Harbour Heritage Railway

[SwindonManor]

I thought of the Folkestone Harbour link today and it made me wonder - what other old harbour railways are in the UK? Are any people setting up preservation societies to do with these old lines or lines similar?

 

[Trainlog]

I thought of the Folkestone Harbour link today and it made me wonder - what other old harbour railways are in the UK? Are any people setting up preservation societies to do with these old lines or lines similar?

Wouldn't say that was a heritage railway as such, more an assortment of wagons and a nicely restored station. Still highly worthy of a visit.

The two that spring to mind for me are the Chatham Dockyard demonstration line and the Bristol Harbour Railway.

 

[SwindonManor]

Wouldn't say that was a heritage railway as such, more an assortment of wagons and a nicely restored station. Still highly worthy of a visit.

The two that spring to mind for me are the Chatham Dockyard demonstration line and the Bristol Harbour Railway.

Good point. Yes alot of these aren't really no but are there any not upkept ones that anyone knows of that people are thinking of doing? New heritage routes always spark interest in me, not going to lie about that one

 

[Trainlog]

Good point. Yes alot of these aren't really no but are there any not upkept ones that anyone knows of that people are thinking of doing? New heritage routes always spark interest in me, not going to lie about that one

It's certainly an interesting concept in terms of a heritage railway. The closest we got to one being successful enough was Bristol running that 13xx 'Weymouth' Pannier tank earlier this year along the harbour line.

Ideally, I wouldn't mind there being a touring group of steam locos that visited harbour lines like Bristol and Chatham. The following seem appropriate to be part of this hypothetical touring roster that aren't typically former private industrial locos.

• B4 tanks
• P class
• 13XX Pannier tanks
• USA tank locos
• L&Y Pug

I could see Bristol doing really well as a heritage line with enthusiasts if it adopted the 'Chinnor' model (hire in a new former 'mainline railway' steam loco each year). I don't doubt it is successful now and certainly looked nice when I visited the SS Great Britain a couple of years back, but it would be more emphasised on the map with enthusiasts with the 'former mainline railway' locos in this case.

 

[SwindonManor]

It's certainly an interesting concept in terms of a heritage railway. The closest we got to one being successful enough was Bristol running that 13xx 'Weymouth' Pannier tank earlier this year along the harbour line.

Ideally, I wouldn't mind there being a touring group of steam locos that visited harbour lines like Bristol and Chatham. The following seem appropriate to be part of this hypothetical touring roster that aren't typically former private industrial locos.

• B4 tanks
• P class
• 13XX Pannier tanks
• USA tank locos
• L&Y Pug

I could see Bristol doing really well as a heritage line with enthusiasts if it adopted the 'Chinnor' model (hire in a new former 'mainline railway' steam loco each year). I don't doubt it is successful now and certainly looked nice when I visited the SS Great Britain a couple of years back, but it would be more emphasised on the map with enthusiasts with the 'former mainline railway' locos in this case.

Not a bad idea actually! I've had Bristol Harbour Railway on my list but to my knowledge it used to go way further past a canal but I think now it just does the harbourside. I know the Folkestone line was rumoured to be one (it would be fab!) but due to the redevelopment that's now happened that wouldn't be possible. National Rail only owns around .6 miles of the branch until the viaduct/station which is Folkestone Harbour area I think - I'm not sure.

 

[Barclay]

The New Cut branch of the Bristol Harbour Railway is being actively worked on, trains should return soon. It is presently severed by major works at Vauxhall Bridge, a pedestrian crossing over the railway and the New Cut which straddles the line halfway down. The Peckett and Avonside locos which work the harbour railway are still owned by Bristol Council/Port of Bristol, who ordered them new. There can't be many locos still working for their original purchaser!

 

[SwindonManor]

The New Cut branch of the Bristol Harbour Railway is being actively worked on, trains should return soon. It is presently severed by major works at Vauxhall Bridge, a pedestrian crossing over the railway and the New Cut which straddles the line halfway down. The Peckett and Avonside locos which work the harbour railway are still owned by Bristol Council/Port of Bristol, who ordered them new. There can't be many locos still working for their original purchaser!

Good to know.

 

[JKF]

. The Peckett and Avonside locos which work the harbour railway are still owned by Bristol Council/Port of Bristol, who ordered them new. There can't be many locos still working for their original purchaser!

Wasn’t ‘Portbury’ originally ordered by the War Office, for the (never completed) construction of Portbury Shipyard?

The Hudswell-Clarke (‘Western Pride’) that used to work the sidings at Wapping Wharf when it was a coal yard (until the late 80s) has recently been restored at Reepham & Whitwell, that would make a nice guest visitor although I can’t really see them bothering with a diesel. It was originally PBA before Western Fuels ownership. A couple of others survive from the diesel fleet.