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Seaside & Holiday Island Narrow Gauge


Nearholmer
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The weather is generally chilly, we are all more or less confined to barracks, so I propose that we cheer ourselves up by thinking about seaside narrow gauge railways - sun, sand, sea, rides on small trains. What models/layouts do we have, and what prototypes can we highlight?

 

A few guiding principles:

 

- these should be railways or tramways that exist or existed purely for 'seaside' activities, leisure or industry, rather than "serious" railways that terminate at, or run beside the sea;

 

- any motive power is permitted;

 

- anywhere in the world;

 

- pier railways are included;

 

- none of those bloomin' awful rubber-tyred Dotto-train things that seem to have supplanted most beach railways.

 

EDIT: scope latterly expanded to include railways on small holiday-focused islands (we're thinking things ranging from a rock with a seagull perched on it, up to a few hundred square miles here, not huge slabs of land).

 

I'll start us off with a not very good photo of the Volks Electric.

 

 

 

 

BE02F68B-E0C5-4269-9FD6-4B41E57B807D.jpeg

Edited by Nearholmer
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You haven't excluded them so here is Clevedon miniature railway in 1962. I am on the train!  The sea is just behind the bank on the left. Donkeys are in the field on the right. Punch & Judy were often in the same field.

 

UK 1962 Clevedon 1.jpg

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HI everyone,

 

While it is not really 'my thing' I cannot help but have been impressed by the former Kerr's Miniature Railway in Arbroath (take thermals and waterproofs in summer), and the Wells and Walsingham line.  I had more of an opportunity to chat with folk and the latter, and found the crews to be engaging.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

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13 minutes ago, Metropolitan H said:

Sorry haven't got a picture of the Wells Harbour line - or the Wells and Walsingham

I’ve got some of both but they are on the laptop. I’ll try to post them later.

 

Andi (currently posting from my phone)

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Many years ago, a short narrow gauge railway operated on the eastern bank of the Keyhaven River, Keyhaven, Hampshire. It linked a small boatbuilding yard to the river and was used to transport boats in cradles from the yard to the water. I only ever saw it derelict. Man hauled?

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Brilliant - exactly the sort of railway I'm thinking of!

 

There was a really cracking Dungenessque layout in a mag that I read recently, maybe NG&IRM; I think a winner at an Expong challenge.

 

We did have a few horse-worked ones in Britain, although again nothing to really rival France, but here's a picture of one of ours https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Tram_Terminus,_Barmouth_Ferry.jpg  IIRC, The Pwlhelli & Lanbedrog, which sounds made-up, was another one, and Douglas Bay probably qualifies, even if it lacks the essential sandy/shingly-ness.

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