79 Railway Squadron

The modern day 79 Railway Squadron was part of the 17 Port and Maritime Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps of the British Army. They were responsible for maintaining and providing the British Army with its railway transportation requirements.

Originally, the Railway Squadron started life in the Royal Engineers at Longmoor Military Camp in Hampshire. They were known as the Longmoor Military Railway and operated steam locomotives. The Squadron eventually moved to Monchengladbach in West Germany and in the fullness of time became 79 Railway Squadron, Royal Corps of Transport. The locomotives were all diesel and for a while the future of the squadron seemed uncertain until 1983, when a multi-million pound makeover was begun. New locomotives started to arrive and the operating yard at Monchengladbach got a makeover.

79 Railway Squadron was disbanded at Marchwood on 13 May 2012.