Best Heritage / Light Railway

[Berneylegs]

I’ve recently got hooked with visiting heritage / light railways.

I aim to to visit all of them at some point.

Railways I have visited since I recently started or previously include:

Bodmin & Wenford Railway
Nene Valley Railway
Severn Valley Railway
West Somerset Railway
Cleethorpees Coast Light Railway

Any advice on which railways throughout the UK and Ireland to target this year? I don’t collect numbers or mileage, the actual journey is the most important to me.

What’s your favourite and why?

Highlight of mine was 37142 back up the hill from Bodmin Parkway to General.

Thanks

 

[Berneylegs]

I have also visited Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

 

[steamybrian]

I have visited most of them around the country and each of them have their own different character or atmosphere-
Looking at a few in the South East.................
Bluebell Railway- each station is restored to a different era.
Kent & East Sussex Railway- a "Colonel Stephens" light railway
Spa Valley Railway- a branch line from a town to a country junction station
Romney , Hythe & Dymchurch Railway- a seaside narrow gauge railway but with a scaled down version of a mainline.

around the UK - I like the Welsh narrow gauge railways

In addition to those already mentioned Also like- Mid Hants Railway, Swanage Railway, North Yorkshire Moors Railway and East Lancs Railway

 

[53703]

I went to Great Central Railway a couple of weeks ago and thought it was very good

http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/

 

[bearhugger]

North Yorkshire Moors Railway is the second longest heritage line in the UK I believe. Goathland station was used as Hogwarts station in the first Harry Potter film and the village and surrounding areas were used in filming for the TV series Heartbeat. Also connections to Whitby, a seaside resort featured in the story of Dracula.

 

[nat67]

West Somerset is good for a branch line, also not a very long line but local is the Northampton & Lamport which has at least two good things which is a 47 and 31 plus two GWR locos mind they have still not in preservation.

 

[reddragon]

I would say, from a passenger ride perspective that you have not visited: -

1 - Welsh Highland & Ffestinniog Railway (plus all the little welsh railways around)
2 - North York Moors
3 - Snowdon Mountain
4 - Torbay & Dartmouth
5 - Gloucester & Warwickshire
6 - Llangollen
7 - Swanage

I do not know the Scottish lines that well

Many of the others have limited views

 

[Steptoe]

This is an unashamed plug for a railway for which I am a volunteer but in regards to an unusual journey the Mid-Norfolk Railway plans a timetabled public service as far as Worthing level crossing on the 18th and 19th of May. This will be the first time since 1964 that a scheduled passenger service has operated north of Hoe level crossing although the Fakenham and Dereham Railway Society (one of the precursors to the MNR) did charter a DMU from BR in 1981 that started at Gt Ryburgh so this might well be a 'new' journey for some.

Further details on the website: http://www.mnr.org.uk/

 

[Berneylegs]

I actually went on the NYMR Today, had an amazing time, first Steam Train ride on Network Rails from Grosmont to Whitby, well worth the £29 return.

 

[Berneylegs]

I have visited most of them around the country and each of them have their own different character or atmosphere-
Looking at a few in the South East.................
Bluebell Railway- each station is restored to a different era.
Kent & East Sussex Railway- a "Colonel Stephens" light railway
Spa Valley Railway- a branch line from a town to a country junction station
Romney , Hythe & Dymchurch Railway- a seaside narrow gauge railway but with a scaled down version of a mainline.

around the UK - I like the Welsh narrow gauge railways

In addition to those already mentioned Also like- Mid Hants Railway, Swanage Railway, North Yorkshire Moors Railway and East Lancs Railway

Thanks, will definitely visit those you have listed sometime soon

 

[Berneylegs]

I went to Great Central Railway a couple of weeks ago and thought it was very good

http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/

Next on my list hopefully next week

 

[Berneylegs]

North Yorkshire Moors Railway is the second longest heritage line in the UK I believe. Goathland station was used as Hogwarts station in the first Harry Potter film and the village and surrounding areas were used in filming for the TV series Heartbeat. Also connections to Whitby, a seaside resort featured in the story of Dracula.

Went on the NYMR Today, excellent day out, thanks

 

[Berneylegs]

West Somerset is good for a branch line, also not a very long line but local is the Northampton & Lamport which has at least two good things which is a 47 and 31 plus two GWR locos mind they have still not in preservation.

Next visit to Northampton will have a visit here thanks

 

[Berneylegs]

I would say, from a passenger ride perspective that you have not visited: -

1 - Welsh Highland & Ffestinniog Railway (plus all the little welsh railways around)
2 - North York Moors
3 - Snowdon Mountain
4 - Torbay & Dartmouth
5 - Gloucester & Warwickshire
6 - Llangollen
7 - Swanage

I do not know the Scottish lines that well

Many of the others have limited views

Thanks, went NYMR Today

 

[Berneylegs]

This is an unashamed plug for a railway for which I am a volunteer but in regards to an unusual journey the Mid-Norfolk Railway plans a timetabled public service as far as Worthing level crossing on the 18th and 19th of May. This will be the first time since 1964 that a scheduled passenger service has operated north of Hoe level crossing although the Fakenham and Dereham Railway Society (one of the precursors to the MNR) did charter a DMU from BR in 1981 that started at Gt Ryburgh so this might well be a 'new' journey for some.

Further details on the website: http://www.mnr.org.uk/

Sounds good and a great plug!

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

This is an unashamed plug for a railway for which I am a volunteer but in regards to an unusual journey the Mid-Norfolk Railway plans a timetabled public service as far as Worthing level crossing on the 18th and 19th of May. This will be the first time since 1964 that a scheduled passenger service has operated north of Hoe level crossing although the Fakenham and Dereham Railway Society (one of the precursors to the MNR) did charter a DMU from BR in 1981 that started at Gt Ryburgh so this might well be a 'new' journey for some.

Further details on the website: http://www.mnr.org.uk/

Does that mean, you may reach "County School" in the near future?

 

[Steptoe]

Does that mean, you may reach "County School" in the near future?

North Elmham is very achievable as works trains are already permitted almost to the gates but there is then about half a mile of single line trackbed to completely relay and another quarter of a mile to completely renovate. It is difficult to convey to the general public the enormity of this task with only volunteer labour and limited funding but hopefully the contributors to the forum will be more understanding!

[Now off to volunteer for the day on the weedkilling run.....]

 

[SeanG]

The East Lancs provides something different - a gritty 1950s (so basically modern looking in preservation terms) urban station, and also pretty valley scenery

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

The East Lancs provides something different - a gritty 1950s (so basically modern looking in preservation terms) urban station, and also pretty valley scenery

Yes they are all good lines, the ELR has the bonus of hearing the steam loco work hard when it has to jump over the tram route between Bury & Heywood.

 

[DarloRich]

Subjective. However, NYMR or Severn Valley Railway.

I found the ELR a disappointment compared to the pair above.

I also like the Welsh Highland Railway

 

[fireftrm]

Went on the NYMR Today, excellent day out, thanks

Great to hear - tell others!

 

[fireftrm]

Yes they are all good lines, the ELR has the bonus of hearing the steam loco work hard when it has to jump over the tram route between Bury & Heywood.

Other railways have quite hard work for locos too - ofr example the NYMR has 1 in 49 climbs out of Grosmont heading south for 3 miles - now that is a loco working hard, as well as a shorter stretch going north after Levisham.

 

[Flying Phil]

Next on my list hopefully next week

If you can get to the GCR this week end it should be really busy for the "Goods Galore" event. Six steam locomotives and one diesel, Mountsorrel Branch freight train plus 5 other freights running. All slotted around the regular passenger trains!

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Other railways have quite hard work for locos too - ofr example the NYMR has 1 in 49 climbs out of Grosmont heading south for 3 miles - now that is a loco working hard, as well as a shorter stretch going north after Levisham.

Yes that's true. Not been on that line for a while. (I shall have to rectify that. )