A couple of Light Railway questions

[Del]

I know a few minor railways and light railways stayed independent at the grouping, but were there any that were still independent after Nationalisation?

Also, whether they were part of the nationalised system or not, what would be the latest that any lines would be running four-wheel coaches in passenger service (rather than in workman trains)?

[Pacific231G]

I know a few minor railways and light railways stayed independent at the grouping, but were there any that were still independent after Nationalisation?

Also, whether they were part of the nationalised system or not, what would be the latest that any lines would be running four-wheel coaches in passenger service (rather than in workman trains)?

 

The obvious example was the Talyllyn. Tom Rolt thought it had been missed because the "men from the ministry" simply assumed it had closed but my copy of the "Dumpy Book of World Railways"- an astonishingly rich source of data- from about 1956-57 lists under principal Railways of all countries for Great Britain:-

The Derwent Valley Light Railway,

Easingwold Railway,

Liverpool Overhead Railway,

Manchester Ship Canal Company,

Mersey Docks and Harbour Board,

Mumbles Railway,

Port of London Authority,

Ravenglass and Eskdale Light Railway (7m 1ft 3in, 2m standard gauge),

Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway,

Snowdon Mountain Railway,

Talyllyn Railway,

Trafford Park Company.

 

Obviously for most of those the railways are ancillary to the undertaking's main function of operating docks and industrial estates and I know a few are missing - most notably the London and Glasgow Undergrounds- though I think the Ffestiniog was still closed at that time.

 

The Talyllyn always ran four wheeled stock and still does. AFAIK, the Mumbles used tramcar type vehicles but I don't know what the Derwent Valley and Easingwold used.

[DaveF]

I think these remained independent after nationalisation, most info from Encyclopedia of British Railway Companies (Awdry):

 

Ashover Light Railway 2' gauge(Derbyshire, latterly goods only, closed 1950.

 

Corringham Light Railway, owned by Mobil from 1962, wound up 1971.

 

Derwent Valley Light Railway, final closure 1980.

 

Easingwold Railway, closed to passengers 1948, goods 1957

 

Fairbourne Railway, probably thought of as a miniature railway, but was built as 1'11.5"gauge.

 

Festiniog Railway

 

Liverpool Overhead Railway, closed 1956

 

North Sunderland Railway, closed 1951

 

Snowdon Mountain Railway

 

Talyllyn Railway

 

Volks Electric Railway

 

Also many lines owned by Industries, both narrow gauge and standard, including welsh slate lines, iron and steel companies etc, some of which have been nationalised and denationalised at various times.

 

As for 4 wheel coaches I am not sure about daily services but they are still used by the Tanfield Railway up here in the north east in preservation every day the railway runs.

 

 

Tanfield Railway 4 wheel coaches

 

Pacific 231 beat me to it!

 

David

[DVLR Dave]

The Easingwold Railway used a four wheeled coach (an ex NER six-wheeler with the centre axle removed) until about 1946-it then used an ex- GCR six-wheeler until passenger services ceased.

 

The Derwent Valley Light Railway operated a four-wheeled coach until passenger services ceased in September 1926-again this was a NER six-wheeler minus the centre axle. The last part of the railway lasted longer than the date quoted above, closing in September 1981.

[Etched Pixels]

The last four wheel passenger workings on the main rail network are claimed to be the BP&GV ones when it closed for passenger working in 1953 . At the time they were running several "special" GWR build bogie coaches that were extra low roof, and a collection of ex GWR four wheel stock. It's an interesting question what coaching stock the BP&GV project will run if they ever get it going. Most of the modern stock doesn't fit the bridges, even brake vans had to have the stove pipe sawn down.

 

I am not sure at what point the Corringham stopped running passenger stock but it certainly had a pair of ex LT&SR four wheelers into the early 1950s which ran with a brakeman in the coach who had a handbrake through the floor !

 

There are several other "railways" to add to DaveF's list because they were classed as tramways or fell outside for other reasons (eg the Mumbles Railway), plus some they simply didn't want. BR most definitely didn't want the remains of the Welsh Highland for example !

[pete_mcfarlane]

Not technically a light railway, but the last independent passenger carrying railway in the UK was the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties in Northern Ireland, which closed in 1957.

[Del]

Thank you everyone.

So if I have a down-at-heel, run-down light railway that's just about clinging on for survival in 1951 say, I'd be OK for a couple of old, sagging, four-wheelers?

[DVLR Dave]

Not technically a light railway, but the last independent passenger carrying railway in the UK was the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties in Northern Ireland, which closed in 1957.

But the Derwent Valley Railway ran passenger trains from 1977-79!

[Etched Pixels]

Thank you everyone.

So if I have a down-at-heel, run-down light railway that's just about clinging on for survival in 1951 say, I'd be OK for a couple of old, sagging, four-wheelers?

 

If you want a pair of saggy old four wheelers in 1950s and mixed trains combined with interesting (as in 'I guess the inspector doesn't come this way') sort of operations then yes - things like the Corringham are bang on what you are describing. The corringham ran a few 1870s era four wheel ex LT&SR coaches painted up in post office red, and without through brakes or roof ventilators. Motive power towards the ends was a couple of Avonside tanks (one ex MOD - thats WW1 build MOD !)

 

In fact the Corringham closed to passengers in 1952 shortly after Mobil took ownership and the passenger part of the line vanished and the steam locos were scrapped, but the other section remained in use and was upgraded. Interestingly the part of the line that remains looks set to become rather busy due to the London Gateway project.

 

The WCPR is a bigger example (although it really closed in 1940) and just as eccentric with all sorts of strange stock including a converted tractor

 

The Easingwold closed in 1957 (and to passengers in 1948) and is another maybe candidate:

Lovely picture of what you are describing I think - http://www.subbrit.o...d/index8.shtml

 

 

The BP&GV closed for passengers in the late 1950s and ran a mix of old GWR four wheelers and a few special bogie coaches hauled by small ex GWR tanks, it remained open for freight until the 1980s and saw a lot of freight including big coal trains (for a long time hauled by three class 03 shunters as the line was too gauge limited and too lightly built for anything bigger)