military railway built war great_britain purpose supply ammunition provisions allied soldiers engaged siege stationed plateau carried world hospital train railway built cost contract partnership english railway contractors led weeks arrival fleet carrying materials men railway started run seven weeks miles track completed railway major factor leading success siege end war track sold removed start siege britain france declared war russia march support ottoman_empire late summer british led lord french turkish allies decided siege black_sea port held russians best method forcing end war landing forces north british set base narrow harbour miles south september land plateau feet sea level towns connected road little track travelled northwards rising slightly village mile turned west climbing plateau col french supplied harbour early october british troops supplies artillery way difficulty road prepare siege place bombardment took place starting october expected bombardment effective siege short lived certainly winter russians blew french magazines damage british gunfire soon repaired british running ammunition supplies winter approaching onset bad weather road virtually impassable supplies arriving crowded port impossible convey besieging troops increasingly suffering disease conditions deteriorating railway news conditions relayed britain mainly special correspondent times hearing news leading railway contractors day offered partners build cost contract personal advantage railway transport supplies port troops outside promised railroad work weeks landing offer accepted contractors began obtain supplies purchase hire ships recruit men included specialists fleet set sail december arrived beginning february played important working partnership build european north american railway recruited chief engineer line surveyed worked european north american railway campbell task create wharf railway materials yard adjacent planned track pass middle main street town went gorge north town close water edge ground village railway rise feet plateau routes available campbell chose follow existing road parts gradient steep campbell managed find route maximum gradient stationary engine required stretch pull railway carriages plateau ground rough fairly level presented fewer problems lord headquarters col decided depot constructed construction february week landing laying rails main street trial assembly stationary engines acquired case failure february working 13th railway reached point yards town 19th began function 23rd horse drawn supplies taken days starting lay rails weeks arrival fleet port railway yard extended accommodation built workers storage materials march line complete col load taken headquarters depot time line double tracked constructed near wharf seven weeks miles track laid time pioneer photographer arrived recorded railway progress april railway carry sick injured plateau argued hospital train run time colonel appointed charge new department army arrived early march duties operation railway contractors finally handed early july war continues existence railway meant sufficient supplies armaments transported plateau allies resume attack started april continued days initially little progress russians able repair damage caused russians continued deliver supplies north sustained heavy casualties following period stalemate allied forces cut main russian supply lines increased supply ammunition meant allies able mount bombardment june intensive previous ones followed assault 7th 8th met limited degree success supplies brought railway fourth bombardment took place june subsequent attack failure end siege russians suffered significant defeat battle august took place days 17th intention destroying russian defence works possible followed successful allied attack september bringing siege end days later summer surveys carried intention supplying british forces french allies joined war end rail time electric underwater cable warfare connecting allies base bulgaria locomotives lines locomotives running november late affect outcome siege locomotives effective manage easy gradient light load second hand locomotives purchased contractors railway companies england known arrived alliance victory small saddle tanks built leeds nos bury type passenger engines built fifth locomotive swan details remain obscure left november return england sick man took earlier september majesty floating factory arrived provide engineering service direction stationary engine arrived railway constructed danger severely damaged weather coming winter organised building new lines superior quality short time november miles track laid british headquarters lines french headquarters advancing end war second winter supplies carried railway different siege ended carriage ammunition important supplies related accommodation comfort troops included replace tents clothing food books medical supplies colonel left sick man december passing control railway colonel following completion branch railway reached limit measured miles plus miles loops lay ruins end siege died march peace negotiations opened new hostilities ended allies russians february treaty paris signed march russians sold track turks soon war ended rails uprooted taken away railway ceased exist argentina myth discounted popular legend claims steam engines line went new life newly started argentina according myth reason railways argentina built indian gauge builders supposedly chosen enabled use available engines rolling stock built lines india research 1950s showed story contemporary information shows railway standard gauge despite subsequent rumours irish gauge indian gauge argentina neighbours chile adopted gauge works number argentine steam engines display argentina left manufacturer company leeds demolition railway begun dimensions characteristics unsuitable steep technical considerations prevented conversion standard broad gauge hand contemporary reports claim engines went argentina instance mentions letters train travelled pulled little engine serving time line condemned useless buenos_aires shipped
Grand Crimean Central Railway