The Senussi Cave Railway was a 400 yards (370 m) long, 2 feet (610 mm) narrow gauge railway that was built in 1941 during the Siege of Tobruk at the Senussi Cave near Tobruk, Libya.[1]
| Senussi Cave Railway | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 400 yd (370 m) |
| Track gauge | 2 ft (610 mm) |
History
editThe Senussi Cave Railway leads from a military road that was blasted into the mountains on 28 August 1941 above a wadi east of Tobruk harbour to the Senussi Cave.[2][3]
The Senussi Cave had been reinforced during World War II by Italian troops with a concrete arch. It was captured by British and Australian troops in the summer of 1941 and prepared to be used as a field hospital named "Senussi Hospital" in the cave. However, eventually it was used as a bomb-proof store.[4] Up to 300 t of ammunition and goods could be securely stored there.[5]
Photos
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"Senussi Hospital" cave -
Blasting of the military road -
Loading the trains east of the harbour
Rolling stock
edit- 2 diesel locos
- 6 wagons
References
edit- ^ Australian War Memorial, Nr. 020201: Troops who worked in the "Senussi Hospital" cave.
- ^ Australian War Memorial, Nr. 020387: Explosion during blasting operations on the eastern side of the harbour.
- ^ Australian War Memorial, Nr. 020386: Road leading to a railway line on which runs a small freight train.
- ^ Australian War Memorial, Nr. 020202: The entrance to the "Senussi Hospital" cave.
- ^ Australian War Memorial, Nr. 020390: Small freight train loaded with stores.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Senussi Cave Railway.