Air Ministry Railway Sidings

In his book "The Pilmoor , Boroughbridge and Knaresborough Railway" the author Patrick Howat devotes Chapter 12 to the Brafferton junction complete with ORB extracts of tonnages moved and a diagram of the junction . Mention is also made of bomb storage in the Pilmoor and Sessay Low Wood area's where several buildings and concrete hardstandings still remain .

If you are going to get into railways for the benefit of the RAF etc - don't forget the Calshot light railway and places such as RAF Chilmark .These were "self contained" operations independent of the standard gauge tracks.

I think NPs intention was to make a record of standard gauge sidings and spurs - from main or branch lines - which served either as railheads or directly into RAF facilities. Many RAF facilities such as Calshot had their own internal narrow gauge or decauville track systems.

The sidings at which tanker trains were pumped out directly into pipelines connected to airfield FIDO storage tanks (such as Manston) is another example on top of fuel and ammunition depots.

Bicester had it's own standard gauge spur directly to the main stores at one time.

I must get myself copies of these books on the subject.

I believe that all of the RAF stores depots were rail fed. I remember well those at Quedgeley, Carlisle, Hartlebury and Milton.
The Quedgeley siding terminated in the Transportation Shed on HQ site. This shed normally contained at least half-a-dozen rail wagons loading or unloading.
In the 60s the siding was extended for use by the adjacent Dowmac factory
When I was serving at Quedgley (1971-3) there were two diesel locomotives operated by the MU plying to and from the main line.
According to my mother`s hazy memory (she worked there in 1917) there were sidings on the earlier site of the munitions factory during WW1, but I cannot be absolutely certain of this fact. However there was a picture taken in 1917 of the site which used to hang on the landing of the stairs in SHQ in 1973.
I wonder what happened to that picture.

Im very suprised to see Tain get a mention. Granted for an RAF airfield it wasnt that far from a railway line, but never seen evidence of an sidings for the place.

Tivetshall Sidings:
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PETERTHEEATER;62319 wrote:

I think NPs intention was to make a record of standard gauge sidings and spurs - from main or branch lines - which served either as railheads or directly into RAF facilities. Many RAF facilities such as Calshot had their own internal narrow gauge or decauville track systems.

The sidings at which tanker trains were pumped out directly into pipelines connected to airfield FIDO storage tanks (such as Manston) is another example on top of fuel and ammunition depots.

Bicester had it's own standard gauge spur directly to the main stores at one time.

Peter ~ I located the following information from the 1937 records attributed to the Cyril Gibbins collection on ground frames.

N. Royal Airforce ~ Bicester and Launton Up Line ~ Ground Frame electrically operated from Bicester signal box.

Dave.

RAF or RPE Westcott.

Jim Hope posted some of his archive photographs a couple of years back that had included the standard gauge railway line to the power station still in place with a line of wagons waiting attention.

Dave.