David_Blanchard Posted 30 January , 2022 Share Posted 30 January , 2022 I would like to know when the light railway -running east from Ypres- identified in this report from V Corps war diary (April 1915) was constructed? Any help appreciated. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 30 January , 2022 Share Posted 30 January , 2022 Wouldn't that be the pre war light railway running from Menen over Geluwe, Beselare, Geluveld and Hooge to Ieper? Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 30 January , 2022 Author Share Posted 30 January , 2022 Thanks Jan, do you have a source for this? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 30 January , 2022 Author Share Posted 30 January , 2022 The consensus on twitter seems to be that this was not a light railway but a wooden tramway- but was it constructed by the French before the British took over this part of the line in early 1915? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 30 January , 2022 Share Posted 30 January , 2022 twitter? bah. Consensus among twitterati who have never seen any source that wasn't in English? Source? There WAS a tramway running from Menen to Ieper before the war, running along the Menin Road and making a detour from Vieux Chien towards Beselare and back to Geluveld. The Germans had it running again by early 1915 up to Veldhoek (and they expanded the network as well). The tramline was operational until some years after WW2. Some pics of this line around Geluwe (during WW1 and after): Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 30 January , 2022 Author Share Posted 30 January , 2022 Jan, Thanks again for taking the trouble and the excellent pioctures. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 30 January , 2022 Share Posted 30 January , 2022 26 minutes ago, David_Blanchard said: Jan, Thanks again for taking the trouble and the excellent pioctures. David No problem. I am sometimes amazed about how little general knowledge is around. Some pics from 1914 showing the same line closer to Ypres: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205306652 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205306654 Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green_acorn Posted 23 February , 2022 Share Posted 23 February , 2022 Jan, Those would be Metre Gauge lines, rather than 60cm “light railway” lines thwart so many think of. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebu Posted 23 February , 2022 Share Posted 23 February , 2022 Pre-war, shown on the map. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapper D. Posted 25 February , 2022 Share Posted 25 February , 2022 Been to Ieper a few times now, & we're off again this August - can't wait!!! What a lovely map. Funny how the new town is (almost...) 100% the Old Town. Same old streets, same old buildings - brought a smile to my face. BTW: what went on at the "Plaine d'Amour", or is that a nodnod-winkwink question? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interested Posted 25 February , 2022 Share Posted 25 February , 2022 3 minutes ago, Sapper D. said: "Plaine d'Amour" Hoping you'll report back, after your visit (Censors permitting)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapper D. Posted 25 February , 2022 Share Posted 25 February , 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green_acorn Posted 2 October , 2022 Share Posted 2 October , 2022 On 26/02/2022 at 03:55, Sapper D. said: ... Funny how the new town is (almost...) 100% the Old Town. Same old streets, same old buildings - brought a smile to my face. ... This article has a good explanation of the reconstruction of Ypres. http://www.greatwar.co.uk/ypres-salient/town-ieper-history-1919.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapper D. Posted 17 October , 2022 Share Posted 17 October , 2022 Thanks for the head up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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