Guest Railwaysww1 Posted 7 November , 2013 Share Posted 7 November , 2013 Hello, We are researching a series which explores the role the railways played in the First World War. We would be really interested to hear from people who have connections with and stories about railwaymen who served during the Great War, or knowledge of anyone who attended any of the post-war battlefield pilgrimages of the 1920s. Any advice or contacts gratefully received. You can contact me at railwaysww1@boundlessproductions.tv Many thanks, Frances Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 8 November , 2013 Share Posted 8 November , 2013 Frances, if you are interested in the Middle East, the FIBIS Fibiwiki has a page “Railways in the Middle Eastern Theatre http://wiki.fibis.org/index.php?title=Railways_in_the_Middle_Eastern_Theatre Cheers Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew_F Posted 8 November , 2013 Share Posted 8 November , 2013 Hi Frances, Are you looking at the role railways played in the First World War in Britain and the Commonwealth, or everywhere? We might be able to help with the former - we're launching Lives of the First World War (http://www.livesofthefirstworldwar.org/ - there's a full thread in the forum about this here), which will no doubt have a number of stories about railwaymen who served during the First World War, or worked on railways on the home front. Maybe you could help us to build some of their stories based on your research too? If you had any information you'd be able to contribute that would be a huge help to us. Sounds like a really interesting project! Do you have a site/newsletter/facebook/twitter I could follow to keep up to date on the project? Thanks, Matthew IWM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 9 November , 2013 Share Posted 9 November , 2013 Hi Frances, I have passed your message on to a friend not on the forum whose grandfather was a railwayman in the Somme area and kept a diary. She says she'll get in touch. sJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glen Posted 10 November , 2013 Share Posted 10 November , 2013 Some you may want to look athttps://archive.org/details/britishrailwaysw00mcke -British railways and the war,by F. A. McKenzie https://archive.org/details/cu31924092566128 -British railways and the great war V1 E A Pratthttps://archive.org/details/cu31924092566136 -British railways and the great war V2 E A PrattThe latter 2 give all the details of the role of the railways in WW1 - but combined are over 1000 pages (it's taken me 6 months to plough through Vol 1!!) Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 10 November , 2013 Share Posted 10 November , 2013 Hi Frances, have sent an e-mail - my book due out imminently 'The North Eastern Railway in the First World War' and the associated research into the NER and other railways should be of use, hopefully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterhastie Posted 14 November , 2013 Share Posted 14 November , 2013 If the North Eastern Railway Magazine is anything to go by then other company magazines are a good place to start. The NRM has a good collection or the Ken Hoole Study Center, Darlington, for the NER magazine, or Hull History Center. Edwin A Pratts, British Railways and the Great War, mentioned by Glen, is also very good. The NER mag came in very handy for researching the memorial in, what was, my workplace. Profiles and images of the men who served and died. I didnt know the magazines existed when I started. Anyone with Railway ancestors who died, the magazines are the place to look. This might help as well http://www.nrm.org.uk/~/media/Files/NRM/PDF/research/ww1railway.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Railwaysww1 Posted 14 November , 2013 Share Posted 14 November , 2013 Hello all, Thanks so much for the responses so far, all really interesting. Please keep them coming! Best, Frances Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glen Posted 14 November , 2013 Share Posted 14 November , 2013 If the North Eastern Railway Magazine is anything to go by then other company magazines are a good place to start. The NRM has a good collection or the Ken Hoole Study Center, Darlington, for the NER magazine, or Hull History Center. As far as I know only the NER, Great Eastern and the Great Western produced magazines at the time (if the L&Y had done one my research would have been a great deal easier!) Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 15 November , 2013 Share Posted 15 November , 2013 North Eastern Railway Magazine is a fascinating resource, don't think I could have done the book without it. Real struggle to research without it, as I'm finding with a planned book on the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 24 February , 2014 Share Posted 24 February , 2014 Frances, Thanks for contacting S. - I think she enjoyed the experience! sJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 24 February , 2014 Share Posted 24 February , 2014 Is this the series that Michael Portillo is presenting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill24chev Posted 25 February , 2014 Share Posted 25 February , 2014 the Horwich Heritage Centre may have some information on WW1 and the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway,its web site is here:- http://www.horwichheritage.co.uk/ Incidentally it his housed in the old indoor Rifle Range of the former Drill Hall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelS Posted 29 July , 2014 Share Posted 29 July , 2014 (edited) Sunday Telegraph (27th July) article, 'The trains that took us to war' , on Michael Portillo's new 5 part BBC2 series Railways of the Great War which starts 6pm Monday 4th August Edit: Production details (BBC media release) : Michael Portillo journeys into World War One with brand-new series for BBC Two NigelS Edited 29 July , 2014 by NigelS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 29 July , 2014 Share Posted 29 July , 2014 My friend Sue appears in the Thursday broadcast. It was a cold February day in Bristol and she was quivering with nerves.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 30 July , 2014 Share Posted 30 July , 2014 My friend Sue appears in the Thursday broadcast. It was a cold February day in Bristol and she was quivering with nerves.... Isn't Temple Meads the place where they have that (in)famous 'The Railway Man's Friend' memorial? That aside, long ago, when I was working at Bristol, I always found that station a cold one thanks to the wind-tunneling effect of the car-park, so your friend was more likely (in February) mistaking nerves for the chills! Or perhaps it was the the Michale Portiyo effect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 30 July , 2014 Share Posted 30 July , 2014 Could have been all three... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 30 July , 2014 Share Posted 30 July , 2014 I suspect that most people with railway connections/ interests will know. If not. The latest National Railway Museum Review has an article - The Great Western Railway in the First World War by Mike Peart. R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 30 July , 2014 Share Posted 30 July , 2014 The Michael Portillo series will start on 2 August on BBC2 at 1800 BST. I am in the first episode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyH Posted 30 July , 2014 Share Posted 30 July , 2014 Spotted a book today by Michael Portillo in a local Waterstones, think the title was 'Railways in the Great War'. Obviously a tie-in with the BBC TV Series. Didn't have time to look at it. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 30 July , 2014 Share Posted 30 July , 2014 Railways of the Great War with Michael Portillo by Colette Hooper, to be precise: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Railways-Great-War-Michael-Portillo/dp/0593074122/ I see that the DVD is already available for pre-order: it will be out on 11th August. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 31 July , 2014 Share Posted 31 July , 2014 Second episode for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandy hall Posted 31 July , 2014 Share Posted 31 July , 2014 The Michael Portillo series will start on 2 August on BBC2 at 1800 BST. I am in the first episode. Just setting the sky planner to record, starts Monday 4th August, followed by whole evening of WW1 coverage from France and Westminister Abbey. Looking forward to seeing your star turns. Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 1 August , 2014 Share Posted 1 August , 2014 Railways of the Great War with Michael Portillo by Colette Hooper, to be precise: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Railways-Great-War-Michael-Portillo/dp/0593074122/ I see that the DVD is already available for pre-order: it will be out on 11th August. Great lady Colette. I will be advance ordering a copy of the book in a minute or two. It is indeed a tie in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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