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Snap of Prince and Blanche at Tan-y-Bwlch in the mid 1960s

I have been fascinated by narrow gauge railways for at least the past 50 years - since a family holiday in North Wales when I was a youngster and quite by chance we camped beside the Festiniog Railway. Over the years I have visited several preserved narrow gauge railways and tramped the trackbeds of many abandoned lines. Having just retired from full time work I decided it was time I catalogued more fully my interests and my various wanderings. This blog aims to encapsulate an accumulation of information, images and video clips.

Over the coming years I intend to visit (and re-visit) the sites of narrow gauge railways in the UK accessible to the public and record the outcome of my visits and researches. The outcome will no doubt be idiosyncratic and completely partial - I am, after all, only human!

The accepted definition of 'narrow gauge' includes railways with a gauge of less than 4' 8½". This should therefore include miniature railways. However, as there are nearly 500 railways in the UK which fit this description I have decided initially to concentrate on passenger carrying and commercial railways with a gauge between 12" and 4' 8½".

Below you will find a list of the railways which fit my parameters outlined above. I think I have listed the passenger carrying and commercial lines which have existed or do exist in the UK (with a gauge greater than 12") - however, I have found it is quite difficult to find a definitive list - railways seem to come and go at will. In addition, I have plotted all the railways on a Google Map, to help me plan my visits.

View Narrow Gauge Railways in a larger map

You will notice that this list has around fifty 'live' entries so far out of just over 200 possible railways. I am intending to start from scratch - visiting and revisiting each railway but, this time, being more systematic in the information, images and videos I collect.

 Narrow Gauge Railways in England

• Abbey Pumping Station Museum (2')
• Alford & Sutton Tramway (2’ 6”) - closed 1889
• Amberley Museum  (2')
• Amerton Railway (2')
• Apedale Valley Light Railway  (2')
• Ashover Light Railway (1’11½”) (Closed 1950)
• Bicton Woodland Railway  (1' 6")
• Billing Aquadrome Railway  (15”)
• Black Country Museum Tramway  (3' 6")
• Blackpool Zoo Miniature Railway  (15")
• Blenheim Park Railway  (15")
• Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway  (2')
• Bressingham Steam Museum  (2', 15" )
• Bridgnorth Castle Hill Railway  (3' 8½")
• Bure Valley Railway  (15")
• Bursledon Brickworks Trust (2’)
• Buxton Pavilion Gardens Railway  (12¼")
• Camborne and Redruth Tramways (3’6)
• Chasewater Narrow Gauge Railway  (2')
• Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway  (15”)
• Combe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park  (15")
• Conkers Express  (2')
• Cotswold Wildlife Park (2’)
• Cricket St Thomas Lakes and Gardens  (15")
• Derbyshire Dales Narrow Gauge Railway (2')
• Devon Railway Centre  (2')
• Drayton Manor Park  (2')
• Drusilla's Park  (2')
• East Anglian Transport Museum  (2')
• Eaton Railway  (15")
• Ecclesbourne Valley Railway  (2')
• Evesham Vale Light Railway  (15")
• Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway (12¼")
• Fayles Tramway (3’9” - 1’ 11½” )
• Flamingoland  (2', 1' 3")
• Gartell Light Railway  (2')
• Golden Valley Light Railway  (2')
• Great Bush Railway  (2')
• Great Whipsnade Railway  (2' 6")
• Great Woburn Railway  (20")
• Gulliver's Kingdom – Lilliput Loco (1' 9½")
• Gulliver's Land  - Gulliver’s Railroad (15")
• Gulliver's World – Gulliver’s Railroad (15")
• Haigh Hall Country Park Railway  (15")
• Hampshire Narrow Gauge Railway Trust (Bursledon) (2')
• Hayling Seaside Railway  (2’)
• Hampton & Kempton Waterworks Railway (2')
• Heatherslaw Light Railway  (15")
• Herefordshire Water Works (2’)
• Hollycombe Steam Collection  (2')
• Hopewell Colliery Museum  (2')
• Hotham Park Miniature Railway  (12¼")
• Hythe Pier Railway (2')
• Imperial War Museum  (2')
• Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway (1m)
• Ironbridge - Blists Hill - Clay Mine Railway  (2')
• J Nemeth Engineering  (2')
• Kirklees Light Railway (15”)
• Knowsley Safari Park  (15")
• Lakeside Miniature Railway - Southport  (15")
• Lappa Valley Railway  (15")
• Launceston Steam Railway  (1’11½”)
• Lea Line (Alan Keef Ltd)  (2', 3’6”)
• Leeds Industrial Museum  (Various)
• Leek &Manifold Railway (2’ 6”)
• Legoland Express  (2')
• Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway (2')
• Lightwater Valley Theme Park  (15")
• LincolnshireCoast Light Railway  (60cm) (1’ 11 5/8”)
• Littlehampton Miniature Railway  (12¼")
• London Funicular Railway  (1m)
• London Museum of Steam & Water Waterworks Railway - Kew (2')
• Longleat Railway  (15")
• Lynton &Barnstaple Railway (1’11½“)
• Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway  (3' 9")
• Marwells Wonderful Railway - Marwell Wildlife Park (15")
• Milky Way Railway  (2')
• Morwellham Quay Copper Mine Tramway (61cm)
• Moseley Industrial Museum  (2')
• National Coal Mining Museum  (2' 6", 2' 3")
• National Railway Museum  (2')
• Newchapel, Horne & Burstow Grand Junction Railway (12¼")
• North Bay Railway - Scarborough  (20")
• North Ings Farm Museum and Railway  (2')
• Old Kiln Light Railway  (2')
• Paradise Park - Jungle Express  (15")
• Paultons Park – Rio Grande Train (15")
• Perrygrove Railway  (15")
• Phoenix Light Railway  (2')
• Pleasure Beach Express  (1' 9")
• Pleasure Island Railway  (2')
• Pleasurewood Hills  (2’)
• Poppleton Nursery  (2')
• Purbeck Mining Museum  (2')
• Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway  (15")
• Ripon Light Railway  (2')
• Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway  (15")
• Rosevale Mine (1’ 10¼“, 1’ 6”)
• Royal Gunpowder Mills  (18", 2' 6")
• Ruislip Lido  (12")
• Rye & Camber (3’)
• Saltburn Cliff Railway  (4' 8½") (Not narrow gauge but worth a visit)
  
• Saltburn Miniature Railway  (15")
• Seaton Tramway  (2' 9")
• Shepreth Wildlife Park  (40cm)
• Sherwood Forest Light Railway  (15")
• Shipley Glen Tramway  (1' 8")
• Sittingbourne& Kemsley Light Railway  (2' 6")
• South Tynedale Light Railway  (2')
• Southend Cliff Lift  (4' 6")
• Southend Pier Railway  (3')
• Southwold Railway (3')
• Southport Pier Tramway (3' 6")
• St Michael's Mount  (2' 5")
• Statfold Barn Railway  (2' 6", 2')
• Steeple Grange Light Railway  (1' 6")
• Strumpshaw Steam Museum  (2')
• Sundown Adventureland  (1' 6")
• Telford Steam Railway  (2' (Steam tram))
• Threlkeld Mining Museum  (2')
• Toddington Narrow Gauge Railway (2')
• Twinlakes Miniature Railway  (15")
• Twyford Waterworks  (2')
• Volk's Electric Railway  (2' 8½")
• Wells and Walsingham Light Railway (10¼")
• West Lancashire Light Railway  (2')
• West Midlands Safari Park  (15")
• Westonzoyland Pumping Station  (2')
• Wicksteed Park  (2')
• Windmill Farm Railway  (15")
• Wolverton & Stony Stratford Tramway (3’ 6”)
• Woodhorn Colliery Museum  (2')
• Yaxham Light Railway  (2')

Narrow Gauge Railways Railways in Wales

• Anglesey Model Village  (12")
• Bala Lake Railway  (60cm)
• Brecon Mountain Railway  (1' 11¾")
• Conwy Valley Railway Museum  (15")
• Corris Railway  (2' 3")
• Fairbourne Railway  (12¼")
• Ffestiniog Railway  (1' 11¾")
• Glyn Valley Tramway (2' 4½")
• Great Orme Tramway (3'6")
• Llanberis Lake Railway  (1' 11½")
• Llechwedd Slate Caverns  (1' 11½")
• Margam Park Railway  (2')
• Oakwood Adventure Park  (600mm, 15")
• Penrhyn Quarry Railway (1’ 10¾”)
• Rhiw Valley Light Railway  (15")
• Rhyl Miniature Railway  (15")
• Snowdon Mountain Railway  (2' 7½" (800mm))
• Talyllyn Railway  (2' 3")
• Teifi Valley Railway  (1' 11½")
• Vale of Rheidol Railway  (1' 11¾")
• Welsh Highland Heritage Railway  (1' 11½")
• Welsh Highland Railway  (1' 11½")
• Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway  (2' 6")

Narrow Gauge Railways in Scotland

• Alford Valley Railway (2')
• Almond Valley Heritage Centre (2' 6")
• Campbeltown and Machrihanish (2’3”)
• Clyde Valley Railway (2')
• Craigtoun Park Railway (15")
• East Links Railway (2')
• Glasgow Underground Railway (4')
• Leadhills & Wanlockhead Railway (2')

Narrow Gauge Railways in Ireland

• Arigna Mines Experience (2')
• Ballymena, Cushendall & Red Bay (3’)
• Ballymena & Larne (3’)
• Ballycastle  (3’)
• Castlerigg & Victoria Bridge Tramway (3’)
• Cavan & Leitrim Railway (3')
• Clogher Valley tramway (3’)
• Cork, Blackrock & Passage (3’ (originally 5’3”))
• Cork & Muskerry Light Railway (3’)
• County Donegal Railway (3’3”)
• Difflin Lake Railway (15")
• County Donegal  (3’) 
• Fintown & Glenties Railway (3')
• Giants Causeway & Bushmills Railway (3')
• Irish Steam Preservation Society (3')
• Lartigue Monorail and Museum (0')
• Leisureland Funworld Express (2')
• Londonderry & Lough Swilly (3’)
• Peatlands Park (3')
• Schull & Skibbereen (3’) 
• Stradbally Railway  (Railway Preservation Society of Ireland) (3')
• Sunshine Peat Co. (2' 6")
• Tralee & Blennerville Railway (3')
• Tralee & Dingle (3’)
• Tramore Miniature Railway (15")
• Waterford & Suir Valley Railway (3')
• West Clare Railway (3')
• West Clare  (3’)
• Westport House (15")

Narrow Gauge Railways elsewhere
Isle of Man

• Douglas Bay Horse Tramway  (3')
• Great Laxey Mines Tramway  (1' 7")
• Groudle Glen Railway  (2')
• Isle of Man Steam Railway  (3')
• Manx Electric Railway  (3')
• Snaefell Mountain Railway  (3' 6")

Channel Islands

• Jersey Railway (3’6”)
• Pallot Steam Museum (2' ??)

Background research
To inform my visits I have been conducting more generalised background research on the history and development of narrow gauge railways in the UK and Ireland. From time to time I will share the outcome of my researches here:

• The Minimum Gauge - A chronology of 15" gauge railways

Progress Reports

Over time I will keep posting general progress reports in addition to the postings on railways I have visited. These will be presented here in chronological order.

• Progress Report 1 - October 2011 - Getting started
• Progress Report 2 - July 2012 - Mapping the railways
• Progress Report 3 - March 2013 - Progress so far and preparing for 2013 
• Progress Report 4 - February 2014 - Progress so far and plans for 2014 
• Progress Report 5 - June 2017 - Progress so far 
• Progress Report 6 - May 2018 - Yorkshire

You may also be interested in my other two blogs which are slightly interrelated:

• Swiss Railway Tour - A ten day trip I organised in 2007 to travel on what I considered to be the most well known railways in Switzerland
• Peckforton Garden Railway - My 15mm scale garden railway depicting a fictional three foot narrow gauge railway supposedly situated in the Cheshire countryside.

Progress Report 2

You will see that so far I have managed to visit two closed railways (the Leek & Manifold and the Glyn Valley Tramway) and travelled on four railways (the Great Orme Tramway, the Bala Lake Railway, the Fairbourne Railway and the Talyllyn Railway). For now, I am concentrating on those in Wales as many of them are within a day's travelling of home and I have a discount card from the Little Trains of Wales website which gives me 20% discount on some of the railways.

Over the winter I prepared a spreadsheet detailing the locations, contact details and opening times of all the railways which fit my criteria - this has been uploaded as a Word document to Google Docs from where it can be downloaded if you feel the need.

In addition I have created a Google Map showing the actual location of each railway.

View Narrow Gauge Railways in a larger map

This took some considerable time to collate, as several locations shown on Google are inaccurate and others are not shown at all. I am presently preparing a map showing the routes of all the closed narrow gauge railways. This is taking a lot longer to complete as I am trying to use satellite images, old Ordnance Survey maps and web-based information to show as accurately as possible where the railways ran. As you can see, the map is not yet complete:

View Narrow gauge railways Britain & Ireland (closed) in a larger map

I have also plotted all the railways on a large scale wall map which acts like a plan of campaign in my study. It certainly helps ensure I make the most of any trips I make. Over the summer I intend to visit more of the Welsh narrow gauge railways and may opportunistically visit a few others when they happen to be en route or near to other places I am visiting for other purposes.

Progress Report 1

The 'Vintage Train' in 2010 on the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway

The first progress report for this new blog. As you may have seen from the home page that it is my intention to visit as many of the narrow gauge railways of the UK as possible over the next few years. Having had a fascination with this mode of transport for at least the last 50 years and visited and travelled on many railways, I decided it was time to be a little more systematic and organised in my travels.

River Irt at Ravenglass in 2010

 Three days ago, I happened to spend a few days in Cumbria and inevitably found my way to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. Having visited this railway on two previous occasions and taken a few random and miscellaneous photos I pondered on how else I could mark my return visit. Over a cup of coffee in the cafe at Ravenglass Station, my partner and I speculated on how many narrow gauge railways there were left in the UK for me to visit. I guessed there were around 200 (including miniature railways). On my return home I did a little background research and on the Narrow Gauge Railway Society website discovered their Guide to Narrow Gauge Railways in the UK which revealed there were nearly 500 narrow gauge and miniature railways - and this did not include those which had closed down such as the Southwold and Leek and Manifold.

The Southwold Railway trackbed at Tinkers' Covert

Image copyright Ashley Dace - reproduced under Creative Commons

A plan started to emerge. I decided to visit (or revisit) all the railways listed in the guide, plus the sites of defunct  narrow gauge railways. However, I needed to prioritise. I decided to draw the line at miniature railways with a gauge less than 12" and only those which were open to public access. This was a purely arbitrary and pragmatic decision - but still left me with around 180 railways to visit, plus the sites of defunct railways.

The North Bay Miniature Railway, Scarborough

 My next decision centred on what sort of information I needed to gather during my visits. Clearly this would be dependent on what was available to see on the day. I may use my first few visits to fine tune the sorts of evidence I will accumulate but I'm trying to consider the needs and interests of my intended audience - ie people like me who want a bit of background information and a few enticing images before they visit the railway themselves. In addition to some historical information and some factual stuff on what is there, I will include some personal impressions of my visit - what I noticed, what I felt and how much I enjoyed what I did there on the day.

'Vale of Ffestiniog' Funkey Diesel at Blaenau Ffestinog in 2002

Probably, the end of October is not the best time to start a project like this as many railways close down or run a much reduced (and often diesel powered) service during the winter months. Furthermore, we shall probably be using our trailer tent for accommodation and somehow this loses its appeal between October and April. However, this initial lull will give me time to do some more background research and to start planning our various journeys around the country.

Over the next few months, I will post updates on my planning and include my first few postings of visits to railways which are within easy travelling distance and which are still running winter services.