Less mentioned Preservation Lines - lets BIG them up!

[Hornby Hombre]

There are many preservation lines but attention seems to be on the bigger ones like North Yorks Moor Railway or Bluebell so here is a chance to BIG UP the smaller lines. Please tell us where it is and why they're so wonderful.

Here is my contribution - Elsecar Heritage Railway, Elsecar nr Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The 3 mile line uses the name “The Coalfield Line” to celebrate and reflect on the coal mining heritage of the area. The railway connects the sites of several coal mines like Elsecar and Cortonwood.

I was brought up watching the locos pulling coal wagons so have a soft spot for working lines. It has wonderful locos and wonderful staff. Next door is Elsecar Heritage centre so it makes a great day out for all.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The Settle to Carlisle is a preserved line???

Quick, someone tell Northern!

Agree on Elsecar, a lovely little railway in a nice location. Churnet Valley is a nice one too, though I'm not sure it qualifies as 'small'.

 

[Hornby Hombre]

The Settle to Carlisle is a preserved line???

Quick, someone tell Northern!

Ok couldn't think of any others but I think you get what I mean lol!!! Some lines get more mention than others. Where is Churnet? please tell me what you like about it.

 

[mushroomchow]

The Battlefield Line threw a pretty good Autumn Gala last weekend by all accounts - heavy GWR theme with the last weekend of the Prairie and an autocoach brought in - though unfortunately I heard the visiting Pannier failed.

Shoutout to the Gwili Railway, which seems to be going places with its recent extension to "almost" Carmarthen. I enjoyed my visit there when I was younger, a positively bucolic route through the forest and friendly staff that let me have a short footplate ride.

 

[theageofthetra]

Sittingbourne & Kemsley. Always a good day out and nothing quite like it. The Beer festival is fun.

 

[mushroomchow]

Sittingbourne & Kemsley. Always a good day out and nothing quite like it. The Beer festival is fun.

Is that the ex-industrial one with the concrete viaducts? Always did mean to visit, it looks like a different experience as you said.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Ok couldn't think of any others but I think you get what I mean lol!!! Some lines get more mention than others. Where is Churnet? please tell me what you like about it.

The CVR is in Staffordshire, sort-of between Leek/Stoke/Uttoxeter. One of the reasons I like it is possibly a reason it gets forgotten: it's sort of hidden in a part of the country you wouldn't normally visit unless you were off to Alton Towers! It does run through some lovely countryside though, and alongside the restored Caldon Canal near Froghall.

 

[mushroomchow]

The CVR is in Staffordshire, sort-of between Leek/Stoke/Uttoxeter. One of the reasons I like it is possibly a reason it gets forgotten: it's sort of hidden in a part of the country you wouldn't normally visit unless you were off to Alton Towers! It does run through some lovely countryside though, and alongside the restored Caldon Canal near Froghall.

Precisely - it's somewhere I've meant to visit for a long time but keep forgetting to - same with the Foxfield. No excuse really as I have a friend who for reasons which escape me has decided to live in Stoke!

I do think the CVR would have it's profile raised significantly by extending even a DMU spur to the station near Alton Towers, which is intact and walkable from the park - though I understand there are logistical (read - land ownership) issues to overcome if it's ever likely to happen.

Also, what's the deal with the "eastern" section? It still appears as "NR" metals in the road atlas.

 

[John Webb]

A complete guide to heritage railways, big and small, can be found at http://www.heritage-railways.com/map.php. And don't forget the smaller railway museums as well (also available on the linked map) - there may be the (National) Railway Museum, Manchester and Shildon as the biggest, but many smaller museums have their attractions - Vintage Carriage Trust alongside the K&WVR at Ingrow West and the Kidderminster museum for example. And don't forget http://www.sigbox.co.uk - the preserved St Albans South signal box, the largest Midland Railway box in preservation. It's also one of very few preserved boxes adjacent to busy main line operations, and has a wonderful collection of working signals and levers. We're currently adding a narrow gauge point to our working demonstrations, thanks to the generosity of the Talyllyn Railway.

 

[Clip]

https://ribblesteam.org.uk/ its only a short ride but they do have a lot of locos in the shed and the model tram exhibition they had a while back was fantastic

 

[JayDee]

Statfold barn railway. 1.5 miles big museum and various events through the year. Probably the biggest working home fleet in the country with up to 20 engines in steam at 3 enthusiasts galas.

 

[trash80]

Leighton Buzzard Light Railway, never heard of it until i went to LB anyway and then saw the signs. Great railway

 

[Midnight Sun]

I do think the CVR would have it's profile raised significantly by extending even a DMU spur to the station near Alton Towers, which is intact and walkable from the park - though I understand there are logistical (read - land ownership) issues to overcome if it's ever likely to happen.
Also, what's the deal with the "eastern" section? It still appears as "NR" metals in the road atlas.

Are you mad? As you clearly not done it. I walked from the Village of Alton upto the park in 2007, it was half a hour of terror walking uphill along a narrow road next to a high wall.

 

[Trainfan344]

As you walk up that road you see the old gatehouse which was there and a lot easier to access from the Railway. Of course if you want to know more about the history of Alton Towers, Towersstreet.com is a great website with loads of info.

Back on topic, Mid Suffolk Light Railway doesn't get much discussion on here, only a short few hundred yards at the moment, but they've recently recieved planning permission to extend their line.

East Anglia Transport Museum in Carlton Colville run Trams, Trolleybus and a 2ft guage railway with a volunteer staff, Great way to spend an afternoon.

 

[Steptoe]

The Whitwell and Reepham Railway is a example of how much can be accomplished on a comparatively small site which is basically Whitwell Station's goods yard. If/when they are permitted to break out onto the 'mainline' trackbed (part of Marriot's Way) they will move up a league.

 

[50039]

Chinnor and Princes Risborough

 

[AndrewE]

The CVR is in Staffordshire, sort-of between Leek/Stoke/Uttoxeter. One of the reasons I like it is possibly a reason it gets forgotten: it's sort of hidden in a part of the country you wouldn't normally visit unless you were off to Alton Towers! It does run through some lovely countryside though, and alongside the restored Caldon Canal near Froghall.

I agree it is a lovely line, but I'd say it is well above the less-mentioned category, definitely only "not quite" in the Premier division. The Foxfield railway in the same area is another overlooked hidden industrial gem though.
See its freight trains working hard up the steep incline on Youtube...

 

[Flying Phil]

Here is a mention for the Northampton and Lamport Line. It is a typical small preservation scheme that is slowly but steadily growing, improving the infrastructure as well as enhancing the visitor experience.

 

[vlad]

I'll offer the Keith & Dufftown Railway. It's fairly easy to get to by rail (short walk in Keith) and the scenery isn't bad either.

Also, what's the deal with the "eastern" section [of the CVR]? It still appears as "NR" metals in the road atlas.

What do you mean by the eastern section? The track has been lifted east of Froghall but the trackbed is still in situ as far as the west side of Oakamoor as the track was only lifted a few years ago. The CVR ran (very) occasional trains to Oakamoor when it was able to do so.

 

[shap summit]

And here is a mention for the Royal Deeside railway on part of the Aberdeen to Ballater line. They have the original battery electric multiple unit that was used on the branch, as well as several shunters and a small steam loco.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

And here is a mention for the Royal Deeside railway on part of the Aberdeen to Ballater line. They have the original battery electric multiple unit that was used on the branch, as well as several shunters and a small steam loco.

Is the class 140 still there? I remember visiting the Glenfiddich Distillery about 20 years ago and the 140 was just visible, in the distance, from the distillery car park. Hadn't expected to travel all that way from Pacerland and see another!

 

[HaggisBotherer]

And here is a mention for the Royal Deeside railway on part of the Aberdeen to Ballater line. They have the original battery electric multiple unit that was used on the branch, as well as several shunters and a small steam loco.

Is the class 140 still there? I remember visiting the Glenfiddich Distillery about 20 years ago and the 140 was just visible, in the distance, from the distillery car park. Hadn't expected to travel all that way from Pacerland and see another!

It was on the Keith & Dufftown railway, not the Ballater operation.

According to the K&DR railway web site, it still is. http://keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk/rolling-stock/

 

[Basher]

Does anyone remember the private railway museum at Lytham? I visited it circ 1985 with my son. It was inside a small factory unit that manufactured springs There was a Y10 in there, after speaking to the curator I promised him a photograph of the same loco at St Margarets shed which I had. Did not send the photograph but had a return visit and give him a number of copies for him to sell for the benifit of the museum. The curator told me the museum was going to close in the then near future.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

It was on the Keith & Dufftown railway, not the Ballater operation.

According to the K&DR railway web site, it still is. http://keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk/rolling-stock/

Having just looked on Google maps, I realise my error... if I'd been able to see the Royal Deeside railway from the car park of Glenfiddich, either I'm from Krypton or there's something very magical about that that whisky!

 

[HaggisBotherer]

Having just looked on Google maps, I realise my error... if I'd been able to see the Royal Deeside railway from the car park of Glenfiddich, either I'm from Krypton or there's something very magical about that that whisky!

More magical products are available from other distilleries...

 

[61653 HTAFC]

More magical products are available from other distilleries...

"I thought there was only one 140, but I'm seeing at least two... and they're both hideous!"

 

[mushroomchow]

Are you mad? As you clearly not done it. I walked from the Village of Alton upto the park in 2007, it was half a hour of terror walking uphill along a narrow road next to a high wall.

You'll note with a quick look at a map that A) the station is closer to the park than the village, practically right on it's boundary and B) the original gatehouse to Alton Towers still remains on the other side of the road to the station entrance - safe access could easily be provided. I certainly wouldn't propose a walk from the station to the current park entrance along that road, which is scary enough to drive on let alone tackle as a pedestrian!

It's all wibble anyway to be fair, given the route to Oakamoor is gone which would have made getting there a lot easier.

What do you mean by the eastern section? The track has been lifted east of Froghall but the trackbed is still in situ as far as the west side of Oakamoor as the track was only lifted a few years ago. The CVR ran (very) occasional trains to Oakamoor when it was able to do so.

No, I'm talking about the line east to Cauldon quarry - it still shows as an intact NR route on the 2018 roadmap and Google Maps, though a quick glance at satellite tells me it's very much gone east of the B5053.

 

[headshot119]

Does anyone remember the private railway museum at Lytham? I visited it circ 1985 with my son. It was inside a small factory unit that manufactured springs There was a Y10 in there, after speaking to the curator I promised him a photograph of the same loco at St Margarets shed which I had. Did not send the photograph but had a return visit and give him a number of copies for him to sell for the benifit of the museum. The curator told me the museum was going to close in the then near future.

A lot of the items ended up at the Ribble Steam Railway

 

[A0wen]

+ 1 on the Battlefield Railway.

I'd add Rushden Heritage Transport Society - the preservation of the old station at Rushden with a fantastic bar and they have the aspiration to restore the branch to Higham Ferrers.

Lakeside & Haverthwaite ought to be in with a shout here as well.

 

[AY1975]

If you like DMUs and a 1950s/60s style country branch line I'd recommend the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway (Duffield to Wirksworth, Derbyshire). Although regular passenger trains stopped running on it in the late 1940s, I'd say it's a typical example of what a branch line would have been like in the DMU era. It mostly uses DMUs but does occasionally run steam or diesel hauled trains.

And if you liked the 1970s/80s BR blue era, I'd recommended the Mid Norfolk.