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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by der5997 Saw program on the History Channel a week or three ago about the massive mines that sappers planted in select parts of the Low Countries in WWI. Turns out several of these explosive-filled caverns are still there. No-one really knows what to do with them, and since they are believed to be flooded, they think there is minimal risk. We are talking multiple tens of thousands of tons of explosives all set to go off, and just on hold, as it were. Prime farm land now. Like to buy some?[}:)] [/br] [/quote] Yup, been there - it's around a town named Ypres. One of them went up in a storm, and the authorities are pretty sure where the others are but don't want to get into them just in case, at least, that's the story our coach driver told us (was a school trip to the WW1 battlefields). We also visited the site of a large mine that was detonated - both scary and awe-inspiring. In the middle of flat farmland was this enormous crater which was probably a good 150yds across and around 50yds deep. Farmers in the area regularly plow up old ordnance, so they have concrete markers at the roadsides where people can bring anything they find, local bomb disposal teams go round on a regular basis and collect it for safe disposal. The number of shells fired is truly staggering, pretty much any construction project in the area finds old trenches, shells, weaponry, etc. One of the most amazing sites was in a brickworks. While digging for sand they uncovered a superbly preserved dressing station (medical post) in a concrete bunker. They've since dug around it and have an admirable policy about public access - they don't mind so long as the visitors don't damage anything or obstruct their day to day work. We turned up on a holiday, left the coach and wandered through the bunker - there were still wooden bed frames visible in many rooms, along with rusted helmets and other stuff. Amazing area to visit, though you have to remember two rules: don't go off marked paths, and don't pick anything up (both due to leftover unexploded ordnance, though we didn't see any). Went back the same summer with parents and we found my Great-Grandfather's grave - he was killed during the last German offensive of the war in 1918, so we did a little research and found the cemetary. Very poignant places, row upon row of near-identical white tombstones, perfectly kept grass and flowers - so far removed from the way they died. Sorry if that's a little off-topic, just thought it might be of interest. On the MRR front, I've bought a new (to me) Fleischmann loco on eBay. German Class 211 diesel loco, basically a 4-axle road switcher. Brand new they're around £80, this was £25 including postage. Will probably be taking delivery late this week or early next week, then it'll be getting a DCC decoder as soon as I figure out how to wire it. Planning to operate it with the "Silberlinge" driving trailer I bought recently and ideally another coach, will be a convincing little branch line train complete with full working directional lighting.
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