30mog
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Does anyone know of a preserved electric railway with overhead wires anywhere in the world? And can anyone envisage such a thing coming in Britain?
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Preserved wires?
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Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
Not quite a railway and a much lower voltage, but the Crich Tramway?
telstarbox
Established Member
And the Heaton Park Tramway in Manchester.
I think this comes up very regularly, but my opinion is that its completely unfeasable for not only H&S, but for pway maintenance costs - it would probably need to be professionally operated, due to the voltage.
gordonthemoron
Established Member
there is a preserved tramway in Amsterdam
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DarloRich
Veteran Member
Beamish tram system?
fgwrich
Established Member
However, isn't there a small piece of 3rd Rail on the East Kent Railway, used for charging the MLVs?
http://www.blonay-chamby.ch/index-en.php
Was a proper (narrow gauge) line, not a tramway although the museum has some trams as well as this beast of a loco
US Trolley (tram) museum lines
http://www.trolleymuseum.org/
http://www.ct-trolley.org/
http://pa-trolley.org/
Was a proper (narrow gauge) line, not a tramway although the museum has some trams as well as this beast of a loco
US Trolley (tram) museum lines
http://www.trolleymuseum.org/
http://www.ct-trolley.org/
http://pa-trolley.org/
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30mog
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By needing to be professionally operated. Do you mean because the higher voltage requirement?
There are tram museums as some of you rightly mention. But there are also several sites with overhead wires to run preserved trolleybuses.
There are tram museums as some of you rightly mention. But there are also several sites with overhead wires to run preserved trolleybuses.
There is the Electric Railway Museum near Coventry. From what I can gather, they plan (or at least hope) to have a section of track electrified by third rail (see here).
steamybrian
Established Member
Seaton Tramway
Snaefell Mountain Railway
Manx Electric Railway Douglas- Ramsey
Great Orme Tramway, Llandudno
The Volks Electric Railway at Brighton uses 3rd rail.
Snaefell Mountain Railway
Manx Electric Railway Douglas- Ramsey
Great Orme Tramway, Llandudno
The Volks Electric Railway at Brighton uses 3rd rail.
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southern442
Established Member
As does the Hythe pier railway, and I believe the Southend Pier railway used to have 3rd rail. Not strictly a heritage railway, but Southport's pier has an overhead wire tramway. I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this, but the Conwy valley railway has an overhead line, and a few other miniature railways have electric rails too.
There is the delightful Palma to Soller railway in Majorca although it is over 100 years old, not sure if its counts as preserved
http://www.sollernet.com/trendesoller/en1.html
[youtube]inB73kFKGIU[/youtube]
http://www.sollernet.com/trendesoller/en1.html
[youtube]inB73kFKGIU[/youtube]
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30mog
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Personally. I can think of an Oldy worldy place that uses electric rolling stock that was new about the time Mallard was setting the world steam record. And if I told those not in the know it was a preserved electric railway, I think they would believe me.
You just take a RYDE to SHANKLIN.
You just take a RYDE to SHANKLIN.
The CF de La Mure in South-Eastern France near Grenoble (see link below)
Although a viaduct was destroyed by a landslide in 2010, I believe there were proposals to reopen the upper section from La Mure, but I don't know what progress has been made.
I travelled the full length of the line from St Georges de Commiers to La Mure in 2000; it is a scenic marvel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemin_de_Fer_de_La_Mure
Although a viaduct was destroyed by a landslide in 2010, I believe there were proposals to reopen the upper section from La Mure, but I don't know what progress has been made.
I travelled the full length of the line from St Georges de Commiers to La Mure in 2000; it is a scenic marvel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemin_de_Fer_de_La_Mure
I suspect that within 10 years we will see a standard gauge, preserved railway in the UK electrified.
With proper care it is not that dangerous, and remember that many of the volunteers on any future electrified heritage line would have had recent mainline experience with similar equipment.
Initial installation would probably have to be by an approved contractor, and with light use at modest speeds the equipment should be long lasting.
Just how much wear do say 10 trains a day at 25 MPH cause, and a few a month at perhaps 40MPH ?
Traction current be could obtained from an adjoing network rail line, the extra load is small, and metering to determine the amount used is easy.
For a conductor rail line, building a traction substation with reclaimed equipment is entirely possible. Hardly a job for the average DIYer, but well within the ability of a recently retired chartered electrical engineer who has experience of similar equipment.
Some people would be as interested in the vintage substation equipment (from a safe distance) as in the old electric trains.
With proper care it is not that dangerous, and remember that many of the volunteers on any future electrified heritage line would have had recent mainline experience with similar equipment.
Initial installation would probably have to be by an approved contractor, and with light use at modest speeds the equipment should be long lasting.
Just how much wear do say 10 trains a day at 25 MPH cause, and a few a month at perhaps 40MPH ?
Traction current be could obtained from an adjoing network rail line, the extra load is small, and metering to determine the amount used is easy.
For a conductor rail line, building a traction substation with reclaimed equipment is entirely possible. Hardly a job for the average DIYer, but well within the ability of a recently retired chartered electrical engineer who has experience of similar equipment.
Some people would be as interested in the vintage substation equipment (from a safe distance) as in the old electric trains.
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I too, see it as easy and relatively safe,
It would just take one person to get electrocuted and the line would be ****ed.
A shame but I understand why most are scared to do it. Put a foot wrong and indirectly cause someones death, a design fault? overlooking something? endless ways
SWTH
Member
The Great Orme is cable powered - the poles and wires were only for communication. Most of the poles remain in place on the lower section but there are no wires.
captainbigun
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Mmm, I think that's horrendously optimistic. There's the cost of the equipment both OHL and substation, cost of the connection and then the paperwork. I've seen what it involves to get a short test track built and there's no way on earth that you'd justify the cost on a preserved line even without H&S considerations.
I do think there is potential for a dedicated site like the Electric Railway Museum to install a 3rd rail section of track. After all, any H&S that might be said could equally apply to the likes of the National Tramway Museum at Crich. I think electrification probably wouldn't work on a normal heritage railway because it will probably be playing 'second fiddle' to steam.
bronzeonion
Member
There are a few railways in Japan that are not heritage railways as we know them but operate mainly old restored EMU's on scheduled services but also do things like steam driving experience and steam specials
89-763-733
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Switzerland has the standard gauge line from Bauma to Hinwil which was an SBB electrified passenger line closed in 1969 and which retains operating overhead in preservation. The Metre Gauge Blonay-Chamby preserved line is elctrified. Another Swiss preserved line, Castione to Cama, which was electrified, closed permanently on 27.10.2013
BTW Soller is running at 1200 Dc
Quite an interesting list
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_systems_for_electric_rail_traction
Quite an interesting list
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_systems_for_electric_rail_traction
33056
Established Member
A bit off the beaten track but there is also the Höllentalbahn in Austria which is 550V DC.
Spagnoletti
Member
Absolutely. There is no business case for any Heritage Railway in the UK to do this. Heritage railways generate revenue from operating steam services, which this would not enhance, and why would anyone put up a load of OHLE and spoil everyones pics?
Unless of course someone can persuade the Old Dalby test track to become a heritage line on a sunday then you can run heritage LU stock and 25kv electrics in a nice scenic location with mainline connection
gazthomas
Established Member
The line at Betws-y-Coed is the only electrified line in Wales at the moment!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Great Orme Railway is a cable car not overhead.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Great Orme Railway is a cable car not overhead.
JonathanP
Member
We already have railways running multiple trains carrying hundreds passengers, driven, fired, guarded and signalled by 'amateurs'. And though the tragic accident at the NYMR a couple of years ago has resulted in an increase of vigilance from the HMRI on the heritage rail industry, there have been no kneejerk shutdowns.
So I think that "where there's a will, there's a way".
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