WD/ROD/MOD/MOWT/MoM/MOS Military Locomotives.
(War Department, Railway Operating Division, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of War Transport, Ministry of Munitions, Ministry of Supply).

The use of railways to move troops and supplies existed from the early years of railways.
In 1839 troops were move by train from Liverpool to Manchester (after arriving from Ireland by ferry) to quell a feared rebellion.
The use of railways specifically under the control of the Military came sometime later with the building, in 1854, of the Military railway to move troops and equipment from the port of Balaklava to assist in the siege of Sebastopol.
During WW1 the use of railways on many fronts assisted with military logistics.
The railways ranging from sophisticated systems in standard gauge, through narrow gauge down to light portable tram roads operated by horse or hand-power.
During the First and Second World War many locomotives were requisitioned by the army from the British railway companies and others were built specifically for operations abroad. Some of those locomotives built for use abroad were of designs which had proved robust in everyday use in the UK.
Others were designed and built specifically for use in the war zones.

Locomotive Index


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