In 1942 with the formation of the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME) Old Dalby was used not only for storage but also building, maintaining and repairing vehicles, machinery and equipment. Known as 35 Base Workshops, Old Dalby, this brought expansion of the existing railway sidings and a great increase in traffic for the line.
A few pictures of the Army shunters
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A view from the signal box across to the
exchange sidings on 19th December 1968 shows one of the Army shunters in
the yard Author's collection |
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Another view of the
same loco Author's collection |
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One of the original shunters from Old
Dalby now restored and presently at the
Rutland Railway Museum near
Oakham but not the one in the early photos above. Author |
After the war the Technical Stores Depot (TSD) retained its role in supporting the REME workshop but following a new management structure and the formation of agencies in the mid-1990s, the Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO) took over the REME workshops and the Army Base Storage & Distribution Agency (ABSDA) became responsible for the stores depot.
In 1996, ABRO Old Dalby closed. The Old Dalby Station (not railway) was divided and the ABRO workshops buildings and real estate sold off. The workshop buildings have been occupied by a variety of private businesses and the former ABRO site is now known as the Crown Business Park.
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An aerial view of the army base used by
the agents who sold off the property. Note the test track running across
the bottom of the picture with the goods shed prominent. Unknown |
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A closer look at part of the base Unknown |
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Recent aerial view of Old Dalby and the
former Army base |
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Recent aerial view of Old Dalby and the former Army base Note the headshunt at bottom RH corner formerly used for rail access to the base |
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The new Belvoir Brewery and pub built on the edge of one of the
old Army bases pictured this year. Highly recommended! Mike Gatenby |
The remainder of the former Old Dalby Station continued as a sub-Depot in the Stores Division of ABSDA. However in 1997 a Storage Rationalisation Study recommended that the ABSDA Sub-Depot at Old Dalby should close. The closure of the Old Dalby Sub-Depot was announced in November 1997 and confirmed in April 1998.
Further snippets about the workshops can be found on various ex-army blogs accessed through a search engine.
