BAOR railway wagon?

Private Number of posts : 1 Registration date : 2008-06-07

Hello,

recently I published a photo in a German railway orientated internet forum:

BAOR railway wagon? 1024_3065306264633334

The shot was taken on April 30, 1968 between Herzogenrath and Kohlscheid in the Aachen area. I was informed that the first wagon behind the class 50 steam engine is a BAOR wagon. Here is s closer look:

BAOR railway wagon? Wagenherzogenrathzn6

BAOR railway wagon? Wagenherzogenrathzn6

Can anybody, please, shed some light on the wagon and/or the operation?

Subject: Re: BAOR railway wagon? 12/6/2008, 10:55

Posted a link to these photo's on the RAOC board, here is the reply I got

"Looks like the Army Guard Waggon we used to use from Bracht for Train Guards of Ammunition to Antwerp. Fitted out with bunks and cooker for a 6 man guard.

I did 2 such train guards in the early 70's Both times being at the rear of the train. On one trip we also had a U.S. Army contingent who used a standard D.B. Passanger Carrage"

Subject: Re: BAOR railway wagon? 12/6/2008, 13:56

here are some more replies and links

"Looking again at the larger picture in the link I would certainly say that the remaining wagons are of British origin, the large curve roof is standard British pre and post war design BR general service cargo and box wagons. See link for some examples:"

http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c1162812.html

and

"It looks similar but not quite the same as the ammunition train guard wagon I once journeyed in from Bracht to Zeebrugge. Not a pleasant duty in winter actually. Most of the several days was spent stationary in marshalling yards in Belgium but you could not stray in case the dratted thing and the ammunition was moved. Movement was mainly at night and could be anything from a few hundred yards to many miles at relatively high speed. The yards were a long way from civilization. The wagon I recall (year 1966) was smaller I think and certainly more squalid. It had a flag on it to signify to shunters that it was inhabited, not that that seemed to signify anything - the first sign of action would be a juddering shunt which sent us, compo, coal briquettes and jerrycans the length of the wagon and a wild ride to sudden reversal of us, compo, coal briquettes and jerrycans at buffers. It had a sort of hole in the floor toilet arrangement, a stove using coal briquettes, jerrycans of water and a box of compo. Foul mattresses and you took your own blankets.

There were others -the American version seemed like a Pullman car and the Belgian Army version seemed even more primitive than ours.

Arrived in Zeebrugge in a snowstorm, black with smoke from the stove and recall taking myself and guard, having handed over to some Gunners for the return trip, to a still fondly recalled hearty lunch in a restaurant at Zeebrugge Harbour."

Subject: Re: BAOR railway wagon? 12/6/2008, 15:36

Looks like you have stirred up a lot of old memories here mate

"The Guard Waggon we used in the early 70's must have been an updated version. (I think thier were 3 in total at Bracht Sidings most of the time)

Now that you meantion it I think I did train guards to both Antwerp and Zeebrugge!

Bunk Beds had rubber covers, and we used our own issued Sleeping Bags.

Cooker was Bottled Gas (Bottle carried on platform at back) and we were fed by a 10 Man Ration Pack, with RAOC Bread, Milk & Patatos extra.

It had Water Tank on roof for washing ect, but we carried 4 x Plastic Jerry Cans of water as well for cooking, drinking and brews.

Toilet was still a WC with Trap Door but used water from tank to flush it"

Subject: Re: BAOR railway wagon? 20/7/2008, 17:43

I may be wrong, but isn't that Reydt hill in the background? That would place the train on the Spur from 79 Rly Sqn to Arsbeck (unless that's considered the Aachen area!)