Author Topic: Ottoman Turkish locomotives in the Levant 1914-18 (Read 12348 times)

Gandalf · « **on:** 02 November 2010, 04:01:51 AM »

Does anyone have any information on types of locomotives used by the Ottoman Turks during the First World War in what is now the Palestinian territories, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan etc and whether any commercial models are available in N gague?
It may not ever come to fruition as a project but I'm looking into developing a "Lawrence of Arabia/Alleby in Palestine" campaign using 10mm figures and would like to incorporate a train attack.
Thanks

carlos marighela · « **Reply #1 on:** 02 November 2010, 06:47:19 AM »

As Germany was the major financial backer of the Turkish railway system and as Germany was a major manufacturer of locomotives and rolling stock, I suspect that the Turks used whatever the contemporary German puff-puffs were. My knowledge of trains is limited to Thomas, James, Henry, Gordon and co.

Plynkes · « **Reply #2 on:** 02 November 2010, 09:03:10 AM »

I think the Hejaz was a narrow-gauge railway. Almost certainly knowing even less about trains than Carlos (I have a passing familiarity with Thomas, Annie and Clarabel, but don't even remember the names of the others), I have no idea how that would have impacted on what trains ran on it.

This might interest you, though how helpful it will be in finding models is doubtful:

Various Locomotives (Gives names of manufacturers and dates, which is a start)

Rolling Stock (That Nurenburg coach is roughly contemporary with the Arab Revolt)

Old Photos (Unfortunately mostly a little late for our period, but interesting nonetheless)

Westfalia Chris · « **Reply #3 on:** 02 November 2010, 10:15:49 AM »

Off the top of my head, I only know about the "Bagdadbahn" (Baghdad Railway, from Konya to Baghdad). This one was supposed to be standard gauge (1435), but in 1914, only roughly half of the ~2000km track had been completed, gaps being filled by 600mm (2ft) narrow gauge sections.

For the standard gauge sections, locos were provided by the major German manufacturers, notably Borsig, Cail, Hanomag, Henschel and Maffei; in all likelihood, these were standard models, so any German loco manufactured between 1900 and 1914 should probably be fair game; possibly restrict it to pre-1913 models because of the difficulty of getting heavy material to Constantinople after August 1914.

It can be assumed that the narrow-gauge locos were also provided by those, and were possibly the standard "Feldbahn 0-8-0T" design (which was manufactured by numerous companies, according to Bishop and Davis [1972]).

carlos marighela · « **Reply #4 on:** 02 November 2010, 08:35:12 PM »

Jorge, my 2 1/2 year old son, is currently train obsessed. While I harbour fears of him, 30 years hence, armed with a clipboard, haunting railway stations and solemnly intoning serial numbers, I suspect it's a passing phase. Distant memories of the Rev. Audrey's books aside, it has compelled me to know more about Thomas the tank engine than I would otherwise wish. At the very least I have to know who 'number 3' and 'number 4' are and what colour they are are when required to hunt for the damned things in the untamed wilderness that is his bedroom.

On the other hand he seems equally drawn to something called 'Mr Maker', which features some frenetic prat making stuff that invariably requires the contents of a craft store, like 'gloopy glue' and 'googly eyes'. There's no escape from this as my wife has discovered there is a Portuguese dubbed version in Brazil.

Maybe given a few years he can blitz a LAF 'build something' contest.

Apols for the digression.

Michi · « **Reply #5 on:** 03 November 2010, 04:52:40 PM »

The image shows a pre WW1 Prussian G10 in Turkey, but I´d say there must have been G8s as well. Both models were for goods trains. Just google for them.

Quote from: Gandalf on 02 November 2010, 04:01:51 AM

any commercial models are available in N gague?

G8:
http://shop.ebay.de/?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=br+55+spur+n&_sacat=See-All-Categories

http://shop.ebay.de/i.html?_nkw=g8+spur+n&_sacat=0&_dmpt=DE_Modellbau_Modelleisenbahnen&_odkw=g10+spur+n&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

G10:
http://cgi.ebay.de/Hobbytrain-Spur-N-10573-Dampflok-BR-57-grun-KPEV-K856-/370330438918?pt=DE_Modellbau_Modelleisenbahnen&hash=item56396a0d06

http://cgi.ebay.de/Trix-12248-Schlepptenderlok-G10-Spur-N-neu-OVP-/140356717228?pt=DE_Modellbau_Modelleisenbahnen&hash=item20ade98aac

Gandalf · « **Reply #6 on:** 04 November 2010, 12:07:36 AM »

Thanks for your input there folks, especially to Michi for the factual stuff but also to Carlos and Chris for the Thomas the Tank Engine jokes

sukhe_bator · « **Reply #7 on:** 05 October 2012, 03:59:57 PM »

I first spotted a lovely series of 3 studies of the Hejaz railway in 'The Heritage of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia', by Wahbi Al-Hariri-Rifai and Mokhless Al-Hariri-Rifai, 1990, GDG Publications, Washington DC, ISBN 0-9624483-0-3
http://www.amazon.com/The-Heritage-Kingdom-Saudi-Arabia/dp/0962448303
The 3 photo studies of the Hijaz Railway at Madain Saleh include a small train station, railway cars - the shell of a caboose style carriage, and an old maintenance shed complete with rusting loco in situ, pretty much untouched since WW1.
I've just googled 'Hejaz Railway''Mada'in Salih' and there's some good reference photos online