Moseley Railway Trust loco heads off to Utrect Museum

Apologies if you have seen this elsewhere...just doing my job....

The Moseley Railway Trust has issued the following press
release this evening.

The Utrect museum’s webpage for the exhibition is here:-

http://www.spoorwegmuseum.nl/news__press/tracks_to_the_front.html

There seems to be some very interesting vehicles going on loan to this
event; I’m guessing that some of them are rarely, if ever, accessible to the
public in normal circumstances. I for one will be having a close look at the
EasyJet website tonight!!

Regards,

Simon Lomax
Publicity Officer, Moseley Railway Trust

(Release starts)

Press Release:- Moseley Railway Trust locomotive to star in exhibition at
Dutch Railway Museum

The Moseley Railway Trust is honoured to have been asked to provide exhibits
to support a major exhibition which is to be staged by the Dutch National
Railway Museum at Utrecht. 40Hp Motor Rail locomotive no.1369 and a water
tank wagon departed from the Trust’s base at Apedale, Staffordshire on 9th
March 2013. They will be displayed in Utrecht alongside other exhibits
gathered from as far afield as Serbia. The Motor Rail locomotive is one of
the distinctive “Enclosed” type locomotives. It was restored to working
order during an episode of the “Salvage Squad” TV series.

Phil Robinson, Moseley Railway Trust chairman said - We are delighted to be
able to support one of Europe’s major railway museums. We are confident that
this loan will further raise the profile of the Moseley Railway Trust, and
will also raise awareness of the major event – Tracks to the Trenches -
which will be held at Apedale in September 2014 to mark the start of the
First World War.

The Utrecht museum has issued its own press release describing the event,
which follows:-

War on rails
Exhibition at the Dutch Railway Museum about the role of the train in time
of war

Within the framework of the celebration of 300 years since the Peace Treaty
of Utrecht, The Dutch Railway Museum will organize an exhibition in 2013
under the name Tracks to the front. The exhibition demonstrates the
influence of the railway on the conduct of war and the deployment of trains
for armed conflicts. The exhibition is composed of a large number of
international loans, including of several war locomotives and army and
armored trains. The exhibition will take place March 30, 2013 until
September 2, 2013.

Revolution in warfare
Much has been written about the role of the railway in the development of
cities, economics and mobility. The fact that the railway also caused a
revolution in warfare is much less known. Because of the supply of men,
weapons and food, pitched battles between hostile armies could take much
longer, take place at several places and gain a greater magnitude. On the
basis of several themes, 'Tracks to the front' tells the story of the part
the train played in time of war, from the American Civil War, the First and
Second World War to the Cold War. The exhibition consists of a large number
of international loans, inclusive of war locomotives, army trains and
rolling stock from England (from the Imperial War Museum among other
things), Germany, Slovenia and Serbia. There are loans from the Netherlands
as well, from the Veluwse Stoomtrein Maatschappij (VSM), Stichting NS162,
the Geniemuseum in Vught and the Ministry of defence. As a matter of course,
the Railway Museum will also exhibit its war-related collection.

300 years Peace Treaty of Utrecht
In 2013, it will be 300 years since the Peace Treaty of Utrecht was signed.
This Peace Treaty established the new balance of power within Europe. The
city of Utrecht commemorates this important moment in history of diplomacy
with various festivities, cultural events and exhibitions. The Dutch Railway
Museum has also been approached to reflect on an exhibition that links up
with the theme ‘The Art of Making Peace’. On first thoughts this could be
difficult; on the one hand because the railway did not exist in 1713 and on
the other hand because the theme is not obvious in connection with the
railway history. However, it is feasible to elucidate the counterpart of
peace, that is the train in time of war. That's why The Dutch Railway
Museum, in its exhibition ‘Tracks to the front’, will provide an insight
into the influence the railway had on the conduct of war in Europe and the
deployment of trains for armed conflicts.

(Release ends)