#VE75 part 2. Once the Allies had formed a beachead they pushed in land. Damage to the railway was minimal due to achieving complete suprise. At Caen they found heavy damage to the railway from Allied bombing in an effort to disrupt traffic. @Proud_Sappers @RE_Hist_Society 
The RE railway troops were organised under the Way and Works group as Rly Survey Coys, Rly Bridging Coys and Rly Construction Coys. This was augmented with Pioneer Coys and Plant Coys. Some 200 Officers and 7000 men were available for the task.
By D+5 recce had been started on railway stores and engineer parks. Bayeux was selected as the main railway stores depot. 7 miles of track was laid with 53 turnouts with the depot open to traffic by the 12th of August 1944.
Damage to Caen was substantial, requiring significant track relaying and turnouts. Five major bridges were repaired. By 6th of August 6 miles of sidings had been made ready in Caen to act as a regulating centre. The River Orne bridge was 100% destroyed.
The 150ft wideRiver Orne was bridged using two Unit Construction Railway Bridges (UCRB) with a central trestle pier on camel feet foundations in the river. Work started 23rd July with completion on the 15th of August 1944.
The River Seine posed the next challenge with a 935ft bridge required to cross a 800ft wet gap at Orival or 530ft at Le Manoir. The later site won out due to the sandy river bed being suitable for the camel feet temporary foundations.
The Seine bridge was built on five trestle piers on camels feet. Girders were six spans of UCRB with two 40ft approach spans of welded plate girder. 1180 tonnes of stores were uses to build the bridge being completed in 17 days by the 20th of September 1944.
References are @ICELibrary the Civil Engineer in War. Standard Military Railway Bridges by FS Bond. One More River to Cross by JH Joiner, The Longmoor Military Railway hy D Ronald & M Christensen and Vol VIII railway construction.
