Beer Heights Light Railway
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2014) |
 Steam locomotive 'Claudine' running round its train at the terminus. | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 14 July 1975–Present |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) |
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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]
Overview
The official opening was by Rev. W.V. Awdry on 14 July 1975,[6] 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 tunnel, 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'. [7]
The line is notable for its high standard of presentation to the public and for the fine views obtainable from it.[8] It is home to eight live steam locomotives designed on narrow gauge principles.
Locomotives
The railway currently has eight steam locomotives, two diesel and one electric.[9] 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.[10] Other locomotives also visit during the 'Loco Week' and 'Bank Holiday Weekend Gala' in August. A list of locomotives currently in use is below:[11]
| 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 |  |
| 8 | Gem | 0-6-0+T | Romulus (heavily modified – Engerth tender arrangement) | Steam | 1999 | |
| O&EBR 1 | Otter | 2-4-2+T | Built at Western Steam, Privately Owned | Steam | 2004 |  |
| 9 | Claudine | 2-4-4T | Single Fairlie, Built at Beer Works | Steam | 2005 |  |
| 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 | 2018 |
References
- ^ "Gallery 16 Beer Heights July 2016". www.ribblevalleyrail.co.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ "Plan Your Visit - Pecorama". Pecorama. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
- ^ "A Short History of English Maps". www.bsswebsite.me.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ "Beer Heights Light Railway 7¼ inch". UK: Miniature Railway World. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
- ^ "Pecorama". Seaton Bay. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
- ^ https://www.pecorama.co.uk/bhlr/?subpage=beer-heights-light-railway
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3EmOmGVUCc
- ^ "Beer Heights Light Railway". Archived from the original on 13 July 2010.
- ^ "Our Rolling Stock". Archived from the original on 22 May 2011.
- ^ "The BHLR Revealed". Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ^ "Our Trains". Pecorama. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
External links
50°41′49″N 3°06′08″W / 50.69687°N 3.10215°W
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