Thought I would try this question again. Our group on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway have a small Diesel loco that saw military service in the middle east. Drewry 0-4-0 DM York Area GroupYork Area Group We are trying to find out more about its service in the Middle East Locations and other details, Photos if any. These would all be appreciated. As I said earlier it is a small diesel loco. We can find out about any Steam locos but there is very little information or none that we have found about the diesels so far. Can anyone help?
Bryan copied your info here might give forum members more to see Number 16 0 – 4 – 0 DM Drewry Shunter 0-4-0 DM 16 This loco may be the most travelled loco on the NYMR. Built by Drewry Car Company at Burton on Trent in 1941 for the WD as number 37 0f a batch of 20 (29-48) Electrical equipment and the exhaust system were flameproofed for use in munitions factories and fuel dumps. Worked in The UK until 1943 then shipped out to the Middle East and renumbered MEF 44 and later 70037, working mainly around Suez. Returned to the UK in 1947 to Kings Norton WD Depot near Derby from where it was sold in Feb 1948 to Shell Mex / BP Trafford Park becoming number 12. 1950 transferred to Jarrow renumbered 16, where it worked until 1964. Then for repair at Bagueley then to BP Saltend near Hull until 1984 when it was donated to the York Are Group for use on the NYMR. Work on the NYMR was on Civil Engineers PW trains hauling work trains on the line. Out of use now since 1999 but a requirement for another loco at Newbridge may mean its return to service. July 2013 The loco was extricated from the undergrowth and placed in the shed for assessment. A copy of the brochure for these locos can be found at :- http://www.enuii.org/vulcan_foundry/photographs/Pre EE Diesel/vulcan drewry 0-4-0 shunters.pdf Our Number 16 was originally numbered 37 then upon its despatch to the Middle East in 1944 it received an MEF (Middle East Forces) number 44. After 1999 the loco was stored at the far end of the yard and tended to be forgotten about. However a recent change in allocation of shunting locos on the railway has meant that it was desirable to reinstate 16 to active service in the yard. As part of this the loco was extricated from the bramble and brought into the shed were an assessment can be undertaken of the state of the engine. In particular Neil will be checking if the engine will turn over and also the condition of the Torque converter.
Finally there is some murmurings about doing something with this little shunter. One burning question though is "What Colour" to paint it? (I know get the thing restored first) I am going to assume Deep Bronze Green, would that be correct? Lettering colour and style? Any lining? Any source of info? Thanks in advance.
Bryan, You say: "We can find out about any Steam locos but there is very little information or none that we have found about the diesels so far." Do you have records of steam locomotives shipped to the middle east especially the Stanier 8Fs (from memory) I spent some time trying to piece together which locomotives were shipped from which ports, so that I could match them up with the ships? My information is far from complete, would you, or another of your members, be able to help, please. I can post what I have. Roy
Roy, In case you don't have this info: MS Abbekerk in Convoy WS12Z had 9 Stanier 8F locomotives on board (4 on deck, 5 in the holds) destined for Persia. On arrival Durban the 4 on deck were unloaded but they didn't have time to access the 5 in the bottom of the holds before being diverted to Singapore. See: Gourock, at the quay, loading cargo Durban, South Africa, quayside Durban, quayside, halfway unloaded Tim
We have no record of any Steam Locos being shipped as they were not our target for searching. Sorry we could not help.
Tim and Bryan, Thank you for the replies. Tim I knew about the Abbekerk, but had not seen the photographs - especially good. Roy