Tractor Unit ID please

[cliff]

while browsing the AWM I found this photo taken in 1944 in Western Europe. It is a part of an RAF Photographic section known as 'the blue train'.

Can anyone ID the tractor units for me Please.

Cheers
Cliff

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by cliff
while browsing the AWM I found this photo taken in 1944 in Western Europe. It is a part of an RAF Photographic section known as 'the blue train'.

Can anyone ID the tractor units for me Please.

Cliff,

They are Crossley Q - type 4x4 tractors.

Richard

[cliff]

Thanks Richard I appreciate that.

Cheers
Cliff

[Noel Burgess]

Interesting Photo - so I googled Blue Train all I found was: -

THE TELCOM ORGANISATION was formed by arrangement with the War Office in June 1944 to enable personnel of Cable & Wireless Ltd to accompany the armed services in the assault on the Axis powers, in Europe and Asia, as an uniformed force. They were subject to military discipline and to the orders of military Commanders in Chief.
Members of the unit were given para-military status and operated on the front line from vehicles known as the 'blue train'

This C&W History website also mentions a blue train in Italy and aTelcon unit in Korea in 1950.

The original AWM photo's narrative is:

Western Europe. C. 1944-11. A section of a Mobile Field Photographic Section, operating with 2nd Tactical Air Force. The many and elaborately equipped vehicles comprising the Section are popularly known in the RAF as the "Blue Train".

Are these the same ?
Anybody know more or have more photos?

[servicepub (RIP)]

Nice of those RAF types to provide a colourful 'aiming point' on the sides of their trailers.

[Noel Burgess]

I beleive that a large roundell on the sides of vehicles was a characteristic marking for 2 Tactical Airforce in NW Europe. Hope they didn't get too near the front line.

[Les Freathy]

Thats an interesting photo Cliff, unusual to see TAC photos from the AWM. I wonder if there are more taken at the same time as i have been building a collection of military film and photographic vehicles for many years and that one is new to me, heres a photo of a photographic train no2 with Bedford OXC tractors and two of the unusual Thornycroft ZS/TC4 water tankers, these featured a generator mounted in front of the engine with direct coupling

[Noel Burgess]

Found Clif's photo on the IWM site where the caption reads:

ROYAL AIR FORCE: 2ND TACTICAL AIR FORCE, 1943-1945. : Tenders of No. 5 (RCAF) Mobile Field Photographic Section drawn up at Vitry, France. 5 MFPS was allocated to No. 39 (PR) Wing RCAF

I did't keep a note of the 'photo number but it is in the "CL" range. Unfortunately there are no other photos of this unit but the series includes several other interesting photos - particularly of Airfield Construction Plant and Humber Light Recon. cars of the RAF Regiment.

Anyone have any details of the semi-trailers? I'm sure I've seen sketches of these described as radio trailers.

As to the "Blue Train" name - I believe this to be a nickname (probably applied to any "fancy" train of vehicles) based on the fact that many pre war railway trains to (then) exotic holiday resorts were called "the Blue Train" - I'd be happy to be corrected.

Anyone want to speculate on the Telcon trains I mentioned earlier?
Noel

[Eduard Sorokin]

Originally Posted by Les Freathy

I wonder if there are more taken at the same time as i have been building a collection of military film and photographic vehicles for many years and that one is new to me, heres a photo of a photographic train no2 with Bedford OXC tractors and two of the unusual Thornycroft ZS/TC4 water tankers, these featured a generator mounted in front of the engine with direct coupling

Probably, the same or similar unit here. The image titled "1950s RAF trucks on a landing craft". Note ZS/TC4 trucks and Bedford between them ( https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1950s-pos...4AAOSwK~RZ-ZVL ):