I love trams. I think everyone who knows me, is well aware of this fact. If I’m in a city that has trams, it’s pretty much guaranteed I’ll hop on one just for the journey. There is something about a tram that I find deeply satisfying. I have no idea why. After all, I like all public transport. But a tram…
So, it was obvious I was going to be watching the WFA webinar tonight. It was titled A Self Contained Military Force: The story of the Canadian Corps tramway companies on the western front. And what an eye-opener it was.
Okay, I knew both sides used trains but, until tonight, I had no idea that the French, British and Canadian armies built, operated and maintained an extensive narrow gauge, light rail system that would enable transportation between railheads and the trenches. From ammunition heading out to wounded soldiers heading back, the trams were a great investment. For both sides.
According to the Imperial War Museum, both sides realized early on that a narrow gauge light rail system would be essential:
The French and Germans had a ready solution for the first part of this journey because they had recognised before the war that there would be an important role for 60cm gauge light railway systems. These were like model train sets with light, narrow gauge sections of railway line that could be easily laid on the ground and relocated when they were needed elsewhere. They quickly established networks that led from the main supply dumps to the artillery batteries and then further forward to smaller supply dumps and refilling points from which the front lines could be served.
IWM available online at: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/transport-and-supply-during-the-first-world-war
In fact, as the war started heading towards November 1918, the Allies would repair and reuse German light rail tracks left behind, as the Central Powers retreated.
Unfortunately, while the content was terrific, tonight’s webinar lacked delivery. The presenter (Bradley Shoebottom) read the entire presentation from something lying on the desk in front of him. Given it was a video, and he was in shot all the time, all we saw was the top of his head. He also kept pausing, confused, as if he couldn’t understand his handwriting.
However, when we reached the Q&A at the end, he proved to be lively and informative with a ready smile. It was as if his personality had replaced the Reader with the Real. This Bradley Shoebottom should have given the lecture.
Anyway, that aside, I thought the webinar was full of fascinating information. I think the most impressive thing was how quickly the tracks and infrastructure were built. If you think about how long and over budget both the Edinburgh and Sydney light rail projects were, I think some skills were lost after the Great War.
By the way, for a comprehensive dive into the difference between trams and light rail, this is an excellently written piece on just that.