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Ficitious Railways


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Hello all, and a merry I-couldn't-care-less Christmas to you all. Now this topic will probably be accused of being lifted from other better writings but anyhoo, As I sit here and count down the miserable hours till my inevitable head on collision with the annual explosion of teeth-rotting sugar, mind-blowing levels of caffeine and acholoic consumption rates that make a Russian soldier look tee total. Something has occurred to me that has never occurred to me before, or is it just the mouse thats eating my foot?

 

We've got the wrong idea, and I'm shamelessly pilfering this from the US of A. But we endlessly hear of the you-can't-run-that-their-because-it-never-did etc, or the enforcing of the its-my-railway rule to explain the X loco running in X location it apparently didn't run in 19XX, zzzz... I'm sorry I don't mean to sound like I'm attacking the conventional, I am, but I don't mean to sound like it. I've spent the last few days perusing the work of John Allen designer and construtor of the legendary "Gorre and Daphetid Railroad".

 

Now of course the G&D was entriely fictional in nature, I.E it had no real world conterpart and the same is true for numerious other Railroad 'Companies', this idelology seems to have found greater acceptaince across the pond, I think thats due largely to the outsourcing nature of American railroads. so how does this topic differ from others? In a very limited sense is the best answer, But please follow this format when setting out your Fictional railway idea(s) .

 

NAME OF COMPANY:

 

GAUGE:

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL:

 

MOTTO:

 

HISTORY/DISSCRIPTION:

 

I'll demonstrate.

 

NAME OF COMPANY: Nodnol And Lacylyn Light Railway

 

GAUGE: 3ft

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL: 1879-1948

 

MOTTO: The Dragons Shall Rise/ Bydd y dreigiau yn codi

 

HISTORY/DISCRIPTION: It had promise.

 

Yours

 

ScR

 

Here to mainly sober christmas and the same for new years.

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I'll play.

 

The blindingly obvious missing railway in the UK, is the hole in the map at the centre of the universe. What is required is the

 

NAME OF COMPANY: Great North East South West Universal Junction Railway of London

 

GAUGE: Standard

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL: 1850 - Present

 

MOTTO: Mondo Centrum

 

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: The City of London Corporation realised in the 1840s that the railway was the coming thing and that the City would be better served by a single large central interchange station. To do so it obtained a large plot of land SSE of the then developing site of the London and Birmingham railway's terminus, at that time laid out as Gordon, Tavistock, and Russell squares, and here built the Central London Interchange station, obtaining an Act of Parliament to construct its own lines up to a maximum distance of five miles from this station to make end on junctions with all railway routes approaching London. Among its early achievements was the rapid conversion of a westward route to the correct gauge to allow traffic interchange. Resisted Nationalisation, and continues to operate what remains the largest and busiest railway station in the world.

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might as well join in,

 

NAME OF COMPANY: Halfmoon colliery light railway

 

GAUGE: 2ft

 

PERIOD OF OPERATION: 1830's- 1930's

 

MOTTO:

 

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: (the railway and its history is fictional but it is on the route of a real standard gauge colliery railway). The H.M.L.R. was started as a waggon way around 1800 and converted into loco traction in the 1830's and under a light railway order the railway began, from Halfmoon colliery (actually st john's colliery)past newland hall along the east bank of the river calder to a quayside at stanley ferry (West yorkshire, england) the traffic of coal rose steadily until just after the first world war, when there was a sudden drop because the colliery was sending more coal by the mainline next door, the railway fell into dis repair and finally closed in the late 1930's

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You dont even need to make them up. Many many railways were proposed but never built - criss crossing the land and connecting places you never imagined would want to be connected. Although these werent built, they strictly aren't fictitious - just that they werent built. The greatest time for this was 1845 - in my own part of the country the local paper, the Somerset County Gazette used its entire ediiton of Nov 22 1845 was devoted solely to advertising railways - and the news was in a supplement. This was of course the last possible date for submission and represented the end of railwaymania. I think that Adrian Vaughan quoted somewhere that if all the railways proposed for that session of parliament were granted, then it would have taken the entire output of UK iron and steel production for 3 years just to manufacture the rails (or was it 9 years - i forget).

So if you want a bit of licence and be freed from the rigours of following a precise prototype but still want to be somewhere near reality, then just pick one of these. A visit to the local library to look up November 1845 in any county paper will yield a set of possibilities!

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NAME OF COMPANY: Ticknall Light Railway

 

GAUGE: 4foot 8 and a half inches

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL: 1834-1946, 1985-present

 

MOTTO: Degenerati Genus Opprobrium

 

HISTORY/DISSCRIPTION: Originally built in 1802 as a four foot 2 inch tramway, running about 8 miles in total, the development of steam haulage during the 1830s saw the line converted to standard gauge and locomotive haulage begin.

 

With the expansion of the brickworks and the lime yards during the 1840s and 1850s the line would remain relatively busy until the early 1900s. With the rise of nearby Swadlincote as a manufacturing base for things like bricks and the dropping off of lime mortar as well as the winding down of the clay pits, the line was predominately used for agricultural purposes sending cattle and sheep to market.

 

When Richard inherited the Calke Estate in the 1930s he purchased internal combustion locomotives to try and modernize the line.

 

During the war, demand for lime mortar and bricks peaked, meaning the line was busier than ever, however after the rebuilding was complete in London, the brick works finally closed. The line limped on for a few years post-war, running agricultural trains and the occassional service to nearby Ashby on market days, but by 1946 the line formally closed.

 

The National Trust took over the property in 1985 and the railway with it inside the estate. (Richard, having been quite weak, still died before fathering any children, and history resumes it’s proper course for the Harpur-Crewe Family and its waning fortunes.)

 

They found the majority of the line intact, but in poor condition, covered in weeds and even with trees growing out of the track itself. However, the locomotives and even some rolling stock had been relatively well preserved, and by 1993 the line had reopened for tourists.

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Name of company: Wrekin Havock Range Railway

Gauge: 2 ft

Period of operation: 1940-2010 (Officially closed under the last Strategic Defence Review, but trains are still running!)

Motto: Sua tela tonanti (common translation: To the warrior his arms.)

History: A series of military ranges built around the base of the Wrekin in Shropshire, the hamlet of Wrekin Havock became the HQ of the railway built to service the range complex.

Latterly more famous for the quality of it's pheasant shoot rather than the quality or quantity of the shooting on the ranges.

It survived as a cross between Ealing Comedies meets the Army Game/Navy Lark/Round The Horne.

 

Actually: Built to 7/8"= 1'. 45 mm gauge. some locos are scale models; other are 'esque' (ie Hunsletesque). most rolling stock is built in the ranges own workshops to the railways own design.

Used as a fun line at complete polar opposites to 4mm P4.

 

Regards

 

Richard

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Something for modern image >>

Leisurerail PLC open access freight and passenger operator. Began before privatisation as a specialist in transporting luxury cars to motor shows throughout Europe and finding that in some instances that rail was the safest, quickest and most secure way of doing so acquired a small fleet of ex-BR ferry CCT's. They had a storage and repair facility that was in excess of their needs so upon privatisation they took on the maintainance and repair of other operators rolling stock. They then had the problem of one of their clients, a rail tour company, going bust whilst they were in the process of refurbishing a rake of passenger coaches for them. They took the rake of coaches in lieu of payment together with some existing contracts for the rake. Having done so there was a small profit made from hiring out the rake so to be able to recoup the cost of refurbishment they continued to hire the rake of coaches out. It was then found more economical to acquire their own small fleet of locomotives for operating their own trains and moving the railtour stock. To this end they acquired a couple of class 58's from EWS which proved very popular for railtours so they began operating railtours themselves.

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Not so much a ficticious railway company, but the layout my father and I have built together has always "suffered" from an "unusual" mix of stock (including both 'Rocket' and a Javelin), though a lot of it was "modern image" when bought!

 

Having a "modern" main line and preserved branch helped sort the confusion out, but we were still left with an odd confusion of 3rd rail and 25kV electrics and a harbour on the layout (which ruled out North/West London!).

 

So current theory is that the layout is located on the peninsula just north of Swanscombe/Ebbsfleet, with the "main line" tunneling under the Thames to Dagenham and the "branch line" being the remains of a parallel line that once crossed the river on a swing bridge, since demolished/bombed.

 

In addition, though not modelled, an International station (replacing both Ebbsfleet and Stratford) lies either beneath or adjacent to our main station, requiring connecting services from much of the country.

 

So, in addition to commuter services to/from Liverpool Street and Victoria, we also have:

 

Class 86 & DVT from Norwich or Manchester/Bham/Liverpool.

Class 67 & ditto from Wrexham/Chester.

Class 442 from Weymouth/Bournemouth/Southampton via the little known Waterloo East curve and London Bridge.

DMU services from Aylesbury/Reading via the Gospel Oak-Barking line.

 

As well as general freight, we also have trains to/from Ford at Dagenham & Blue Circle at West Thurrock, and a flask run to/from Dungeness.

 

Deltic on Ramsgate services 1990s style but running through east London rather than west.

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This could be fun.

 

NAME OF COMPANY: Nether Upton Light Railway

 

GAUGE: Standard

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL: 1930 - 1959

 

MOTTO: Resurgam (I shall rise again)

 

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: A light railway that Beeching missed, basically a twig of a branch line serving a local industry and a cattle dock. Location: according to those who have seen it the layout could be set in the north or the west and possibly the south of England with some nods going to the Scottish borders.

 

The layout is already operational and is under intermittent upgrade as funds and time permit.

 

Cheers,

 

David

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NAME OF THE COMPANY: Empire State Railroad

 

GAUGE: Standard

 

PERIOD OF OPERATION: 1871-1975

 

METTO: The Right Way, The Only Way

 

HISTORY: A bizzare little Railroad in western New York State, to the end it maintained what it described as a 'small engine' policy, in that it solely employed a succession of 4-4-0s for passenger work and 0-6-0s for freight, the only deviance from this ideal was tewlve 4-4-2s based off the PRR K4. As a result of this policy trains were often double headed and timings, inparticular for freight, were very slack.

 

One more interesting curve was the companies insistance on using a strange dark crimson and gold lined livery for its passenger machines and stock, with the letters ESRR on the tenders and the coat of arms on the cab sheets. Even more odd was the naming of some of the passenger locos!!

 

Very weird.

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NAME OF COMPANY: The CHR (Cymraeg Helvetica Railway - Welsh Swiss Railway)

 

GAUGE: Standard (with many rack and pinion stretches)

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL: 1923 - 1939

 

MOTTO: Chripia 'n Bob Fynydd (Climb Every Mountain)

 

HISTORY/DISCRIPTION:

 

The predecessor of the CHR was the ESWMR (Extremely Steep Welsh Mountain Railway), a short (50 miles in total) very, very, steep rack and pinion railway serving some very isolated Welsh mountain communities. The ESWMR was the railway that the GWR lobbied hard to exclude from its portfolio at grouping and, as we know, the GWR was successful in avoiding taking on the ESWMR.

 

With the refusal of the GWR to take over the ESWMR, many rural and mountainous Welsh communities prepared for the worst - loosing contact with the outside world for much of the year due to poor weather. Enter an unlikely saviour: the Swiss company the Reinacher Maschinen, Lokomotiven und Wagenbau AG (RMLW). The RMLW needed to find an inexpensive test track, proving ground and running-in track for its world renowned Swiss Rack and Pinion (Alpine) locomotives and the ESWMR fit the Swiss company's needs exactly.

 

After negotiation with the Government, the RMLW was allowed to take over the the ESWMR, forming the CHR, provided that a low cost passenger service was maintained as a "community service". From the onset, the CHR was a successful endeavour, marrying Swiss precision engineering with Welsh hard graft. Whilst most of the management was Swiss, the CHR was a large local employer with an enlightened approach to its workforce. Whilst the rolling stock was either inherited Cambrian Railway goods stock or "wet leased" GWR coaching stock (the RMLW had a profitable understanding with GWR management). locomotive stock was always brand new, state-of-the-art, rack and pinion RMLW steam locomotives. Such was the success of RMLW, there was never less than 15 locomotives undergoing trials or "running in" at any one time. Each of the smart red and white ex GWR carriages (which were always kept spotless, despite it being a steam railway) was named after a local Celtic god or sprite; the Modron (the Welsh goddess of fertility) was considered particularly luxurious and comfortable - being the director's saloon which also earnt its keep in revenue generating service. First time passengers on the CHR would often do a "double-take" at a rake of immaculate and very British carriages being hauled by an equally immaculate and very Swiss locomotive. As would be expected of a well run Swiss company, the CHR was quietly profitable.

 

In late 1939, shortly after the RMLW board had voted to electrify the CHR in order to test the new generation electric Alpine stock designed to replace steam services, hostilities broke out between Britain and Germany. And whilst the Welsh clearly had no problems working with the Swiss, the English were either unable or unwilling to distinguish between German speaking Germans and German speaking Swiss Germans (Schwiizertüütsch), making life extremely difficult for the Swiss management and employees of the CHR. In November 1939, the RMLW board sold the CHR at a loss and repatriated all its Swiss employees. The new owner of the CHR? A certain Marples Road and Pathway Company bought up the rights to the track bed and well before the Battle of Britain, had ripped up the tracks, sold off the land and pulled down any (former) CHR building that could not be immediately sold.

 

(as an interesting footnote, the remaining legacy of the CHR is that in certain Welsh mountain communities local swearwords and phrases mix Schwiizertüütsch and Welsh [as in "arall bitzeli bîr blesio" {another beer, please}]).

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Lot's of fantasy Welsh railways here. Here's another, though I have to admit this one is not very original. (Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery after all.)

 

NAME OF COMPANY: Merioneth and Llantisilly Rail Traction Company Limited

 

GAUGE: 4' 8½"

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL: 1899-19??

 

MOTTO: 'ch cant gwna a , 'i s erbyn reolau! (You can't do that, it's against reg-u-lations!)

Formerly - It was all there was

(Alternatives welcome, I'll need some help from you Welsh speakers!)

 

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: The Merioneth and Llantislly Rail Traction Company Limited was granted a light railway order under the Light Railways Act of 1896 and principally ran from Llaniog to GrumblyTown in the "top, left-hand corner of Wales". A branch at Tan-y-Gwlch connected with the GWR at Llangrubbin. The engine shed and servicing facilities were located in Llaniog. Like many light railways, the M&LRTCo.Ltd. operated under the principle of one engine in steam. The particular engine owned by the M&LRTCo.Ltd was a green painted, 0-4-0T tank engine whimsically named "Ivor" and was unique in that it used a three chime steam whistle appropriated from a calliope used on a local roundabout.

 

Like many similar Col. Stephens light railways, traffic on the the M&LRTCo.Ltd. was light, consisting mostly of coal for the gas works in GrumblyTown that was mined at Pugh's Pit near Llaniog. Principal operation of the railway started at Llaniog and headed down to GrumblyTown to deliver coal, though other traffic, including but not limited to local agricultural products like sheep, and even circus animals were carried by the railway.

 

Unlike many Welsh railways the M&LRTCo.Ltd was not absorbed into the GWR in 1923 and avoided being nationalized in 1948 under the benefice of a local owner, one Mrs. Porty, and it continued to operate as an independent light railway. It's fate is uncertain and may still be operating in a remote fog-shrouded valley in the top left hand corner of Wales.

 

 

 

So, I need some help with the motto. Something Dylan Thomas-y perhaps, though most of it is too grim* for such a cheerful little railway. It's surprising how little Dylan Thomas uses the word "sing".

 

* The best I came up with was: "My ark sings in the sun" from the Prologue, but it's a bit obscure. "Rust shall have no dominion" is less obscure but still too grim. "Do not go gentle into that good night, Rage, rage against the dying of the light" just doesn't work at all.

 

EDIT - Added a better motto.

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NAME OF COMPANY: Felpersham, Borchester and Birmingham Railway

 

GAUGE: Standard

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL: 1854 - 1963 (as a through route) Small Heath to Stourhampton remains open today.

 

MOTTO:

 

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: Financed by Stourhampton industrialists with political backing from the County set in Felpersham and Borchester. Built by the GWR linking the OWW at Netherbourne, West of Felpersham to the Oxford and Birmingham at Small Heath.

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Lot's of fantasy Welsh railways here. Here's another, though I have to admit this one is not very original. (Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery after all.)

 

NAME OF COMPANY: Merioneth and Llantisilly Rail Traction Company Limited

 

GAUGE: 4' 8½"

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL: 1899-19??

 

MOTTO: It was all there was

(Alternatives welcome, I'll need some help from you Welsh speakers!)

 

 

I'm not a Welsh speaker, but with help from a translation site came up with:

 

'ch cant gwna a , 'i s erbyn reolau!

(You can't do that, it's against reg-u-lations!)

 

Richard

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NAME OF COMPANY: The CHR (Cymraeg Helvetica Railway - Welsh Swiss Railway)

 

GAUGE: Standard (with many rack and pinion stretches)

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL: 1923 - 1939

 

MOTTO: Chripia 'n Bob Fynydd (Climb Every Mountain)

 

HISTORY/DISCRIPTION:

 

The predecessor of the CHR was the ESWMR (Extremely Steep Welsh Mountain Railway), a short (50 miles in total) very, very, steep rack and pinion railway serving some very isolated Welsh mountain communities. The ESWMR was the railway that the GWR lobbied hard to exclude from its portfolio at grouping and, as we know, the GWR was successful in avoiding taking on the ESWMR.

 

With the refusal of the GWR to take over the ESWMR, many rural and mountainous Welsh communities prepared for the worst - loosing contact with the outside world for much of the year due to poor weather. Enter an unlikely saviour: the Swiss company the Reinacher Maschinen, Lokomotiven und Wagenbau AG (RMLW). The RMLW needed to find an inexpensive test track, proving ground and running-in track for its world renowned Swiss Rack and Pinion (Alpine) locomotives and the ESWMR fit the Swiss company's needs exactly.

 

After negotiation with the Government, the RMLW was allowed to take over the the ESWMR, forming the CHR, provided that a low cost passenger service was maintained as a "community service". From the onset, the CHR was a successful endeavour, marrying Swiss precision engineering with Welsh hard graft. Whilst most of the management was Swiss, the CHR was a large local employer with an enlightened approach to its workforce. Whilst the rolling stock was either inherited Cambrian Railway goods stock or "wet leased" GWR coaching stock (the RMLW had a profitable understanding with GWR management). locomotive stock was always brand new, state-of-the-art, rack and pinion RMLW steam locomotives. Such was the success of RMLW, there was never less than 15 locomotives undergoing trials or "running in" at any one time. Each of the smart red and white ex GWR carriages (which were always kept spotless, despite it being a steam railway) was named after a local Celtic god or sprite; the Modron (the Welsh goddess of fertility) was considered particularly luxurious and comfortable - being the director's saloon which also earnt its keep in revenue generating service. First time passengers on the CHR would often do a "double-take" at a rake of immaculate and very British carriages being hauled by an equally immaculate and very Swiss locomotive. As would be expected of a well run Swiss company, the CHR was quietly profitable.

 

In late 1939, shortly after the RMLW board had voted to electrify the CHR in order to test the new generation electric Alpine stock designed to replace steam services, hostilities broke out between Britain and Germany. And whilst the Welsh clearly had no problems working with the Swiss, the English were either unable or unwilling to distinguish between German speaking Germans and German speaking Swiss Germans (Schwiizertüütsch), making life extremely difficult for the Swiss management and employees of the CHR. In November 1939, the RMLW board sold the CHR at a loss and repatriated all its Swiss employees. The new owner of the CHR? A certain Marples Road and Pathway Company bought up the rights to the track bed and well before the Battle of Britain, had ripped up the tracks, sold off the land and pulled down any (former) CHR building that could not be immediately sold.

 

(as an interesting footnote, the remaining legacy of the CHR is that in certain Welsh mountain communities local swearwords and phrases mix Schwiizertüütsch and Welsh [as in "arall bitzeli bîr blesio" {another beer, please}]).

 

Please Oh Please model this

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NAME OF COMPANY: The CHR (Cymraeg Helvetica Railway - Welsh Swiss Railway)

 

GAUGE: Standard (with many rack and pinion stretches)

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL: 1923 - 1939

 

MOTTO: Chripia 'n Bob Fynydd (Climb Every Mountain)

 

HISTORY/DISCRIPTION:

 

The predecessor of the CHR was the ESWMR (Extremely Steep Welsh Mountain Railway)

 

Heheheheheeeee! Much fun, even more as I misread at first "Extremely Sheep Welsh Mountain Railway" :lol:

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NAME OF COMPANY: London Midland and Scottish Railway

 

GAUGE: Standard

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL: 1923 to date

 

MOTTO:

 

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION:

 

Nationalisation never happened. The pioneering diesel 10000 Class were built in quantity once the initial problems with the prototypes 10000 and 10001 were solved . Further classes of diesel were produced, for shunting the English Electric 0-6-0DEs, for local workings the 10800 Class and eventually diesel multiple units were introduced based on the pioneering prototypes. It must be remembered that up to recent times, with the cheaper sources of North Sea Oil being opened up for use, LMS diesels ran on a form of liquefied coal.

 

The electrification schemes on the major LMS routes out of Euston and St. Pancras to the north proved popular with passengers, winning back custom from other routes, with a dramatic reduction in journey times. The fully air-conditioned stainless steel coaches were to some a disappointment when the decision to keep them unpainted was made, however Crimson Lake still appears as a stripe across the windows and on the locomotives. The rear observation lounge cars are very popular especially when passing through the Peak District and along the Settle-Carlisle Railway. Diesel locomotives are still required for exchanging locomotives if the train has to continue on non-electrified lines.

 

Some LMS standard steam locomotives still continued in regular service right up to the eighties on goods and some passenger workings; especially excursions which proved very popular.

 

In 1997 locomotives 10000 and 10001 were completely overhauled and restored to their original livery of LMS black with raised stainless steel letters and numerals. Once the fifteenth anniversary special trains had finished running the "Twins" were retired to the National Railway Museum where they stand next to the original Rocket.

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Company Name: Charlam & District Light Railway (C&DLR)

Period of Operation: 1904-1950

Motto: Welcome Every Day

History: The first stretch of the railway was completed in December 29th 1903 (First Passenger train ran 4th January 1904) as a 5 mile line to Lower Soring. Extentions were made in 1912, 1919 and 1924 but the full 27 mile line was only completed in 1926 under joint effort with the Great Western, which brought shares of the line in 1923. The Terminus at the other end was Farham. Rolling stock was mostly ex-GWR (from 1923)

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NAME OF COMPANY: Buxton Extension Railway

 

GAUGE: 2' 6"

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL: 1908-1938

 

MOTTO: Through Hills or Round

 

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION:

 

This railway was a separately-financed extension of the Leek and Manifold, from Hulme End to Longnor and then via a circuitous and steeply-graded route through the hills to Buxton. The section beyond Longnor was particularly expensive to build, with a number of significant engineering features, and it was only possible to fund its construction because it turned out that many of the rich Manchester industralists living around Buxton were closet railway enthusiasts. £10 shares sold like hot cakes in such circumstances. The line also benefited from a change of heart on the part of local landowner, Sir Vauncey Harpur-Crewe, who woke up one day and decided that he did, in fact, like little railways. He promptly invested £10,000 in the line and ordered his own, very private, carriage to run on it.

 

Due to a dispute with the NSR the BER was worked by the LNWR and up until 1923 Hulme End was a 'frontier' station, a bit like Beddgelert on the old WHR, with very few trains working through. There are tales of bare-knuckle fights in the successful tea room there between rival Edwardian railway hooligans the LNW Cauliflower Crew and the NS Knotty Brigade. Engines and rolling stock were generally similar to those on the L&MVLR except that the locos were 4-8-4ts by Kitson to a design originally used by the Barsi Light Railway. After 1923 the LMS introduced regular Buxton-Waterhouses workings, but the mainstay of the passenger traffic remained tourism, as the locals were increasingly catered for by the developing bus services in the area. In 1938, after the loss of most milk traffic, the LMSR gave up the struggle, despite vocal suggestions that they might copy the GWR's development of the Vale of Rheidol. As the LMS President memorably remarked: 'We may be the largest joint-stock company in the world, but we are not in the business of operating fairground rides.'

 

The entire trackbed was converted into Britain's first long-distance footpath. One loco, 4-8-4T Sir Vauncey Harpur-Crewe, (Kitson, 1908,) is preserved at NRM York.

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The first of two railways that I invented in my teens for layouts I started but never finished.

 

NAME OF COMPANY: Swansea, Port Eynon and Quarries Railway

 

GAUGE: 2'3"

 

PERIOD OPERATIONAL: 1899-1917

 

MOTTO: Veni Vidi Vici

 

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: After languishing in the planning stage for nearly 20 years, the SPQR was finally opened in 1899. The arrival of the principle backer, a wealthy clergyman, the Rev Marcus Cornelius, spurred the the other shareholders into action and the entire line was built over the summer.

The principle traffic on the line was masonry stone from the quarries between Llanridian and Reynoldstown. The railway gave two outlets for the stone, to a small quay cut into the cliff west of Port Eynon and to a transhipment interchange with the Mumbles tramway at Mumbles, it never actually reached Swansea.

The railway was moderately successful at first, but WW1 put a damper on things and it struggled on until 1917 before it was decided to cut the losses.

The rolling stock was pretty advanced for its day, the freight stock was mainly bogie, consisting of eight wheeled 1 plank wagons and some 12 wheeled well wagons for heavy/large stones. A few 4 wheeled vans were provided for stores for the quarries.

Three 0-6-0 side tanks were ordered from Hunslet, these were pretty powerful for their size and their influence can be seen in the design of the 4-6-0 locos later delivered to the WDLR.

As with many lines built at this time, it was envisaged that the line should serve a social purpose by running a passenger service. In common with most, the passenger service never came near repaying its running costs. However the SPQR was very forward thinking with its passenger stock design, probably due to the influence of the Reverend. Two 50hp petrol-electric railcars were ordered from the Gloucester RCW with running gear from Dick Kerr. These could be driven from either end, and also from the cab of two driving trailers from the same sources. The railcars were capable of pulling a trailer and two bogie wagons, however this capability was rarely used.

Livery of the locos and railcars was dark blue, with black running gear. Lining out was in gold and the company's roundel was placed centrally on the sidetanks and railcar sides. freight stock was dark grey with black running gear and ironwork and the SPQR lettering and vehicle numbers in white at the right of the side.

Little remains of the line, with just some stonework and drain covers visible at the Port Eynon site.

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  • 2 months later...
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Weymouth and N Dorset Junc

 

1850s to date (closed south of Dorchester in the 1970s)

 

Standard 4' 8 1/2"

 

Weymouth north to a junction with the LSWR just on the west side of Sherborne. Built circa 1850 as rival to the broad gauge Wilts Somerset & Weymouth. Eventually operationally linked with the Somerset & Dorset with through portions worked to/from splitting off at Templecombe

 

Perhaps even assume Brit Rail closed the WS&W instead of this through route north over the S&D. Modern Portsmouth - Plymouth Dmu through services reverse at Weymouth, Sherborne and Exeter using the Dorchester chord constructed when the old route south was closed and the WS&W north to Yeovil also closed.

 

Never built by me but I did draw plans several years ago for a layout based on a Weymouth end terminus on North Quay (basically CJF's Minories) with a tunnel spur under Chaplehay feeding The Brewery and linking to the Portland branch near Sandsfort

 

Reality too costly in tunnels etc to ever have been built

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Yorkshire and Lancashire Joint

 

Standard gauge 4 8 1:2"

 

1870s to at least the Beeching era

 

Manchester suburbs to Leeds through fictional Pennine valleys and the town of Cleckhuddersfax. Operating companies GWR & NER.

 

Spoof on the Somerset & Dorset and based on the NER fighting back against the LNWR proposed line to Hartlepool. Given the GWR did have access to Manchester in the CLC and the NER into Leeds it is an implausible but possible layout idea.

 

Two ideas I've dabbled with in the past.

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