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List of British heritage and private railways

Summary

This is a list of heritage, private and preserved railways throughout the United Kingdom, the Crown dependencies, and British Overseas Territories whether operational or closed, that are operated for charitable purposes or shareholder profit. Some also provide economic local transport. For rail museums, see List of British railway museums.

Map
Interactive map of standard gauge heritage railways in Great Britain.
Map
Interactive map of miniature heritage railways in Great Britain.

Many of the standard-gauge railways listed, including former branch lines and ex-mainline routes, were closed by British Railways under the Beeching Axe of the 1960s. Most have been restored and operate as heritage lines. A smaller number of lines were formerly industrial or colliery railways.

Many of these preserved railways are mentioned in national and international tour guides, and visits may form part of a school curriculum or feature in other studies, including civil engineering, mechanics, social, economic and political history, visual arts and drama.[citation needed]

This list also includes tramways. Nearly all tram services in Britain ended in the 1950s and early 1960s, leaving just Blackpool Corporation Tramways, although some big cities have since revived them in the late 20th century onwards.

England edit

East of England edit

 
Mixed train on the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway
 
Restored double track section on the Mid-Norfolk Railway

Standard gauge edit

Railway centres and museums edit

Narrow gauge edit

Miniature gauge edit

 
The Wells and Walsingham Light Railway

Tramways edit

East Midlands edit

Standard gauge edit

 
Great Central Railway (heritage railway).

Railway centres and museums edit

Narrow gauge edit

Miniature gauge edit

Tramways edit

 
A 1931 Leeds tram seen at Crich Tramway Village in 2004

North England edit

 
Goathland station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Standard gauge edit

Railway centres and museums edit

Narrow gauge edit

 
The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway in 1981

Miniature gauge edit

 
The North Bay Railway
 
Miniature Railway in Royden Park

Tramways edit

 
Wirral Tramway

South East edit

 
GWR Earl of Berkeley at Horsted Keynes Station, Bluebell Railway

Standard gauge edit

Railway centres and museums edit

 
The engine sheds at Didcot Railway Centre

Narrow gauge edit

 
Trains on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway
 
The Volks Electric Railway

Miniature gauge edit

South West edit

 
Bishops Lydeard station on the West Somerset Railway
 
A general view of the Swanage Railway

Standard gauge edit

Railway centres and museums edit

Narrow gauge edit

 
Restored Victorian coach at the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway
 
Exmouth Miniature Railway

Miniature gauge edit

 
The Beer Heights Light Railway

Tramways edit

West Midlands edit

 
Arley station on the Severn Valley Railway

Standard gauge edit

 
Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway

Railway centres and museums edit

Narrow gauge edit

Miniature gauge edit

Tramways edit

 
Dudley tram No. 5 of 1920 at Black Country Museum

Proposed edit

East of England edit

North of England edit

South of England edit

Defunct edit

This is a list of former heritage railway attractions that are sadly defunct.

Northern Ireland edit

See List of heritage railways in Northern Ireland

Irish standard gauge edit

Railway centres and museums edit

Narrow gauge edit

Defunct edit

Scotland edit

Standard gauge edit

Central Highlands edit

East Coast of Scotland edit

Scottish Borders edit

Railway centres and museums edit

Narrow gauge edit

 
Craignure station on the 260 mm gauge Isle of Mull railway

Miniature railways edit

Tramways edit

Proposed edit

Defunct edit

Wales edit

North Wales edit

Name Type Gauge Length Opened Closed Re-Opened Notes
Llangollen Railway Heritage railway 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) 16km 1862 1964 1981
Conwy Valley Railway Museum Museum and miniature railway 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) 1.6km 1970s Has a 0.8km long 15 in (381 mm) gauge tramway
Penrhyn Castle Railway Museum Museum N/A 0km 1951
Bala Lake Railway Heritage railway 1 ft 11+5⁄8 in (600 mm) 7.2km 1861 1965 1972 Originally standard gauge line
Ffestiniog Railway Heritage railway 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) 21.7km 1836 1946 1954 Also owns and operates the Welsh Highland Railway
Llanberis Lake Railway Heritage railway 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) 4km 1971
Snowdon Mountain Railway Tourist railway 2 ft 7+1⁄2 in (800 mm) 7.5km 1896
Welsh Highland Heritage Railway Heritage railway 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) 1.6km 1980
Welsh Highland Railway Heritage railway 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) 40.2km 1922 1937 1997 Owned and operated by the Ffestiniog Railway
Fairbourne Railway Miniature railway 12+1⁄4 in (311 mm) 3.2km 1895 1940 1947 Previously 2 ft (610 mm) and 15 in (381 mm)
Rhyl Miniature Railway Miniature railway 15 in (381 mm) 1.6km 1911
West Shore Miniature Railway Miniature railway 2018
Great Orme Tramway Tramway 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) 1902
Glyn Valley Tramway Tramway 2 ft 4+1⁄2 in (724 mm) 0km 1873 1935 c. 2022[citation needed]

Mid Wales edit

Name Type Gauge Length Opened Closed Re-Opened Notes
Corris Railway Heritage railway 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) 1.17km 1859 1948 1971
Talyllyn Railway Heritage railway 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) 11.67km 1865 Includes Narrow Gauge Railway Museum
Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway Heritage railway 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) 13.7km 1903 1956 1963
Vale of Rheidol Railway Heritage railway 1 ft 11+3⁄4 in (603 mm) 18.91km 1902
Rhiw Valley Light Railway Miniature railway 15 in (381 mm) 1.265km 1970

South Wales edit

Name Type Gauge Length Opened Closed Re-Opened Notes
Barry Tourist Railway Tourist Railway 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) 2.4km 1885 1976 1994
Gwili Railway Heritage railway 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) 7.24km 1860 1973 1978
Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway Heritage railway 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) 0.4km[9] 1801 1989 2017
Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway Heritage railway 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) 5.6km 1866 1941 1983
Brecon Mountain Railway Tourist Railway 1 ft 11+3⁄4 in (603 mm) 8km 1980
Margam Park Railway 1 ft 11+3⁄4 in (603 mm)[10] c. 2011[11]
Teifi Valley Railway 2 ft (610 mm) 1km 1986 Closed 2014 and much of the track lifted. Reopened 2016
Cefn Mably Farm Park Railway Attraction Miniature railway 12+1⁄4 in (311 mm) c. 2020[12]
Heath Park Electric Tramway 18 in (457 mm) 0.2km
Garw Valley Railway Heritage railway 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) 8km 1876 1997 c. 2001

Proposed edit

North Wales edit

Standard gauge edit
Narrow gauge edit

South Wales edit

Standard gauge edit

Defunct edit

Crown dependencies edit

Isle of Man edit

Name Type Gauge Length Opened Closed Re-Opened Notes
Douglas Bay Horse Tramway Tramway 3 ft (914 mm) 2.6km 1876 1939 1946
Great Laxey Mine Railway Heritage railway 19 in (483 mm) 0.4km 1870s 1929 2004
Groudle Glen Railway Heritage railway 2 ft (610 mm) 0.9km 1896 1962 1982
Isle of Man Railway Nationalised railway 3 ft (914 mm) 25km 1874 Current line opened in 1974, however the company's first, now defunct line opened in 1973.
Manx Electric Railway Nationalised railway 3 ft (914 mm) 27km 1893
Snaefell Mountain Railway Nationalised railway 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) 8.9km 1895
Crogga Valley Railway Miniature railway 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) 0.41km
Orchid Line Miniature railway Multiple gauges

Derelict edit

See Rail transport in the Isle of Man.

Channel Islands edit

British Overseas Territories edit

Falkland Islands edit

See also edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heritage railways in the United Kingdom.

References edit

  1. ^ "One Suffolk". leistonworksrailwaytrust.onesuffolk.net. Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Norfolk Orbital". https://norfolk-orbital-railway.co.uk/. Retrieved 3 January 2023. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  3. ^ "Southwold Railway Trust – England's premier 3-foot gauge railway". www.southwoldrailway.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 March 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Peatlands Park". Discover Northern Ireland. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  5. ^ "ScottishIndustrialRailwayCentre". www.scottishindustrialrailwaycentre.org.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  6. ^ "The Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust Incorporating Ferryhill Men's Shed - Welcome Page". www.frht.org.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ^ . 27 October 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091027060737/http://geocities.com/summerleetrams/. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2018. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ^ "About Our Project". llanellirailway. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  10. ^ "The Train". www.margamcountrypark.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  11. ^ Rik, Ge (30 April 2014). "Narrow Gauge Railways UK: Margam Park Railway". Narrow Gauge Railways UK. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  12. ^ Till.Tech. "Cefn Mably Farm Park | Full Steam Ahead!". Cefn Mably Farm Park. Retrieved 12 September 2022.

External links edit

  • International Working Steam
  • Heritage Railways Directory
  • National Preservation forum
  • Britains Great Little Railways
  • Waverley Route

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