just 8 years after delivery, and was immediately despatched by road to Dai Woodham's scrap yard at Barry, where it was cut up by March 1965.
© Gordon Edgar - All rights reserved. Please do not use my images without my explicit permission
Bicester Military Railway
In heavy rain on 16th October 1971, Bicester Military Railway's Austerity 0-6-0 saddle tank 197 'Sapper' (Hunslet W/No.3797/1953) is seen at the head of the 'Western Trooper' charter brought in from London Waterloo by 'Western' class diesel hydraulic D1033 'Western Trooper' and about to depart for Arncott. Army '197' was one of three Austerity saddle tanks remaining on the Army books by this time. No.192 'Waggoner' was retained on the Marchwood Military Railway until 1982 and No.198 'Royal Engineer' was retained at Long Marston for working special trains. Indeed, the next port of call for this 'Western Trooper' charter was Long Marston, where No.198 worked the special train around the extensive Engineer Park railway network. All three survived into preservation. It is noteworthy that the last of the fourteen Austerities built for military use, Army '203' (Hunslet W/No.3803/1953) delivered in 1955, was withdrawn from service at Longmoor as early as 1963, just 8 years after delivery, and was immediately despatched by road to Dai Woodham's scrap yard at Barry, where it was cut up by March 1965.
© Gordon Edgar - All rights reserved. Please do not use my images without my explicit permission