|
|
 Posted - September 10 2008 : 08:40:19 AM
|
built by a millionaire back in twenties it helped defend the uk and its only 15 inch gauge ken
http://www.rhdr.org.uk/rhdr/home_flash.html
|
Country:  United Kingdom ~
Posts: 8294 ~
Member Since: September 28 2006 ~
Last Visit: October 20 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
B 67
Switcher
Status:
offline
| |
Posted - September 10 2008 : 11:02:17 AM
|
Oh wouldn't it be nice? If I ever make it to the UK, the RHDR is a must for me. I have a small collection of vintage RHDR books, a more modern one and some video. It featured as a late night news story here in Australia once. The newsreader was a known steam buff. :) Did you know that the money to build the railway came from land in Melbourne, Australia?
|
Country:  Australia ~
Posts: 69 ~
Member Since: April 21 2008 ~
Last Visit: April 06 2022
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 10 2008 : 11:11:54 AM
|
| hi b67 no i did not interesting,i spent one of my holidays in a camp that backed onto it,ken
|
|
Country: United Kingdom ~
Posts: 8294 ~
Member Since: September 28 2006 ~
Last Visit: October 20 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
B 67
Switcher
Status:
offline
| |
Posted - September 11 2008 : 04:40:50 AM
|
I'm not sure of the exact details, but apparently one of the Howey family bought some land in what later became the centre of Melbourne. Needless to say, that land went up a great deal in value when eventually sold. That money passed onto Jack Howey, who of course built the RH&DR. Today, there is still "Howey Place" in Melbourne. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howey_Place,_Melbourne No mention to the origin of the name, but the tv news story I saw over 10 years ago did link it with RHDR.
You mention the line helped defend the UK. I've seen the photos of the armoured train and although I'm aware that it did actually shoot down a German plane (the pilot of which was said to be mortified at having been shot down by a "toy train"), it really amazes me that the army took over the railway and went to the trouble of converting it for wartime use.
I understand the line did or still does transport students to and from school too. Incredible.
|
|
Country: Australia ~
Posts: 69 ~
Member Since: April 21 2008 ~
Last Visit: April 06 2022
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - September 11 2008 : 04:52:29 AM
|
| as you may know br was formed in 1937,ans an order was passes,that all coastal railway would be used for defence,i do not know the facts but rumour has it that the goverment thought it was a full size system not 5 inch,regards the pilot,i think the romour here is that,when he fired at the train he thought he was high in the sky,but when he realised it was a 5 inch gauge it was to late to pull up? ken
|
|
Country: United Kingdom ~
Posts: 8294 ~
Member Since: September 28 2006 ~
Last Visit: October 20 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
Home
Forums
Events Calendar
Forum Admins & Mods
Register
