British industrial narrow gauge railways
British industrial narrow gauge railways are narrow gauge railways in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man that were primarily built to serve one or more industries. Some offered passenger services for employees or workmen, but they did not run public passenger trains. They are categorized by the primary industry they served.
Contents
- 1 Quarrying and mining
- 2 Heavy industry
- 3 Construction industry
- 4 General
- 5 Military railways
- 6 See also
- 7 References
- 8 External links
Quarrying and mining
Cement works
Many of the cement works and their associated chalk pits had narrow gauge railways, particularly those in the South East of England. The Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers Ltd. (APCM, later Blue Circle Industries, now part of Lafarge) was the major producers of cement in the United Kingdom in the second half of the twentieth century and many of their plants used railways.
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
APCM Alpha Works | 1934 ? | 1959 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Cliffe-at-Hoo, England | Extensive diesel-hauled chalk pit railway. |
APCM Bevan Works | ? | after 1962 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Northfleet, England | Short line operating on a riverside wharf |
APCM Harbury Works [1] | ? | after 1961 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Harbury, England | Quarry line worked with a rare Fowler 2-4-0 diesel locomotive |
APCM Holborough Works[2] | 1923 | 1969 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Snodland, England | Steam- and diesel- hauled railway at the Associated Portland Cement Manufacturer Ltd's cement plant at Holborough. |
APCM Murston Works | before 1898 | after 1963 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Sittingbourne, England | Internal brickworks railway |
APCM Rodmell Works[3] | before 1910 | 1975 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Rodmell, England | Short line serving a cement works |
APCM Sittingbourne Works[1] | ? | 1971 | 4 ft 3 in (1 295 mm) | Sittingbourne, England | Cement works line with the last narrow gauge steam locomotive in that industry. |
APCM Stone Works[2] | 1877 | 1927 | 3 ft 9½ in (1156 mm) | Greenhithe, England | Steam-hauled railway at the Associated Portland Cement Manufacturer Ltd's cement plant at Greenhithe. |
APCM Sundon Works [4] | ? | after 1969 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Luton, England | Cement works line. |
British Standard Cement Works | 1912 | 1932 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Rainham, England | Notable as the only industrial line in Britain to use an ex-WDLR Baldwin locomotive. |
Broom Bank | 1933 | 1962 | 4 ft 3 in (1295 mm) | Lower Twydall, England | Steam hauled cement works and clay pit line |
Chinnor Cement & Lime [5] | 1962 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Chinnor, England | Locomotive and cable worked lines serving the chalk quarry and washmills. | |
Smeed Dean & Co. | 1900 | 1949 | 3 ft 7½ in (1105 mm) | Lower Twydall, England | Chalk pit line |
Francis & Co. | 1871 | 1920 | 3 ft 8½ in (1130 mm) | Cliffe, England | Steam-worked chalk quarry railway |
Gillingham Portland Cement Co. | 1870s? | 1910 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Gillingham, England | Early cement works line |
I.C. Johnson & Co. | before 1872 | 1928 | 3 ft 9½ in (1156 mm) | Greenhithe, England | Internal steam hauled railway, replaced by a standard gauge line. |
J.B. White & Bros - Swanscombe Works | ? | 1929 | 3 ft 5½ in (1054 mm) | Swanscombe, England | Steam-hauled internal works line with rare outside flanged rolling stock |
Knight, Bevan & Sturge | 1873 ? | 1928 | 2 ft 8½ in (825 mm) | Northfleet, England | Extensive chalk quarry system, eventually superseded by a standard gauge line |
Queensborough Cement Works | 1896 | 1930? | unknown | Queensborough, England | Line worked by two Aveling and Porter steam locomotives |
RPCM Barrington Cement Works[6] | by 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Barrington, England | Short locomotive-worked line | |
RPCM Halling Works | ? | 1952 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Halling, England | Extensive cement works railway |
RPCM Southam Works[7] | ? | 1956 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Southam, England | Steam locomotive worked railway |
Tolhurst & Sons | 1860s | before 1948 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Gravesend, England | Large internal chalk quarry system |
Lime works
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barn Hill Quarry railway[8] | 1928 | 1938 | 1 ft 8 in (508 mm) | Chipping Sodbury, England | 800-yard long locomotive worked line; locomotive transferred to Penlee Quarry railway in 1947 |
British Quarrying Co Ltd Allington Quarry railway[8] | 1928 | 1956 | 2 ft (610 mm)? | Maidstone, England | Locomotive worked internal quarry system |
British Quarrying Co Ltd Borough Green Quarry railway[8] | before 1921 | 1956 | 1 ft 8 in (508 mm) | Borough Green, England | Internal quarry system for "Kentish Ragstone". Originally horse worked, Simplex locomotive introduced in 1921 |
Brockham Lime Works | 1870s (?) | 1936 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Dorking, England | Lime pits and works railway, later home of the Brockham Museum |
Caldon Low Quarry | before 1906 | 1933 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Waterhouses, England | Limestone quarry with an internal steam-worked railway system |
Dorking Greystone Lime Co. | 1880 | 1954 | 3 ft 2¼ in (970 mm) and 2 ft (610 mm) | Betchworth, England | Well-known steam hauled internal limeworks line. |
Little Ormes Head Quarry tramway[9] | 1889 | 1931 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Porth Dyniewyd, Wales | Internal limestone quarry railway. |
Oxstead Greystone Lime Co.[1] | before 1912 | 1971 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Oxstead, England | Internal railway of lime quarry and works. |
Peak Forest Tramway | 1794 | 1923 | 4 ft 2 in (1 270 mm) | Chapel en le Frith, England | Early tramway that was horse and chain hauled throughout its life. |
Whitehaven Quarry | 1932 | 1953 | 4 ft (1219 mm) | Oswestry, Wales | A series of rope-hauled inclines and steam locomotive worked tramways. |
Brickworks
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alne Brick Co. Ltd. Alne Brickworks[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Easingwold, England | Locomotive-worked brickworks railway. | |
Alne Brick Co. Ltd. Hemingbrough Brickworks[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Selby, England | Locomotive-worked brickworks railway. | |
Baxters Brickworks railway[3] | 1888 | 1969 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Bexhill, England | Short line serving the clay pit and brickworks. |
Bilsthorpe Brick Co. Bilsthorpe Brickworks[6] | after 1979 | 3 ft (914 mm) and 2 ft 81⁄2 in | Bilsthorpe, England | Two lines serving the brickworks | |
Buckley Tramroad[10] | 1780's | 1862 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Connah's Quay, Wales | Early horse-worked plateway carrying coal and bricks from a canal wharf. |
Butterley Brick Ltd. Cherry Orchard Lane Works[11] [6] | ? | 1993 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Rochford, England | Short line serving the clay pit and brickworks. |
Butterley Brick Ltd. Star Lane Brickworks[6] | ? | 1991 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Great Wakering, England | Short line serving the clay pit and brickworks. |
Castle Firebrick Company | about 1865 | after 1920 | 2 ft (610 mm) (?) | Northrop, England | Internal brickworks line, worked by steam locomotives after World War One. |
Cattybrook Brickworks railway [1] | before 1900 | after 1975 | 2 in 10½ in (876 mm) | Cattybrook, England | Line connecting clay pit to brickworks via a incline and diesel worked sections |
Chilton Trinity Brickworks railway [1] | after 1962 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Somerset, England | Locomotive worked clay pit line | |
Crowborough Brickworks[3] | before 1930 | 1980 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Crowborough, England | Internal line at the brickworks, latterly worked by battery-electric locomotives. |
Coronation Brickworks [12] | 1935 | after 1969 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Elstow, England | London Brick Co Ltd brickworks near Bedford |
Cuckmere Brickworks railway [13] | ? | about 1956 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Berwick Station, England | Clay pit line worked by internal combustion locomotives |
DSF Refractories Ltd. Friden Brickworks [6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Hartington, England | Brickworks line worked by internal combustion locomotives | |
Goxhill Building Products Ltd. Barrow Haven Works [6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Barrow Haven, England | Brickworks line worked by internal combustion locomotives | |
Halstow Creek Brickworks | before 1900 | 1920s | 2 ft (610 mm) | Lower Halstow, England | Served claypit and brickworks. Originally horse worked, one of the first electric locomotives was introduced here in 1902. |
Hambledon Lane Brickworks[11] | ? | after 1983 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Nutbourne, England | |
Henry Oakland and Son Ltd. Escrick Tileworks[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | York, England | Interal locomotive-worked line | |
Innes Lee Industries Campbell Brickworks [6] | by 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Staveley, England | Brickworks line worked by internal combustion locomotives | |
Littlethorpe Potteries [14] | present | 450 mm | Littlethorpe, England | Half-mile long hand-worked line connecting the clay pits to the pottery [15] | |
The London Brick Company No. 2 Works [6] | after 1979 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Whittlesey, England | Locomotive-worked brickworks railway | |
The London Brick Company Arlesey Works [6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Bedford, England | Short locomotive-worked line on top of clay kilns | |
The London Brick Company Fletton Works [1] | 1889? | after 1960 | 2 ft 11 in (889 mm) | Peterborough, England | Claypit and brickworks line of unusual gauge |
The London Brick Company Warboys Works [6][16] | 1984 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Warboys, England | Locomotive-worked brickworks railway | |
Ludlay Brick & Tile Co.[3] | ? | 1965 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Berwick, England | Internal brick works railway at Berwick in Sussex. |
Midhurst Whites[3] | after 1913 | 1980 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Midhurst, England | Brickworks with three separate narrow gauge lines |
Napton Brickworks railway [1] | after 1961 | 16 in (406 mm) | Napton, England | Hand worked clay pit line | |
No. 5 Fireclay Mine railway [1] | ? | after 1968 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Micklam, England | Diesel locomotive worked line operated by the British Steel Corporation |
North Holmwood Brickworks railway | ? | 1981 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Dorking, England | Internal system for the Redland Brick Co.'s clay pit and brickworks |
Ospringe Brickworks railway [1] | after 1968 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Faversham, England | Extremely short line with one diesel locomotive | |
Rosemary Brickworks railway | ? | after 1970 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Cheslyn Hay, England | Locomotive worked line in clay pit leading to a incline to the brickworks |
Standard Brick Co railway | before 1936 | 1964 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Redhill, England | Steam- and diesel- hauled clay tramway |
Strensall Brickworks railway [1] | by 1975 | Strensall, England | Locomotive worked clay pit line | ||
Storr Hill Brickworks railway[11] [17] | 1869? | 1981 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Wyke, England | An unusual chain-worked double track plateway only 250 yards long. |
Warnham Brickworks[3] | before 1909 | 1965 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Sandwich, England | Internal line serving the brickworks and clay pit. |
W. H. Collier Marks Tey Brickworks[6] | after 1979 | 1 ft 8 in (508 mm) | Marks Tey, England | Internal locomotive-worked line serving the brickworks. | |
Wheatly and Co. Ltd. Springfield Tileries[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Stoke on Trent, England | Locomotive-worked railway | |
William Blythe Barton Brick & Tile Yard[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Barton-on-Humber, England | Locomotive-worked line | |
William Blythe Far Ings Tileries[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Barton-on-Humber, England | Locomotive-worked line | |
Woodside Brickworks | ? | 1953 | ? | Croydon, England | Internal brickworks railway notable for its two Sentinel high-pressure steam locos. |
Clay extraction
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
APCM Alkerden Works | before 1900 | 1943 | 2 ft 8½ in (825 mm) | Swanscombe, England | Large steam-worked clay pit line |
BPCM Bean Works | 1920 | 1964 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Bean, England | Short line serving a clay pit on the banks of the Thames |
Far Ings Tileries[11] | 1905 | 2001 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Barton-upon-Humber, England | Late survivor of the clay tramways, including a cable-hauled incline and (diesel) locomotive worked sections. |
Fayle's Tramway[18] | 1905 | 1971 | 3 ft 9 in (1 143 mm) until 1948 1 ft 111⁄2 in (597 mm) after 1948 |
Norden, England | Clay tramway that replaced the Middlesbere and Newton tramways; owned by the Pike Brothers. Regauged in 1948 to suit ex-WHR locomotive Russell |
Furzebrook Railway[19] [18] | 1830 | 1968 | 4 ft (1219 mm) until 1866
2 ft 8½ in (825 mm) after 1866 |
Furzebrook, England | Horse-hauled clay plateway, replaced in 1866 by steam-hauled industrial railway serving the clay pits around Creech Heath. |
John Knowles Ltd. Woodville Clay Pits | 1 ft 6 in | Derbyshire, England | |||
Laporte Industries Ltd. Coombe Hay Mines[6] | after 1979 | 1 ft 111⁄2 in (597 mm) | Bath, England | Fuller's earth mine with battery electric locomotives | |
Meeth Clay Company | 1920 | 1970 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Woolladon, England | Short line carrying clay from the pits at Meeth. |
Middlebere Tramway [18] | 1806 | 1907 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) (?) | Norden, England | Horse-powered plateway serving clay pits near Corfe Castle. |
Newton Tramway [18] | 1860 (?) | 1905 | 3 ft 9 in (1 143 mm) | Poole Harbour, England | Clay tramway, became part of Fayle's Tramway |
Pentewan Railway | 1830 | 1916 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Pentewan, England | Initially horse-hauled, worked by steam locomotives after 1874. |
Thomas Marshall & Co (Loxley) Ltd. Storrs Bridge Fireclay Mine[6] | after 1979 | 1 ft 4 in | Loxley, England | Locomotive-worked underground railway | |
Thakenham Tiles[3] | before 1937 | 1982 [5] | 2 ft (610 mm) | Storrington, England | Short line serving the tile works |
Watts Blake Bearne & Co. Ltd. West Golds Mine[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Newton Abbott, England | Underground clay mine railway |
Sand and gravel extraction
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ace Sand and Gravel Co. Ltd. Marsh House quarries[6] | by 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Aore, England | Locomotive-worked line | |
Bretts Faversham Sand Quarry railway[2] | 1930s (?) | 1969 (?) | 2 ft (610 mm) | Faversham, England | Sand and gravel haulage |
Bretts Sturry Gravel railway[2] [6] | ? | after 1968, by 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Sturry, England | Served gravel pits on the River Stour |
Biddenham Gravel Pit railway[20] | by 1920 | 1930s | 2 ft (610 mm) | Biddenham, England | Short horse-worked line serving Biddenham gravel pit, near Bedford. |
British Industrial Sand Ltd. Middleton Towers railway[21] | 1977 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Kings Lynn, England | Extensive locomotive-worked sand quarry system. Five remaining diesel locomotives acquired by the LBLR in 1980. | |
Buckland Sand & Silica Co. | ? | ? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Reigate, England | Short steam-hauled railway working sand from the pits to a private BR-worked siding |
Croxden Gravel Ltd. Twelve Yards Road Pit[6] | ? | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Irlam, England | Locomotive-worked line |
Earls Barton sand quarry railway[1] | after 1975 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Earls Barton, England | Small sand pit with internal locomotive worked line | |
East Sussex Transport and Trading Company[3] | early 1930s | 1964 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Cuckmere Haven, England | Hauled gravel extracted from the Cuckmere Haven beach to Exceat. |
Hall & Co.[3] | before 1938 | late 1960s | 2 ft (610 mm) | Eastbourne, England | Shingle extraction railway on The Crumbles. |
Heavers Gravel[3] | 1920s | 1962 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Drayton, England | Internal gravel pit line |
Hoveringham Gravels Ltd. Holme Pierrepoint Pit[6] | by 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Holme Pierrepoint, England | Internal gravel pit line | |
Hoveringham Gravels Ltd. Hoveringham Works[6] | by 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Hoveringham, England | ||
Leighton Buzzard Light Railway | 1919 | 1969 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Leighton Buzzard, England | Industrial railway that carried sand from the quarries around Leighton Buzzard |
Marlow Sand and Gravel Co. Ltd. Westhorpe Pits[6] | ? | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Little Marlow, England | Locomotive worked sand pit railway |
Penfolds Ltd.[3] | ? | 1963 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Eartham, England | Gravel extraction line |
Piel & Walney Gravel Co. Ltd.[22] | ? | 1962 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Barrow-in-Furness, England | Steam locomotive operated gravel line running to a pier at Walney. |
Pilkington Glass Mill lane siding[6] | ? | by 1979 | 2 ft 1⁄8 in | Rainford, England | Locomotive-worked line |
Pilkington Glass St. Helens quarry railway[1] | ? | after 1968 | 2 ft (610 mm) | St. Helens, England | Temporary locomotive-worked railways used for sand extraction for glass making |
Stone quarrying and mining
Slate
The most well-known of the British industrial narrow gauge railway systems were those serving the slate industry of North Wales. Many of the quarries had internal tramways and feeder lines connecting them to transhippment points on local railways, rivers, roads or coastal ports.
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abereiddi Tramway[23] | 1851 | 1906 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Porthgain, Wales | 2 mile long horse-drawn tramway linking St. Bride's Slate Quarry with Porthgain |
Aberllefenni Slate Quarry | 1880s (?) | 2002 | 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) | Aberllefenni, Wales | Underground slate mine and short line to the mill. Originally joined to the Corris Railway |
Alexandra Quarry[24] | 1861 | 1934 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Moel Tryfan, Wales | Steam locomotive worked quarry feeder tramway connected to the Bryngwyn branch of the Welsh Highland Railway. |
Arthog Tramway | 1858 | 1868 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Arthog, Wales | Incline and horse-worked tramway |
Blaen-y-Cae Quarry tramway [24] | 1870 | 1931 | 2 ft (610 mm) and 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Tal-y-sarn, Wales | Nantlle Vale quarry connected to the Nantlle Railway |
Braich Quarry tramway [24] | before 1877 | 1932 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Moel Tryfan, Wales | Connected to the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways at Bryngwyn |
Braich-Rhydd quarry tramway [24] | before 1873 | 1915 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Fron, Wales | Connected to the Nantlle Railway |
Bryn Glas Tramway | early 1900s | ? | 2 ft (610 mm) (?) | Bethesda, Wales | Short-lived horse-worked tramway built during the 1900-1903 strike at Penrhyn quarry |
Bryn-y-Fferam Quarry tramway [24] | 1860s | 1886 | ? | Moel Tryfan, Wales | Isolated quarry with two pits connected by a tunnel. |
Burlington Slate Quarries railway [1][6] | after 1975; by 1979 | 3 ft 2¼ in (971 mm) | Kirkby-in-Furness, England | Cumbrian slate quarry internal railway system operated by two diesel and a battery electric locomotives | |
Carnarvonshire Slate Quarries Railway | 1850s | 1915 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Nantlle, Wales | Horse-worked feeder tramway from the Tan-yr-allt slate quarry to the Nantlle Railway |
Cedryn Tramway [9] | 1861 | 1888 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Llanrwst, Wales | 4 mile long horse-powered tramway serving the Cedryn quarry; partly relaid in 1917 as part of the Colwyd reservoir railway |
Chwarel Fedw Tramway | 1840s (?) | 1880s | 2 ft (610 mm) | Dolwyddelan, Wales | ¼ mile quarry incline |
Cilgwyn Quarry tramway [24] | before 1861 | 1956 | 2 ft (610 mm) and 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Cilgwyn, Wales | Nantlle Vale quarry connected to the Nantlle Railway. Two steam locomotives survive in preservation. |
Coed Madoc Quarry tramway [24] | before 1864 | 1927 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Tal-y-Sarn, Wales | Steam locomotive worked quarry tramway. Inclines connected to a standard gauge branch from Tal-y-sarn. |
Cornwall Quarry tramway [24] | 1867 | 1937 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Tal-y-sarn, Wales | Nantlle Vale quarry connected to the Nantlle Railway. |
Croesor Tramway | 1864 | 1948 (?) | 2 ft (610 mm) | Porthmadog, Wales | Horse-powered tramway serving the slate quarries of the Croesor valley |
Cwm Ebol Tramway | 1868 | 1900 | 3 ft (914 mm) later 2 ft (610 mm) | Llyn Bwtri, Wales | 1½ mile long tramway with two self-acting inclines. The last Welsh slate quarry connected only to a shipping point instead of a railway. |
Cwmorthin Tramway | 1864 | 1939 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Tanygrisiau, Wales | 8 mile long tramway connecting the quarries of Cwm Orthin to the Ffestiniog Railway. |
Deeside Tramway | by 1870 | 1947 | 2 ft 7 in (787 mm) | Glyndyfrdwy, Wales | Horse-powered tramway serving the Moel Fferna slate quarry. Mostly laid with wooden rails sheathed in iron. |
Dorothea Quarry tramway [24] | before 1873 | 1970 | 2 ft (610 mm) and 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Tal-y-sarn, Wales | Major Nantlle Vale quarry connected to the Nantlle Railway. |
Eigiau Tramway [9] | 1863 | 1888 | probably 2 ft (610 mm) | Llanrwst, Wales | Tramway connecting the Eigiau mine 6 miles to the shipping point on the River Conwy |
Foel Gron Tramway | 1860 | about 1900 | 2 ft (610 mm) (?) | Llan Ffestiniog, Wales | Horse-powered tramway. |
Friog Quarry | ? | ? | 1 ft 111⁄2 in (597 mm) | Fairbourne, Wales | Lightweight internal tramway around small slate quarry. |
Fron Quarry tramway [24] | 1864 | 1950 | 2 ft (610 mm) and 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Fron, Wales | Quarry connected to the Nantlle Railway and the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways via separate inclines. |
Fron-heulog Quarry tramway [24] | 1854 | 1913 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Nantlle, Wales | Quarry connected to the Nantlle Railway. |
Gallt-y-Fedw Quarry tramway [24] | 1857 | 1901 | 2 ft (610 mm) and 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Fron, Wales | Quarry connected to the Nantlle Railway. |
Gorseddau Tramway/Tremadoc Tramway | 1855 | 1872 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Porthmadog, Wales | Horse-powered tramway serving the remote slate quarries of the Cwmystradllyn valley. |
Gorseddau Junction and Portmadoc Railways | 1872 | 1887 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Porthmadog, Wales | Regauged and extended Gorseddau Tramway. |
Hendre-Ddu Tramway | 1867 | 1954 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Aberangell, Wales | Network of branch lines serving slate quarries and timber forests west of the Dyfi valley. |
Honister Slate Mine[11] | ? | Present | 2 ft (610 mm) | Honister, England | Working slate mine perched at the top of Honister Pass. The mine has gone through phases of activity and redundancy, the current operation started in 1997. |
Llechwedd Slate Mine[11] | 1860s? | 1980s? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales | Extensive slate mine, once supported by nearly 100 miles of internal railway. Commercial railway use has now ceased by a short tourist train is operated. |
Moel Siabod tramways [9] | 1863 | 1901 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Capel Curig, Wales | A pair of remote quarries served by a short tramway to a wharf for transshipment onto the Capel Curig road. |
Nant Col quarry | ? | ? | 2 ft (610 mm) (?) | Llanbedr, Wales | Internal slate quarry tramway. |
Nantlle Railway | 1828 | 1963 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Penygroes, Wales | Horse-hauled slate tramway serving the quarries of the Nantlle vale. |
Oakley Quarry | by 1814 | ? | 1 ft 111⁄2 in (597 mm) | Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales | One of the largest slate mines in Wales, a major source of the Ffestiniog Railway's traffic. |
Old Delabole Slate Quarry[6] | after 1979 | 1 ft 111⁄2 in (597 mm) | Delabole, England | Large Cornish slate quarry with extensive steam and diesel locomotive roster | |
Padarn Railway | 1843 | 1961 | 4 ft (1219 mm) | Llanberis, Wales | Slate hauler serving the Dinorwic Quarry which itself had an extensive narrow gauge rail system. |
Pant-Dreiniog Quarry | 1903 | 1911 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Bethesda, Wales | Quarry set up by striking Penrhyn Quarry miners during the historic lock-outs. |
Penrhyn Railway | 1874 | 1962 | 1 ft 111⁄2 in (597 mm) | Bethesda, Wales | Slate hauler serving the Penrhyn Quarry which itself had an extensive narrow gauge rail system. |
Pen-yr-Orsedd Quarry tramways[24] | 1862 | 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) and 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Nantlle, Wales | Internal quarry system feeding the Nantlle Tramway. |
Porthgain Railway[23] | late 1880s | 1931 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Porthgain, Wales | Locomotive worked railway connecting the Pen Clegyr and St. Bride's quarries to Porthgain harbour. |
Ratgoed Tramway | 1860s | 1950s | 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) | Aberllefenni, Wales | Horse and gravity worked light tramway connecting the Cymerau and Ratgoed quarries with the Corris Railway |
Rhiwbach Tramway | 1863 | 1961 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales | Locomotive and incline worked tramway connecting the remote quarries around Cwt y Bugail to the Ffestiniog Railway |
Granite
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bearah Tor Quarry | ? | late 1980s | 2 ft (610 mm) | Liskeard, England | Short, hand worked internal quarry railway. |
Brada Quarry railway[8] | 1935 | 1950s | 2 ft (610 mm) | Bamburgh, England | Internal quarry system; locomotive worked until 1944 by two Lister petrol locos |
Carreg-y-Llam Quarry railway[8] | before 1900 | 1963 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) and 2 ft (610 mm) | Llithfaen, Wales | Original locomotive-worked 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) internal railway removed in 1949, but a new 2 ft (610 mm) gauge line was installed in the mid 1950s. |
Ceiriog Granite Quarries railway[8] | 1914 | 1959 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Criggion, Wales | Internal quarry system worked by a single steam locomotive until 1921, when it was replaced by cable-haulage. |
Charnwood Granite Quarries railway[8] | 1850s | 1963 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Shepshed, England | Early horse worked quarry system; steam locomotives introduced in late 1890s, replaced by internal combustion locos in 1937. |
Cliffe Hill Mineral Railway | 1896 | 1948 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Stanton under Bardon, England | Hauled stone from the Cliffe Hill Granite Quarry. |
Groby Granite Quarries railway[8] | 1893 | 1943 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Groby, England | Extensive internal quarry system worked by five Hunslet steam locomotives. |
Haytor Granite Tramway | by 1824 | 1858 | 4 ft 3 in (1295 mm) | Dartmoor, England | Horse-drawn tramway serving the granite quarries around Hay Tor. Used granite troughs as rails. |
Jee's Hartshill Granite Quarry | ? | 1956? | 2 ft 6½ in (775 mm) | Nuneaton, England | Granite quarry with an extensive locomotive-worked tramway system. |
Llanelwedd Granite Quarries railways[8] | 1929 | after 1969 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) and 2 ft (610 mm) | Builth Wells, Wales | Internal quarry system; the 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge line was horse-worked and closed in 1953; the 2 ft (610 mm) gauge was hand-worked apart from between 1953 and 1961 when a Lister locomotive was used. |
Lunedale Whinstone Company railway[25] | 1878 | around 1918 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Mickleton, England | Steam locomotive worked line connecting the quarry with a siding on the North Eastern Railway |
Newcastle Granite and Whinstone Company[26] | 1902 | 1939 | 1 ft 111⁄2 in (597 mm) | Haltwhistle, England | Locomotive worked line connecting Cawfields Quarry to Haltwhistle station |
Penmaenbach Stone quarry tramway [9] | 1875 | 1962 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Penmaenmawr, Wales | Smaller working beside the Penmaenmawr quarry with an internal tramway system and a series of inclines down to the coast. |
Penmaenmawr & Welsh Granite Co. [9] | 1830s | 1967 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Penmaenmawr, Wales | Extensive steam-hauled internal railway system in granite quarry complex. |
Trefor Quarry railway | 1850 | 1962 | 1 ft 111⁄2 in (597 mm) | Llanaelhaearn, Wales | Internal quarry railway, with large incline to a steam locomotive worked pier branch |
Coal
The British coal mining industry made extensive use of narrow gauge railways, particularly underground where the restricted size of the tunnels meant that narrow gauge lines were and are particularly well suited. Many National Coal Board (NCB) mines used railways both underground and in the stock yards above ground. There were also many short lines at private mines, particularly in south Wales and the Forest of Dean regions.
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ayle Colliery[6] | 1932 | after 1996 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Alston, England | Private colliery with locomotive-worked mine railway. |
Bryn Oer Tramway[27] [28] | 1815 | 1865 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Talybont on Usk, Wales | Early horse-drawn tramway. |
Doe Lee Colliery[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Chesterfield, England | Underground locomotive worked mine railway | |
Flow Edge Colliery[6] | after 1979 | ? | Alston, England | Small battery-electric locomotive worked mine railway | |
Hope Level Mine | ? | 1988 | ? | Stanhope, England | Small mine operation with loco-worked railway |
Little Eaton Gangway[29] | 1795 | 1908 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Little Eaton, England | Very early horse-drawn tramway serving the collieries north of Derby |
NCB BatesColliery [30] | 1986 | Blyth, England | Diesel locomotive worked underground colliery system | ||
NCB Berwick Drift Stockyard | ? | Present | 3 ft (914 mm) | Lynemouth, England | One of several locomotive-worked stock yard railways in the British coal industry. |
NCB Clockburn Drift Mine railway[1] | ? | after 1968 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | County Durham, England | Substantially built double-track line for coal haulage from the main mine adit. |
NCB Gascoine Wood Colliery railway[31] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | South Milford, England | Underground mine railway |
NCB Harworth Colliery railway[31] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Bircotes, England | Underground mine railway |
NCB Kellingley Colliery railway[31] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Kellingley, England | Underground mine railway |
NCB Kellingley Training Centre railway[31] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Kellingley, England | Mine training railway |
NCB Lewis Merthyr Colliery railway[1] | ? | 1983 | 2 ft 10½ in (876 mm) | Rhondda, Wales | Stock yard line worked by diesel locomotives |
NCB Parkside Colliery railway[1] | ? | after 1972 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Newton-le-Willows, England | Stock yard line worked by diesel locomotives |
NCB Prince of Wales Colliery railway[31] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Pontefract, England | Underground mine railway |
NCB Riccall Colliery railway[31] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Riccall, England | Underground mine railway |
NCB Stillingfleet Colliery railway[31] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Stillingfleet, England | Underground mine railway |
NCB Tilmanston Colliery [30] | 1986 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Eythorne, England | Modern underground colliery system | |
NCB Wistow Colliery railway[31] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Wistow, England | Underground mine railway |
New Peacock Hay Colliery railway [1] | ? | ? | 1 ft 10 in (559 mm) | Harecastle, England | Cable-hauled incline from a small private coal mine |
Pentwyn No.3 Mine [11] | ? | after 1994 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Ystalyfera, Wales | One of the last coal mines using pit ponies on a railway. |
Saundersfoot Railway[32] | 1829 | 1939 | 4 ft (1219 mm) | Saundersfoot, Wales | Early industrial railway hauling coal. |
Severn & Wye Railway | 1801 | 1869 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Forest of Dean, England | Coal and iron hauling tramway, eventually replaced by a broad gauge line. |
Weardale Minerals | ? | 1988 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Cambokeels, England | Colliery railway |
Weardale Mining and Processing | ? | 1988 | 2 ft (610 mm) | West Blackdene, England | Colliery railway |
Other stone
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
East Cornwall Mineral Railway[33] | 1872 | 1891 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Callington, England | Early steam-worked railway serving the iron ore and stone quarries around Callington. |
Harecrag Quarry railway[1] | 1969 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Shilbottle, England | Roadstone quarry operated by Northumberland County Council operated by six Hunslet diesel locomotives. | |
Long Rake Spar mine[6] | after 1979 | 1 ft 5 in (432 mm) | Youlgreave, England | Underground aggregates mine railway operated by battery-electric locomotives. | |
Penlee Quarry railway[8] [6] | about 1900 | 1970s | 2 ft (610 mm) | Newlyn, England | Aggregate quarry served by England's most westerly railway and one of the last industrial narrow gauge railways to operate. Used both steam and diesel locomotives. |
Titterstone Clee Hill Quarry railway[8] | before 1910 | 1952 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Ludlow, England | Dhustone quarry with an internal horse worked railway; steam locomotive worked from 1910. Included a 1 mile long incline |
West of England Quarry[6] | by 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | St. Keverne, England | Aggregates quarry with a short locomotive-worked line |
Peat extraction
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cumberland Moss Litter railway [1] [6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Wigton, England | Extremely lightly laid temporary lines for peat extraction | |
Eden Park Nurseries | 1987 | ? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Wark Forest, England | A relatively new narrow gauge industrial railway. |
Haversham House Farm railway[1] | ? | ? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Lancaster, England | Turf farm railway |
Joseph Metcalf Ltd.[11] | ? | 1999 ? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Irlam, England | Lightly laid peat tramway using modern diesel locomotives. |
L&P Ltd. Creca Moss [34] | ? | Present? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Annan, Scotland | Peat extraction line |
L&P Ltd. Letham Moss [13] | ? | Present ? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Airth, Scotland | Peat extraction line |
L&P Ltd. Nutberry Works[34] | ? | Present ? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Eastriggs, Scotland | Peat extraction line near Gretna Green. |
Moodiesburn Peat Works railway[1] | ? | ? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Glenboig, Scotland | Locomotive worked line a few hundred yards long |
Richardson's Peat Work railway[31] [6] | ? | after 1979 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Longtown, England | Peat tramway in Cumbria. |
Fisons Ltd. Eclipse Peat Works [6] | ? | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Meare, England | Locomotive-worked peat railway. |
Fisons Ltd. Hatfield Peat Works [35] | ? | Present | 3 ft (914 mm) | Hatfield, England | One of the few remaining working industrial narrow gauge railways in England. |
Fisons Ltd. Swinefleet Peat Works [35] [6] | ? | after 1979 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Goole, England | Peat works railway employing at least 11 internal combustion locomotives. |
Solway Moss railway[31] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Cumbria, England | Peat tramway |
White Moss Peat Co. Ltd. Simonswood Moss[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Kirkby, England | Locomotive-worked line | |
White Moss Peat Co. Ltd. White Moss Works railway | 1958 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Alsager, England | Very lightweight line of less than 1 mile length; worked using Lister locomotives | |
William Sinclair Horticultural Auchencorth Moss railway[31] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Leadburn, Scotland | |
William Sinclair Horticultural Bolton Fell railway[13] [6] | ? | Present | 2 ft (610 mm) | Hethersgill, England | Lightly laid, locomotive worked peat extraction line. |
William Sinclair Horticultural Cladence Moss railway[11][31] | 1998 | Present | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | East Kilbride, Scotland | Lightly laid, locomotive worked peat extraction line. |
William Sinclair Horticultural Ryflat Moss railway[31] | late 1990s | Present ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Strathclyde, Scotland | |
William Sinclair Horticultural Springfield Moss railway[31] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Leadburn, Scotland | |
Wilmslow Peat Farm railway[13][6] | before 1979 | 2000 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Wilmslow, England | Locomotive-worked peat tramway near Manchester |
Other mineral extraction
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blue Circle Industries Ltd. Kilvington Gypsum Works[6] | after 1979 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Newark, England | Locomotive-worked railway. | |
British Gypsum Mines Ltd. Gotham Works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft 2 in | Gotham, England | Undergound locomotive-worked railway. | |
British Gypsum Mines Ltd. Mountfield Works[13] | 1945 | after 1966 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Mountfield, England | Inclined adit and works railway. |
British Steel Corporation Beaumont Fluor Mine [6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Alenheads, England | Underground locomotive-worked fluor mine. | |
British Steel Corporation Blackdene Fluor Mine [6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Ireshopeburn, England | Underground locomotive-worked fluor mine. | |
British Steel Corporation Blanchland Fluor Mines [6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Ireshopeburn, England | Underground locomotive-worked fluor mine. | |
J. Parish Loam works | 1850s | 1957 | 4 ft (1219 mm) | Erith, England | Steam-hauled railway moving loam for metal casting molds. |
Laporte Industries Ltd. Ladywash Mine[6] | after 1979 | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Eyam, England | Underground fluorite mine with locomotive worked railway | |
Laporte Industries Ltd. Sallet Hole Mine[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Stoney Middleton, England | Underground fluorite mine with locomotive worked railway | |
Lealt Railway | 1890 | 1915 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Isle of Skye, Scotland | Remote line hauling "diatomic earth" which is used as a polishing agent. Steam worked for a short while. |
Raasay Railway | 1880s | 1918 | ? | Isle of Skye, Scotland | Remote line hauling "Wolframite" which is used in steel making. |
Scropton Tramway [36] | 1889 | 1949 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Scropton, England | Steam hauled tramway serving Gypsum mines south of Scropton station. |
Metal mining
Tin, lead and zinc
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ardda Tramway [9] | 1853 | 1864 | probably 2 ft (610 mm) | Dolgarrog, Wales | Iron sulphide mine with 1 mile long tramway |
Athole G. Allen Ltd. Closehouse Barytes Mine [6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) and 1 ft 71⁄2 in | Middleton-in-Teesdale, England | Locomotive-worked barytes mine. | |
Cae-Coch Mine railway [9] | 1860 | 1919 | unknown | Trefriw, Wales | Tramway serving a remote iron sulphide mine |
Camborne Mines Ltd. Pendarves Mine [6] | after 1979 | 600 mm (1 ft 111⁄2 in) | Camborne, England | Underground railway serving the Pendarves tin mine | |
Carrock Fell mine [6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Mungrisdale, England | Lead mine with a single battery-electric locomotive | |
Cononish Farm Mine railway [13] | ? | Present? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Tyndrum, Scotland | Mine railway in intermittent use. |
Cornwall Tin and Mining Corporation Mount Wellington Mine[6] | by 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Twelve Heads, England | Underground Tin mine | |
Cornish Hush Mine railway[1] | ? | Late 1970s | 2 ft (610 mm) | Bishop Auckland, Scotland | Railway at a Fluorspar mine, operated by a battery electric locomotive |
Force Crag Mine Ltd. Braithwaite Barytes Mine[6] [37] | after 1979 | 1 ft 10 in (559 mm) | Keswick, England | Railway at a Barytes mine, operated by a battery electric locomotive | |
Geevor Tin Mines Ltd. Pendeen Mine[6] | 1911 | 1991 | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | St. Just, England | Extensive underground tin mine railway |
Glenn Sannox Railway | around 1900 | late 1940s | unknown | Sannox, Arran | Incline and pier railway serving a barytes mine. |
Great Laxey Mines Railway | by 1854 | 1929 | 1 ft 7 in (483 mm) | Laxey, Isle of Man | Lead, zinc and silver mines with steam locomotive worked railway by the Laxey Wheel. |
Mineral Industries Ltd. Scraithole Mine [6] [38] | after 1979, by 2003 | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Nenthead, England | Zinc mine with undergound locomotive-worked railway | |
Parc Mine tramway [9] | 1951 | after 1960 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Trefriw, Wales | Lead mines with extensive underground locomotive-hauled railway system. |
Snailbeach District Railways[32] | 1873 | 1961 | 2 ft 3¾ in (705 mm) | Snailbeach, England | Served the lead and other mineral mines around Snailbeach. |
South Crofty Mine[6] | 1880's (?) | 1990's | 1 ft 10 in (559 mm) | Camborne, England | Extensive tin mine with internal railway. |
Swiss Aluminium Mining (UK) Ltd. Burtree Pasture Mine[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Cowshill, England | Fluorite mine using battery-electric locomotives | |
Swiss Aluminium Mining (UK) Ltd. Cambokeels Mine[6] | after 1979 | 600 mm (1 ft 111⁄2 in) | Stanhope, England | Fluorite mine using battery-electric locomotives | |
Swiss Aluminium Mining (UK) Ltd. Redburn Mine[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Stanhope, England | Fluorite mine using battery-electric locomotives | |
Swiss Aluminium Mining (UK) Ltd. Stanhope Burn Mine[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Stanhope, England | Fluorite mine using battery-electric locomotives | |
Wheal Jane Ltd. Clemo's Shaft [6] | 1965 | 1992 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Baldhu, England | Locomotive-worked Cornish tin mine. |
Willoughby Mine Tramway [9] | 1877 | 1914 | 1 ft 10 in (559 mm) | Trefriw, Wales | Tramway serving lead and zinc mine. An early (1904) Kerr Stuart locomotive worked here. |
Iron
Mainly ironstone quarries
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
British Steel Corporation Beckermet Ore Mine railway[1][39] | after 1979 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Beckermet, England | Underground mine railway. | |
Brymbo Ironworks railway[40] | 1899 | 1946 | 1 ft 111⁄2 in (597 mm) | Hook Norton, England | Major ironstone quarry and calcination works served by a steam-hauled railway. |
Eastwell Quarries[1] | 1880s (?) | 1958 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Eastwell, England | Extensive system of steam-hauled lines with a cable-hauled incline. |
Eaton Quarries | ? | 1958 | 1 m (3 ft 33⁄8 in) | Belvoir, England | Unusual in its use of French locomotives. |
Finedon Hill Quarries railway | 1874 | late 1940s | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Finedon, England | Cable-hauled ironstone quarry tramway |
Florence Iron Ore Mine railway[31] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Egremont, England | Underground mine tramway worked by battery-electric locomotives |
Irchester Quarries railway | 1871 | 1884 | 3 ft 8¼ in | Irchester, England | Early ironstone quarry system using one steam locomotive. |
Irthlingborough Quarries railway[1] | after 1958 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Irthlingborough, England | Underground mines using eletric locomotives with a double-track adit to the surface | |
Kettering Ironstone Railway[19] | 1879 | 1951 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Kettering, England | Extensive system of steam-hauled lines serving the ironstone quarries west of Kettering. |
Midland Brick Quarries | after 1901 | by 1940 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Wellingborough, England | Small hand-worked ironstone quarry line |
Myers Burn Mine | 1985 | 1988 | ? | Eaglesham, Scotland | Small iron pyrites mine with underground railway system. |
Scaldwell Ironstone Quarries[19] | 1963 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Brixworth, England | Steam locomotive worked connecting the ironstone quarry south of Scaldwell to the British Rail branch to Lamport | |
South Hill Farm Quarries | 1912 | about 1926 | probably 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Finedon, England | Locomotive worked ironstone quarry tramway connected to Finedon Hill quarry tramway |
Thingdon Quarries | 1882 | 1933 | 2 ft 4 in | Finedon, England | Cable-hauled tramway with horse-worked upper section. |
Wellingborough Iron Company[19] | 1874 | 1966 | 1 m (3 ft 33⁄8 in) | Finedon, England | The last narrow gauge steam hauled ironstone railway in England. There were also 2 ft 4 in gauge feeder lines at the quarries, latterly worked by diesel locos. |
Gold and silver
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clogau mine | 1880s | Present | 2 ft (610 mm) | Bontddu Wales | Hand-worked gold mine railway, in intermittent use |
Heavy industry
Engineering works
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Godwin and Sons Engineering (Manchester) Ltd.[6] | by 1979 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Shaw and Crompton, England | Locomotive-worked line. | |
Painter Bros. Ltd.[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Hereford, England | Locomotive-worked line. | |
William Ainscough and Sons Mossy Lea Road[6] | by 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Writhington, England | Locomotive-worked line at this crane hire and general engineering company[41] |
Power generation
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Central Electricity Generating Board Fawley Tunnel[6] | by 1979 | 3 ft 1 in | Fawley, England | Tunnel under Southampton Water worked by a single batter-electric locomotive. | |
Central Electricity Generating Board Woodhead Tunnel[6] | 1960s | present? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Woodhead, England | Ex-British Railways tunnel under the Pennines now used to carry high-voltage electricity supply cables. Narrow gauge railway used for cable maintenance. |
Stourport Power Station | ? | 1989 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Stourport, England | Internal line. |
J.S. Fry and Sons railway [1] | ? | after 1967 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Somerdale, England | Short railway running parallel to a standard gauge line. The narrow gauge locomotives hauled standard gauge coal wagons to the power station. |
|}
Steel works
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
British Steel Corporation Aldwarke Works railway[6] | after 1979 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Rotherham, Wales | Internal steel works railway, with an entirely new line built in 1971 | |
British Steel Corporation Micklam works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Lowca, England | Underground railway serving the refractories. | |
British Steel Corporation Shotton Steel Works railway[1][31] [6] | present | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Connah's Quay, Wales | Internal steel works railway, with an entirely new line built in 1971 | |
British Steel Corporation Stanton and Staveley Works[6] | after 1979 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Ilkeston, England | Foundry railway worked by battery-electric locomotives | |
Clay Cross Ltd. Spun Pipe works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Clay Cross, England | Internal locomotive-worked line | |
Flather Bright Steels Ltd. Tinsley works[6] | after 1979 | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Sheffield, England | Internal locomotive-worked line | |
Gurnos Tin Plate Works railway[1] | before 1920 | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Lower Cwmtwrch, Wales | Internal steel works railway | |
Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Company railway [42] | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Ebbw Vale, Wales | Internal steel works railway using Ramsbottom locomotives similar to those at the Crewe Works Railway | ||
Sanders and Forster[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Stratford, London, England | Diesel locomotive worked line |
Construction industry
Tunnelling
Many narrow gauge lines were employed for short-term tunnelling contracts. Most of these are unrecorded, so this list represents only a few of the many such lines.
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bedminster Water Outfall contract[1] | 1974 | 1975 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Bedminster, England | Water tunnel construction scheme in Bristol, using eleven diesel locomotives |
Cockermouth Sewer Contract | ? | 1988 | 2 ft (610 mm) ? | Cockermouth, England | Temporary line to serve the renewal of the main sewer tunnel. Used battery electric locomotives. |
Eurotunnel contract[2] | 1988 | 1992 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Dover, England | Extensive rack and adhesion railway used in the construction of the Channel Tunnel. |
Nuttall's Sewer contract | 1996 | 1998 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Dover, England | Construction railway for a one-mile long interception sewer tunnel. |
Selby Road sewer tunnel contract[1] | 1971 | 1972 | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Leyton, England | Contractor's railway for building a new sewer tunnel in north east London. Used battery electric locomotives. |
City construction
During the garden city construction boom, several new towns and cities were built using narrow gauge railways
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Port Sunlight village railway[43] | 1905 | 1914 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Port Sunlight, England | Locomotive worked construction railway for the expansion of Port Sunlight "garden village" |
Land reclamation and river maintenance
Temporary and semi-permanent narrow gauge railways were often used during land reclamation schemes
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anglian Water Authority Lincolnshire River Division[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Southrey, England | Locomotive depot for river bank maintenance around Lincolnshire | |
Anglian Water Authority Norfolk & Suffolk River Division[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Southrey, England | Locomotives used for flood protection and river bank maintenance. | |
Middle Level Commissioners Ashbeach Road Plant Depot[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | March, England | Locomotive depot for river bank maintenance and land reclamation schemes in and around Cambridgeshire | |
North West Water Authority Mersey and Weaver River Unit[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Great Sankey, England | Locomotive used for river bank maintenance | |
Robert Stannard's Railway[44] | 1816 | after 1821 | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Chat Moss, England | Portable hand-worked tramway used for the reclamation of Chat Moss. |
The Embankment Tramway[45] | 1808 | about 1830 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Porthmadog, Wales | Horse-drawn tramway used to construct the "Cob" for the Traeth Mawr land reclaimation scheme. Later replaced by the Ffestiniog Railway. |
The North Sea Camp Railway[46] [6] | 1935 | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Frieston, England | Locomotive worked land reclamation scheme in the Lincolnshire Wash |
Severn Trent Water Authority Orston Road East Depot[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | West Bridgford, England | Locomotives used in river bank maintenance | |
Yorkshire Water Authority River Ouse scheme[1] | 1973 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Saltmarsh, England | Temporary riverbank line used for repairs to the River Ouse | |
Yorkshire Water Authority Ricall Plant Depot[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | York, England | Locomotives used for river bank maintenance |
Reservoir construction
Many reservoirs constructed before the Second World War employed narrow gauge railways to move equipment and materials.
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baldersdale Reservoir railway[25] | 1889 | 1896 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Middleton in Teesdale England | |
Burnhope Reservoir railway[25] | 1930 | 1937 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Wearhead England | Extensive narrow gauge system serving the construction of the Burnhope Reservoir |
Catcleugh Reservoir railway[25] | 1902 | 1905 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Woodburn England | Connection from the Woodburn station of the North British Railway to Catcleugh dam |
Crookfoot Reservoir railway[25] | 1900 | 1904 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Hartlepool England | Steam locomotive worked line |
Fontburn Reservoir railway[25] | 1902 | 1908 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Kirkwhelpington England | Steam locomotive and horse worked line connecting to sidings on the North British Railway |
Geltsdale Reservoir railway[25] | 1904 | 1909 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Carlisle England | Steam locomotive worked line |
West Baldwin Reservoir railway[47] | 1901 | 1905 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Douglas Isle of Man | Steam locomotive worked line north of Douglas |
Bamford to Howden Railway[48] | 1915 | Derwent Valley | Construction of Derwent and Howden Reservoirs | ||
Swinsty Reservoir Railway[49] | 1873 | 1877 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Washburn Valley | Construction of Swinsty Reservoir |
Fewston Reservoir Railway[49] | 1874 | 1879 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Washburn Valley | Construction of Fewston Reservoir |
Power station construction
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Foyers Power Station construction railway[1] | around 1970 | after 1971 | 3 ft (914 mm) and 2 ft (610 mm) | Loch Ness Scotland | Extensive network of temporary lines around Loch Ness |
General
Water treatment and sewage works
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anglian Water Authority Marsh Farm Sewage Works [6] | by 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Tilbury, England | Locomotive worked railway | |
Anglian Water Authority Nevendon Treatment Works [6] | by 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Basildon, England | Locomotive worked railway | |
Brede Waterworks railway | 1899 | 1935 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Brede, England | Hauled coal from barges unloaded from the River Brede to the Brede Valley water works. |
Chicester Sewage Works railway[3] | 1930s (?) | 1976 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Apuldram, England | Short line around the sewage works |
Colne Valley Waterworks railway[50] | 1931 | 1967 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Watford, England | Light railway connecting the LNWR Watford to Rickmansworth branch line with the Eastbury Pumping Station |
Dukinfield Sewage Works railway | ? | late 1980s | 2 ft (610 mm) | Manchester, England | Small-scale railway at sewage works |
Knostrop Sewage Works railway[1] | ? | after 1975 | 1 ft 111⁄2 in (597 mm) | Leeds, England | Experimental facility that used locomotives from the First World War into the 1970s |
Metropolitan Water Board Railway [51] | 1916 | 1946 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Hampton, England | Transported coal from a wharf on the River Thames to the Kempton pumping station. |
North Bierley Sewage Works railway [5] | 2 ft (610 mm) | Bradford, England | Railway serving the sewage works | ||
North Surrey Joint Sewage Board railways [52] | 1939 | after 1965 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Berrylands, England | Railways serving the sewage works in Surbiton. |
North West Water Authority Ashton works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Dukinfield, England | Locomotive-hauled railway | |
North West Water Authority Llanforda Hall[6] | ? | 1989 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Oswestry, England | Locomotive-worked railway serving the filtration beds and sand washing plant. |
North West Water Authority Lower Rivington Reservoir[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Horwich, England | Locomotive-hauled railway | |
North West Water Authority Spade Mill No. 2 Reservoir[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Longridge, England | Locomotive-hauled railway | |
Plantation Farm Sewage Works railway[1] | ? | after 1975 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Dukinfield, England | Railway serving the filter beds |
Severn Trent Water Authority Blithe Valley Works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Uttoxeter, England | Locomotive-hauled railway | |
Severn Trent Water Authority Burslem Works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Burslem, England | Locomotive-hauled railway | |
Severn Trent Water Authority Newstead Works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Trentham, England | Locomotive-hauled railway | |
Severn Trent Water Authority Stoke Bardolph Sewage Works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Nottingham, England | Locomotive-hauled railway | |
Severn Trent Water Authority Strongford Works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Barlaston, England | Locomotive-hauled railway | |
Severn Trent Water Authority Tunstall Works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Stoke on Trent, England | Locomotive-hauled railway | |
Wandle Valley Sewerage Board railway | ? | 1963 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Merton, England | Internal sewerage railway |
Water Orton Sewage Plant railway[1] | before 1968 | 1990 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Minworth, England | Internal sewerage railway of the Upper Tame Main Drainage Authority |
Wood Lane Tip railway[1] | before 1961 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Kensington, England | Railway serving the refuse tips operated by Kensington Council | |
Yorkshire Water Authority Naburn Purification Works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Naburn, England | Locomotive-worked works railway | |
Yorkshire Water Authority Old Whittington Sewage Works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Chesterfield, England | Locomotive-worked sewage works railway |
Gas works
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Berkhamsted Gasworks Railway[1] | ? | 1955 | 16½ in (419 mm) | Berkhamsted, England | Short horse-worked line connecting the gasworks with a goods yard |
Dundee Gasworks Railway | ? | ? | 1 ft 111⁄2 in (597 mm) | Dundee, Scotland | Internal steam-hauled gas works railway. |
Granton Gasworks Railway[7] | ? | 1965 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Edinburgh, Scotland | Internal steam-hauled gas works railway. |
Harrogate Gasworks Railway | 1908 | 1956 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Harrogate, England | Steam-hauled railway running from the North Eastern Railway to Harrogate gasworks. |
South Metropolitan Gas Works, Old Kent Road | 1892 (?) | 1953 | 3 ft (914 mm) | London, England | Internal steam-hauled gas works railway on the Old Kent Road. |
South Metropolitan Gas Works, Vauxhall | 1898 (?) | ? | 3 ft (914 mm) | London, England | Internal steam-hauled gas works railway. |
General freight
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Belvoir Castle Tramway[53] | 1815 | 1920 | 4 ft 4½ in (1 334 mm) | Belvoir Castle, England | A short plateway used to haul coal and other goods from a canal wharf to the castle. |
Guilford Tramway [2] | 1903 | 1930 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Sandwich, England | Steam locomotive worked, freight-only line serving the St. George's Golf Club. |
Redruth and Chasewater Railway[32] | 1825 | 1915 | 4 ft (1219 mm) | Redruth, England | Freight and mineral hauling line; horse-drawn until 1854; later steam worked. |
Talisker Distillery | ? | 1930s | 2 ft (610 mm) | Isle of Skye, Scotland | Hauled goods from a pier to the whisky distillery. |
Forestry
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ampthill Timber Railway [54] | 1917 | 1918 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Ampthill, England | Controller of Timber Supply (CTS) forestry railway using one Kerr Stuart Haig class locomotive. |
Aviemore Light Railway [54] | 1917 | 1922 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Aviemore, Scotland | Extensive forestry railway built by the War Office Directorate of Timber Supply. |
Cefn Vron Tramway [54] | 1924 | 1926 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Newtown, Wales | Temporary timber hauling railway on the Welsh-English border. |
Dornoch forestry railway [54] | 1917 | 1922 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Dornoch, Scotland | Forestry railway built by the War Office Directorate of Timber Supply. |
Downham Hall timber railway [54] | 1917 | 1922 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Brandon, England | CTS timber railway using three Bagnall locomotives |
Kerry Ridgeway Railway [54] | 1941 | 1943 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Newtown, Wales | Temporary timber-hauling railway at Kerry, Powys. |
Kerry Tramway [54] | 1887 | 1923 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Newtown, Wales | Locomotive-worked line hauling timber from Kerry forest to Kerry Station on the Cambrian Railway |
Wool timber railway [54] | 1918 | 1920 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Wool, England | Forestry railway using a single Bagnall locomotive. |
Wolsingham railway [54] | 1917 | 1922 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Wolsingham, England | 1½ mile long timber railway using three steam locomotives. |
Other industries
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABCO Petroleum[13] | before 1910 | 1960s | 2 ft (610 mm) | Rye, England | 200-yard-long internal railway serving the reprocessing plant. |
Ashton Canal Carriers | c.1978 | Present | 2 ft (610 mm) | Guide Bridge, England | Short loco-worked line within a boatyard. Also known as Ashton Packet Boat Company |
Ballard's Malt Vinegar Works[55] | 1894 | after 1974 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Malvern, England | Hand-worked line connecting the barley malting works to the piggery. |
Beyer Peacock Works Railway[56] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Manchester, England | Extensive railway serving the locomotive construction works of Beyer Peacock. |
BICC Belvedere[2] | 1930s (?) | 1968 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Belvedere, England | Steam-hauled railway at British Insulated Callender's Cables Ltd's cable plant. |
BICC Prescot Refineries Unit[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Prescot, England | Locomotive-worked line | |
Biwater Pipes and Castings[13] | ? | 2000 | 2 ft 3½ in (698 mm) | Clay Cross, England | Very short line for hauling pipes within the works. |
Bowaters Paper Railway[2] | 1906 | 1969 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Sittingbourne, England | Served Bowater's paper mills. The last steam-worked industrial narrow gauge line in Britain. |
British Railways Sleeper Depot railway | ? | ? | 3 ft (914 mm) | Beeston, England | Sleeper depot line |
Cadbury's factory railway[57] | 1920s | 1950s | 2 ft (610 mm) | Worcester, England | Line connecting the canal to the chocolate factory taking timber for construction of packing cases. |
Clayton Canal Carriers[6] | ? | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Guide Bridge, England | Short loco-worked line within a boatyard. This is an error for Ashton Canal Carriers. |
Civil Aviation Authority Laxey Airport[6] | after 1979 | 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) | Laxey, Isle of Man | Two railcars | |
Crewe Works Railway[42] | 1863 | 1932 | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Crewe, England | Extensive railway serving the Crewe locomtoive works of the London and North Western Railway. |
Droitwich Canal Trust[6] | ? | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Salwarpe, England | Short loco-worked line |
Faverdale Works railway[1] | after 1975 | 1 ft 8 in (508 mm) | Darlington, England | Railway at the Chemical and Insulating Co. Ltd. | |
Horwich Works Railway[42] | 1965 | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Bolton, England | Railway serving the Horwich locomtoive works of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. | |
ICI Nobels Roburite Works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Shevington, England | Locomotive worked line | |
ICI Winnington Works[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Winnington, England | Locomotive worked line at the crystal plant at Winnington | |
Lochaber narrow gauge railway | 1925 | 1977 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Fort William, Scotland | Long line built for the construction and maintenance of pipelines from Lochaber to Fort William |
London Post Office Railway ('Mail Rail') | 1927 | 2003 | 2 ft (610 mm) | London, England | Unmanned electric mail-delivery service, serving nine sorting offices on a 6.5 mile route between Paddington and Whitechapel. Entirely underground; double track in single 9ft tunnel. |
Lynlite Concrete Ltd. | ? | 1979 | 3 ft (914 mm) | Ramsey, England | Concrete suppliers. |
Nocton Potato Estate | 1920 | 1969 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Lincoln, England | Extensive system to carry potatoes from the fields to the crisp processing plant. |
Pett Level Tramway[3] | 1934 | 1946 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Winchelsea, England | Built to aid the construction and maintenance of sea defences on the Sussex coast. |
Port Sunlight | 1914 (?) | early 1950s | 2 ft (610 mm) | Port Sunlight, England | Locomotive-worked industrial light serving Lever Brothers soap factory. |
Redland Pipes railway[1] | 1972 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Ripley, England | Continuous circuit around the pipe works. | |
Sylva Springs Watercresss railway[1] | after 2000 | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Bere Regis, England | Short line serving the watercress beds powered by a home made petrol locomotive | |
Woodhead Tunnel railway[58] | 1960s | Present ? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Woodhead, England | Locomotive worked railway for transporting workers maintaining the high voltage electrical cables in the old Woodhead Tunnel |
Military railways
These are railways at military establishments and former UK Government-owned explosives sites. These locations were often subject to the Official Secrets Act and other government restrictions, so many of them are less well documented.
The industrial use of narrow-gauge railways was quite extensive amongst the various military and civilian explosive factories, for example ICI Nobel's works at Ardeer and the Agency Explosive Factories run by ICI Nobel in the Second World War. To give an example, the Ministry of Supply (MOS) Factory Dalbeattie used 30 inch (750 mm) gauge with a variety of bogie trucks mostly pushed by teams of three to six women. Stores, explosives, chemicals, rubbish and sewage, were all transported on this narrow-gauge system, which used at least 8 miles (12 kilometers) of track.
Name | Opened | Closed | Gauge | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAD Eastriggs Depot railway[13][59] | ? | 2005 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Eastriggs, Scotland | Extensive WW II armaments depot line using parts of the site of the former HM Factory, Gretna. A sub-depot of CAD Longtown. |
Chatham Dockyard [60] | 1860s | 1930s | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Chatham, England | Internal rail system serving the dockyard. |
Chattenden and Upnor Railway [60] | 1885 | 1961 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Chattenden, England | Light railway serving Chattenden barracks and armament stores |
Davington Light Railway | 1916 | 1918 | 1 m (3 ft 33⁄8 in) | Faversham, England | Short-lived metre-gauge line serving an Admiralty munitions factory. |
DOE Okehampton Gun Ranges[6] | ? | after 1979 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Okehampton, England | Target railway |
DOE Reesdale Ranges target railway[31] | ? | ? | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Reesdale, England | Target railway |
Flat Holm | ? | ? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Bristol Channel, Wales | Fortification supply railway |
Fort George Range | ? | ? | 2 ft (610 mm) | Inverness, Scotland | Target railway |
HM Factory, Gretna | ? | 1917 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Gretna, Scotland | Extensive WW I Cordite factory line |
Hoo Ness Tramway [6] | before 1914 | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Hoo Ness, England | Locomotive-worked tramway. May have been 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge previously |
Lodge Hill and Upnor Railway | 1873 | 1885 | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Chattenden, England | Served the construction of the Chattenden and Upnor Railway. |
Longmoor Camp Railway[61] | 1903 | 1907 | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Weaversdown, England | Early construction line used to assist in the demolition of army huts. Relaid as standard gauge starting in 1905. |
Longmoor Military Railway[31] | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Weaversdown, England | Narrow gauge line at the extensive railway training centre at Longmoor | ||
Lydd Ranges[6] | 1936 | Present | 2 ft (610 mm) | Lydd, England | Principally a target railway, though also carries personnel and equipment around the ranges. At least 39 locomotives and powered trollies have worked here. |
Priddy's Hard[62] | mid 19th Century | 1960s | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) and also later 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Gosport, England | Ammunition transport railway, within Royal Navy armaments depot, between store houses and piers. |
RAF Calshot Camp railway | 1919 | 1946 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Calshot, England | Short line serving Calshot camp and pier. |
Royal Air Force Chilmark Depot railway[63] | late 1930s | 1995 | 2 ft (610 mm)? | Chilmark, Wiltshire, England | Extensive WW II armaments depot lines using underground Chilmark Quarries and above-ground storage at satellite site at Dinton, Wiltshire. |
RAF Fauld Depot railway | ? | by 1979[6] | 2 ft (610 mm)? | Fauld, England | Underground ammunition store during WWII with supply railway. |
RAF Hell's Mouth target railway[64] | late 1930s | 1945 | ? | Abersoch, Wales | A target range railway operated by hand or rope-hauled in the dunes southeast of the airfield. |
Royal Arsenal 18 inch Railway [65][66] | 1873 | 1966 | 1 ft 6 in (457 mm) | Woolwich, England | Extensive internal rail system serving the Royal Arsenal. |
RCAF Seaford Head target railway[13] | after 1939 | by 1945 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Seaford Head, Wales | Horse drawn target range railway about 1 mile long. |
RNAD Broughton Moor Depot railway[31][6] | before 1943 | 1992 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Broughton Moor, England | Locomotive-worked line hauling ammunition around the depot. |
RNAD Dean Hill Depot railway[67] [68] | ? | 2003 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | West Dean, England | Locomotive-worked line hauling ammunition around the depot. |
Royal Navy Underwater Weapons Establishment[6] | after 1979 | 2 ft (610 mm) | Weymouth, England | Battery-electric locomotive worked line. | |
ROF Bishopton | 1940 | 1950s - 2000 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Bishopton, Scotland | Approx 80 miles of internal rail system serving the WW II Cordite factories. |
Romney Marsh weapons range railway[1] | before 1975 | present ? | 2 ft (610 mm) | New Romney, England | Locomotive-worked network of lines across Romney Marsh |
South Heighton railway[13] | 1941 | 1941 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Newhaven, England | Hand-worked line to aid construction of HMS Forward underground command centre. |
Steep Holm railway[69] | 1880s | 1946 | 2 ft (610 mm)? | Steep Holm, North Somerset, England | Fortification supply railway. Palmerston forts, shown on 1886 Ordnance Survey maps. Relaid in WW II. Finally Demolished 1946. |
Weaversdown Light Railway | 1903 | 1969 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | Bordon, England | Army railway training school, part of the Longmoor Military Railway. |
See also
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.40 Nicholson, Peter (1975). Industrial Narrow Gauge Railways in Britain. Bradford, Barton. ISBN 0-85153-236-5.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Mitchell, Vic and Smith, Keith (2000). Kent Narrow Gauge. Middleton Press. ISBN 1901706451.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 Mitchell, Vic and Smith, Keith (2001). Sussex Narrow Gauge. Middleton Press. ISBN 1-901706-68-0.
- ↑ Leleux, Sydney A. (April 1971). "Industrial Railways of Bedfordshire: Sundon Cement Works". The Industrial Railway Record 36: 31-36.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Amberley narrow gauge railway stock list.
- ↑ 6.000 6.001 6.002 6.003 6.004 6.005 6.006 6.007 6.008 6.009 6.010 6.011 6.012 6.013 6.014 6.015 6.016 6.017 6.018 6.019 6.020 6.021 6.022 6.023 6.024 6.025 6.026 6.027 6.028 6.029 6.030 6.031 6.032 6.033 6.034 6.035 6.036 6.037 6.038 6.039 6.040 6.041 6.042 6.043 6.044 6.045 6.046 6.047 6.048 6.049 6.050 6.051 6.052 6.053 6.054 6.055 6.056 6.057 6.058 6.059 6.060 6.061 6.062 6.063 6.064 6.065 6.066 6.067 6.068 6.069 6.070 6.071 6.072 6.073 6.074 6.075 6.076 6.077 6.078 6.079 6.080 6.081 6.082 6.083 6.084 6.085 6.086 6.087 6.088 6.089 6.090 6.091 6.092 6.093 6.094 6.095 6.096 6.097 6.098 6.099 6.100 6.101 6.102 6.103 6.104 6.105 6.106 (1979) Industrial Locomotives 1979: including preserved and minor railway locomotives. Industrial Railway Society. ISBN0901096385.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Trevor Rowe, D (1990). Two Feet between the Tracks. Plateway Press. ISBN 1-871980-12-7.
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 Farmer, Keith (August 1968). "Amalgamated Roadstone". Industrial Railway Record 20: 269-281/288.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 9.9 Boyd, James I.C. (2001). Narrow Gauge Railways in North Caernarvonshire: Volume Three The Dinorwic Quarry and Railways, The Great Orme Tramways and Other Rail Systems". The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-328-1.
- ↑ Narrow Gauge Railway Museum article on the Buckley Tramroad.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 Industrial narrow gauge railways.
- ↑ Warrington, A.J. (February 1971). "Industrial Railways of Bedfordshire: Coronation Works, Elstow". The Industrial Railway Record 35: 5-11.
- ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 List of 2 ft gauge railways worldwide.
- ↑ (September 1998) "{{{title}}}". Narrow Gauge News (28).
- ↑ Littlethorpe Potteries website article on pot making.
- ↑ Leadhills and Wanlockhead Railway rolling stock list.
- ↑ Narrow Gauge Railway Museum article on Birkby Brickworks.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Kidner R.W (2000). The Railways of Purbeck. Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-557-8.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Peters, Ivo (1976). The Narrow Gauge Charm of Yesterday: A Pictorial Tribute. The Oxford Publishing Company.
- ↑ Warrington, A.J. (February 1968). "Industrial Railways of Bedfordshire: Biddenham Gravel Pit". The Industrial Railway Record 17: 192-193.
- ↑ Cohrig, John (Winter 1980). "Two Tales of Five Diesels". Chaloner 45.
- ↑ Down, C.G. (June 1969). "Narrow Gauge Wagons: Piel & Walney Gravel Co. Ltd.". The Industrial Railway Record 25: 83-85.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Jermy, R.C. (1986). The Railways of Porthgain and Abereiddi. The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-340-0.
- ↑ 24.00 24.01 24.02 24.03 24.04 24.05 24.06 24.07 24.08 24.09 24.10 24.11 24.12 Boyd, James I.C. (1990). Narrow Gauge Railways in North Caernarvonshire, Volume 1: The West, 2nd. edition, The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-273-0.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 25.5 25.6 Bowtell, Harold D. (1994). Dam Builder's Railways from Durham's Dales to the Border. Plateway Press. ISBN 1-871980-19-4.
- ↑ Charlton, L.G. (FebruaryA 1968). "The Newcastle Granite and Whinstone Co. Ltd.". The Industrial Railway Record 17: 176-180.
- ↑ Narrow Gauge Railway Museum article on the Bryn Oer Tramway.
- ↑ Brinore Tramroad Conservation Forum article on the origins of the tramway.
- ↑ Leleux, Sydney A. (June 1969). "Little Eaton Tramroad". Industrial Railway Record 25: 90-93.
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Dean, Ian (1998). Industrial Narrow Gauge Railways. Shire Publications Ltd.. ISBN 0-85263-752-7.
- ↑ 31.00 31.01 31.02 31.03 31.04 31.05 31.06 31.07 31.08 31.09 31.10 31.11 31.12 31.13 31.14 31.15 31.16 31.17 31.18 List of 2 ft 6 in gauge railways.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 Kidner, R.W. (1938). Mineral Railways. The Oakwood Press.
- ↑ A brief history of the ECMR.
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 (January 2004) "Dumfries & Galloway". Industrial Railway Society Bulletin 749: 27.
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 Narrow Gauge Railways in Yorkshire.
- ↑ "The Narrow Gauge" 164. ISSN 0142-5587.
- ↑ English Heritage website on Force Crag.
- ↑ Mindat.org page on Scraithole Mine.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; no text was provided for refs namedIN79
- ↑ Narrow Gauge Railway Museum article on Brymbo Ironworks.
- ↑ Cranes and Access Magazine article on Ainscough Crane Hire.
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 Talbot Edward and Taylor Clive (2005). The Crewe Works Narrow Gauge System, 2nd. Edition, The London & North Western Railway Society. ISBN 0954695119.
- ↑ Lister, Mike (1988). The Industrial Railways of Port Sunlight and Bromborough Port. The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-371-0.
- ↑ Nicholls, Robert (1985). Manchester's Narrow Gauge Railways: Chat Moss and Charrington Estates. The Narrow Gauge Railway Society. ISSN 0142-5587.
- ↑ Boyd, James I.C. (1988). Narrow Gauge Railways in South Caernarvonshire: Volume One. The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-365-6.
- ↑ Ashforth, Philip, J. (February 1974). "The North Sea Camp Railway". The Industrial Railway Record 52: 178-182.
- ↑ Isle of Man Water Authority page.
- ↑ Bevan, Bill. "The Upper Derwent: long-term landscape archaeology in the Peak District".
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 Bowtell, Harold D (1991). Lesser Railways of the Yorkshire Dales and the Dam Builders in the Age of Steam. Plateway Press. ISBN 1-871980-09-7.
- ↑ Neale, Andrew (April 1992). "Coal, Chemicals and Salt. The Colne Valley Waterworks Railway". Narrow Gauge & Industrial Railway Modelling Review 2 (10). ISSN 0958-0808.
- ↑ Metropolitan Water Board Railway.
- ↑ Down, C.G. (December 1965). "The North Surrey Joint Sewage Board". The Industrial Railway Record 8.
- ↑ Narrow Gauge Railway Museum article on Belvoir Castle Tramway.
- ↑ 54.0 54.1 54.2 54.3 54.4 54.5 54.6 54.7 54.8 Cox, David & Krupa, Christopher (1992). The Kerry Tramway and other timber light railways. The Plateway Press. ISBN 1-871980-11-9.
- ↑ Railways of the Malvern Hills.
- ↑ Narrow Gauge Railway Museum article on the Beyer Peacock Works Railway.
- ↑ Narrow Gauge Heaven gallery page.
- ↑ "Narrow Gauge at Woodhead". Journal of the Welsh Highland Railway (125).
- ↑ Tele Rail. (1994). The Longtown Military Railway Carforth: Tele Rail.
- ↑ 60.0 60.1 Yeatman, D. (December 1966). "Lodge Hill & Upnor Railway". The Industrial Railway Record 12: 277-292.
- ↑ Farmer, Keith (March 1966). "Longmoor Military Railway". The Industrial Railway Record 9: pp.195-205.
- ↑ Semark, H.W. (1997). The Royal Naval Armament Depots of Priddy's Hard, Elson, Frater and Bedenham (Gosport, Hampshire): 1768 to 1977. Hampshire County Council. ISBN 1-85975-132-6.
- ↑ Tele Rail. (1994). Marchwood & Chilmark Military Railways Carforth: Tele Rail.
- ↑ Corser, W.J.L. (April 2003). Wings on Rails: Industrial Railways in the Logistics Support of Britain`s Air Defence Forces. Arcturus Press. ISBN 0-907322-85-9.
- ↑ Woolwich Arsenal Railway.
- ↑ Clarke, B.R. and Veitch, C.C (1986). The Eighteen Inch Gauge Royal Arsenal Railway at Wooolwich. privately published by B.R. Clarke. ISBN 0-948951-00-1.
- ↑ (November 2003) "Visit Reports". Industrial Railway Society Bulletin 746: 6-7.
- ↑ Dean Hill RNAD depot.
- ↑ Rendell, Stan and Joan (1993). Steep Holm: The Story of a Small Island. Stroud: Alan Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-7509-0323-6
- Narrow Gauge Railway Museum's list of railways.
- List of British narrow gauge steam locomotives.
- Dean, Ian, Neale Andrew and Smith, David (1983). Industrial Railways of the South-East. Middleton Press. ISBN 0-906520-09-6.
- Lee, Charles E. (1945). Narrow-Gauge Railways in North Wales. The Railway Publishing Co. Ltd..
- Crumbleholme, Roger and Kirtland, Terry (1981). steam '81. George Allen & Unwin. ISBN 0-04-385082-0.
- Stoyel, B.D. and Kidner R.W. (1973). The Cement Railways of Kent. The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-370-2.
- Macmillan, Nigel S.C. (1970). The Campbeltown & Machrihanish Light Railway. David & Charles: Newton Abbot.
- Richards, Alun John (2001). The Slate Railways of Wales. Gwasg Carreg Gwalch: Llanwrst. ISBN 0-86381-689-4.
- Tonks, Eric. The Ironstone Quarries of the Midlands, Part IV: The Wellingborough Area. Runpast Publishing: Cheltenham. ISBN 1-870754-04-2.
- Narrow Gauge News, the journal of the Narrow Gauge Railway Society