Bicton Woodland Railway

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Bicton Woodland Railway
Locale England
Dates of operation 1963 – Present
Track gauge 1 ft 6 in (457 mm)
Length 1359 yards
Headquarters Budleigh Salterton

The Bicton Woodland Railway is a narrow gauge railway running in gardens in the grounds of Bicton House near Budleigh Salterton in Devon.

The line was built in 1962 as a tourist attraction for visitors to the house. Most of the rolling stock was acquired from the Royal Arsenal 18 inch Railway, Woolwich, with two locomotives, Woolwich and Carnegie coming from that source, as well as seven goods wagons which were reduced to their frames and converted to passenger carriages. It opened to passengers in 1963. Originally locomotives and carriages had royal blue livery.

Additional rolling stock was acquired from the RAF Fauld railway and the internal railway of the LNWR Wolverton works.

In 1998 the Bicton Gardens were put up for sale and the railway put into hiatus. The new owners announced in late 1999 that they would sell the line's existing stock and re-equip with steam outline diesel locomotives supplied by Alan Keef. The line's original equipment was purchased by the Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills museum at Waltham Abbey.

Locomotives

Number Name Builder Type Date Works number Notes
1 Woolwich Avonside Engine Company 0-4-0T 1916 1748 ex-Royal Arsenal 18 inch Railway. Now at the Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills
2 Bicton Ruston and Hornsby 4wDM 1942 213839 Built for the War Department storage depot at Lion Brickworks, Scalford
3 Carnegie Hunslet 0-4-4-0DM 1954 4524 ex-Royal Arsenal 18 inch Railway. Now at the Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills

References

  • Thomas, Cliff (2002). The Narrow Gauge in Britain & Ireland. Atlantic Publishers. ISBN 1-902827-05-8. 

See also