Anglo-Boer War derailing re-enactment

[John Ashworth]

On Saturday 25th July 2009 a couple of military chappies pitched up at Capital Park, by pre-arrangement, to test the method by which the Boers reportedly derailed trains during the Anglo-Boer War.

The Boers used to cut the stock, barrel and trigger guard off a standard rifle, attach it to a wooden frame, insert a blank cartridge, and bury it under the track with the trigger just touching the rail. Next to it they placed a detonator and a bag of explosive. As the train rides over it, the rail is depressed enough to "pull" the trigger. The flash from the blank cartridge ignites the detonator which sets off the explosives and the train is derailed.

For the re-enactment our visitors brought a genuine old rifle, alreadly sawn off and attached to a wooden frame. A blank .303 cartridge was inserted, it was cocked and buried under the rail (without the detonator and explosives, I hasten to add), and Shedman Gabor gingerly drove 2650 over it. Sure enough there was a puff of dust and a strong smell of cordite. Experiment successful!

The experiment was repeated, this time without burying the apparatus, so we could see what happened. Once again Gabor drove over the truncated rifle; this time we saw the muzzle flash.

Our visitors were very happy that the experiment confirmed what was written in the history books. Apparently they had been doubtful that the rail would be depressed enough to activate the trigger.

Photos by John Ashworth, 25th July 2009

[Tom Macrery]

Interesting set of photos. Was the last one fortuitous, or did you snap when you heard the crack? Also interesting that the flash is visible some few inches from the end of the sawed-off muzzle. I wonder how far away from the muzzle the flash would still be visible given good conditions, a good camcorder, and a night time shot?

[John Ashworth]

That last photo was rather fortuitous. The .303 cartridges were so old that there was no real sound to be heard, just a flash and a strong smell of cordite. Chris and the army chaps themselves may have got better photos, and I think Chris also had a camcorder going.