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Trivia: What is the shortest heritage railway by length?

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Harvey B

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What is the shortest (standard gauge) heritage steam railway by length in the united kingdom (this does not count any railway lines as part of railway museums such as locomotion in shilden and the national railway museum in York) as they would most likely be classed as short railways in length.
The shortest in the UK that I can think of is the Middleton Railway at 0.96 miles long but If you can think of any others that are shorter in length let me know
 
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xotGD

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So you want to know what is the shortest railway excluding those that are really short?

I was thinking Bowes Railway, but on checking that is over a mile.
 

robkitchuk

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So you want to know what is the shortest railway excluding those that are really short?

I was thinking Bowes Railway, but on checking that is over a mile.
Bowes is a mile and a half roughly, including the rope hauled section too. Or 1 mile for the passenger line.

Bideford railway - 500 yards?
 

STEVIEBOY1

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Stainmore Railway? But they do want to extend. I had a lovely visit there last year, the staff were so friendly and welcoming, there was also a Meccano exhibition on the platform too.
 

The Ham

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I initially thought of Helston Railway, but that is far too long at 1.25 miles!

Although it is definitely the most southerly railway in England.
 

dgl

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Shillingstone?, about 1/4 mile I think, if that.
 

robkitchuk

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So it's now, Bideford, Whitwell, Torrington, Yorkshire wolds, Shillingstone in the running.
Could have had Scottish industrial rail centre too, until fairly recently.
 

Harvey B

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So it's now, Bideford, Whitwell, Torrington, Yorkshire wolds, Shillingstone in the running.
Could have had Scottish industrial rail centre too, until fairly recently.
Derwent valley is still in the running (I think) at 1/2 a mile
 

randyrippley

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Thats a museum, like NRM and Locomotion so it doesn't count
And that's a very arbitrary comment.
It has a platform, loco shed, turntable, link to the main line, and short piece of track for the resident stock to run on.
Sounds like a heritage railway to me.
 

341o2

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I would query the current status of Shillingstone in that it is currently a museum rather than an operational line. The company do have plans to extend the line northwards and create an operational railway
 

Western Sunset

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I've got a piece of bullhead rail by my back door, in a chair with a wooden key to hold it in place, which I use as a foot scraper. It's about 12 inches long - does that count?
 

Cowley

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I've got a piece of bullhead rail by my back door, in a chair with a wooden key to hold it in place, which I use as a foot scraper. It's about 12 inches long - does that count?
I need that bit of track. What days do you open?
 

Harvey B

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Yorkshire Wolds railway near Sledmere was about 5 lengths.
Although that may not be the case now as I believe track is going down now.
I believe their long term plan is to extend in either direction to malton and driffield
 
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mdewell

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Technically of course any piece of track can be considered a railway, but in the context of this thread may I suggest the following definition may help. A railway is often considered as a means of transport between 2 or more stations. So, if it only has a single station, then that's a demonstration line and not a railway as such.
So, whats the shortest railway line that only has 2 stations (as measured along the track. So places like Telford where the stations are a mile or so by rail, but only a couple of hundred yards by road count a 1 mile).
Didcot Railway Centre must be a contender as they have 3 stations within a site that is only about 3 quarters mile long.
 
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