Lithe and Loaded: The Decauvilles of the Frontier Wars

Decauville takes its name from the French engineer Paul Decauville (1846-1922), a pioneer in industrial railways.


Decauville's major innovation was the use of ready-made sections of light, narrow gauge track fastened to steel sleepers; this track was also portable and could be disassembled and transported very easily.

During the Frontier wars against Afghan tribes, the Decauville proved to be a great asset for the army. Its track was laid along the lines of the main road, which not only reduced the wear and tear of the roads from transport carts but this light system was also able to carry an equivalent of one thousand camel loads.

The Decauville was eventually used to carry, on a daily average, 160 tons supplies, 1,600 sheep and 100 personnel. A part of it was also reserved for evacuation of the sick.

In Europe too, the Decauville was an extremely useful system and by the First World War had become an indispensable way of military transport, allowing the French and the British to built thousands of miles of trench railway tracks.

The Decauville Primrose at the National Rail Museum is a narrow gauge (2'6") locomotive, manufactured by W.G. Bagnall of Stafford, U.K. The locomotive number of the Primrose is MYS 507.

It has a 2-4-2 wheel arrangement, which signifies the number of pilot wheels-driving wheels-trailing wheels respectively.

It has an inside plate frame, two 8"x15" cylinders outside, and Bagnall's link motion valve gear and a peculiar rectangular shaped arrangement for a saddle tank.

The silver star painted on the door of the boiler is a signature of the Bagnall locomotives.