Beer Heights Light Railway

The Beer Heights Light Railway operates 1 mile (1.6 km) of minimum gauge 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) track at Beer, Devon, England.[4] It is part of Pecorama, an exhibition owned by Peco.[5]

Beer Heights Light Railway
Steam locomotive 'Claudine' running round its train at the terminus.
Overview
Dates of operation14 July 1975–Present
Technical
Track gauge7 1⁄4 in (184 mm)
Beer Heights
Light Railway
 Deepwater Station
Beer Mine
Quarry siding
Much Natter
Train sheds
 Little Moore bay
 White Falls Halt
Upsan Downs sidings
[1][2][3]

Overview

The official opening was by Rev. W.V. Awdry on 14 July 1975, at which time it offered a return ride from "Much Natter" station via a balloon loop. Subsequently, it was almost doubled in length by construction of the "Devil's Gorge" extension which involved a very considerable cutting, and the complex track layout also includes a more recent steeply-graded branch line to "Wildway Down". The station at Deepwater was revamped in late 2014 and reopened in July 2015 as 'Deepwater Halt'.

The line is notable for its high standard of presentation to the public and for the fine views obtainable from it.[6] It is home to eight steam locomotives designed on narrow gauge principles.

Locomotives

The railway currently has eight steam locomotives, two diesel and one electric.[7] A locomotive called 'Finn MacCool' also visits every summer (usually July – September) from the Belfast and County Down Miniature Railway Society, Northern Ireland, to help out in the peak season.[8] Other locomotives also visit during the 'Loco Week' and 'Bank Holiday Weekend Gala' in August.

Operational
Number Name Wheel Arrangement Notes Power source Arrived Image
3 Dickie 0-4-2+T Built by David Curwen, Wiltshire Steam 1976
4 Thomas II 0-4-2ST+T Thomas II (Original), Built by Roger Marsh Steam 1979
5 Linda 2-4-0ST+T Mainline Hunslet, rebuilt by TMA Engineering, Birmingham. Replica of Ffestiniog Loco. Steam 1983
6 Jimmy Bo-Bo Built Severn Lamb, Stratford-On-Avon diesel hydraulic 1986
7 Mr.P 2-4-2T+T Built in Beer Works Steam 1997
Steam locomotive 'Mr P' on turntable.
8 Gem 0-6-0+T Romulus (heavily modified - Engerth tender arrangement) Steam 1999
O&EBR 1 Otter 2-4-2T Built at Western Steam, Privately Owned Steam 2004
9 Claudine 2-4-4T Single Fairlie, Built at Beer Works Steam 2005
BHLR Claudine
10 Alfred Bo-Bo Tram style, Built at Beer Works Battery Electric 2003
11 Ben Bo-Bo Freelance, Built at Beer Works LPG / Petrol Mechanical 2015
12 Jools 0-4-2T Heavily rebuilt from Samastipur. Steam in 2018.

Under overhaul or construction
Number Name Wheel Arrangement Notes Power source Arrived image
12 Samastipur 0-4-2T Exmoor Steam Railway, rebuilt |into Jools. Steam 1999

Previous
Number Name Wheel Arrangement Notes Power source Arrived left Image
1 Little Nell 4wBE Built by Cromar White Battery Electric 1970s Early 1980s
2 Thomas Jnr 0-4-0ST+T Steam 1970s Early 1980s

References
  1. "Gallery 16 Beer Heights July 2016". www.ribblevalleyrail.co.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  2. "Plan Your Visit - Pecorama". Pecorama. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  3. "A Short History of English Maps". www.bsswebsite.me.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  4. "Beer Heights Light Railway 7¼ inch". UK: Miniature Railway World. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  5. "Pecorama". Seaton Bay. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  6. http://www.pecorama.info/beer-heights-light-railway/
  7. http://www.pecorama.info/beer-heights-light-railway/our-rolling-stock/
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.