Lancashire At War.co.uk
Exploring the hidden history of War sites in Lancashire
Railways in World War Two
Our family has a history on our Mothers' side of working on the railways. She would always tell us that her relatives couldn't go to war as they had to drive the trains - and what a dangerous job that was in wartime!
Coal powered trains could not hide their fireboxes at night - and follow them long enough and they would end up at a major city, industrial complex, ordnance factory or marshalling yard - all good targets to a lost or opportunistic bomber crew.
Right is a British Rail advert from WW2.
Below is an article about our Uncle Joe who worked on the railways all his life - and tells of one particular night in WW2. Railway workers were not allowed to enlist, they had to serve their country in other ways.
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During the Second World War, there wasn't the motorway network we see today - there were no motorways at all. The railway was the main way to move things quickly, economically and in large quantities.
Railways had spurs to Royal Ordnance Factories and some of these are still visible today, often heavily guarded. In other places sidings had guard posts to keep an eye on parked up fully loaded ordnance trains. There is the story of one on THIS PAGE and the possibility of another site - CLICK HERE SOON.