• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Smallest standard gauge railway company in Britain

Status
Not open for further replies.

Gostav

Member
Joined
14 May 2016
Messages
413
When I studied British railways history l am always shocked about that there had three hundred railway companies in a small island. However, a fun question: Who is/was the smallest independent railway company with standard gauge network?

I am not sure the Waterloo & City line was an independent railway company (1.47 mi) in history and it is an underground line, not a heavy railway system.

The Seven Bridge Railway Company was a very small independent company only had three stations and one bridge (4,162′) but l didn't found the total mileage of the company's track.
 
Last edited:
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Taunton

Established Member
Joined
1 Aug 2013
Messages
10,018
The Forth Bridge Railway Company built and operated the bridge. Shareholding was between the three ECML lines plus the Midland, which meant it was not until 1948 that it came under one ownership, and needed to be specifically covered in the nationalisation act. About 2 miles.
 

mailbyrail

Member
Joined
23 Dec 2010
Messages
356
I always thought the Salisbury Railway & Market House Company with a quarter of a mile of track linked to the mainline, eventually closing in 1970.
A couple of references:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/9db29f59-289d-4740-8da4-1ce0725825c7
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Salisbury_Railway_and_Market_House_Co

More details taken from British History On Line
The four railways now already at or approaching Salisbury were expected to bring in considerable extra produce to the ancient market there, but, owing to lack of suitable accommodation, the citizens, who owned the market rights, thought dealers might desert them for more convenient centres. Accordingly in 1856 they secured an Act incorporating the Salisbury Railway & Market House Co. (fn. 47) to make ¼ mile of line from the L. & S.W.R. at Fisherton to their premises and an extension of the market and warehouses. They arranged with the L. & S.W.R. to take an initial lease of the railway at £225 a year. The venture was highly successful and the capital was increased in 1864 (fn. 48) to provide additional facilities.

The Salisbury Railway & Market House Railway was brought into use early in May 1859, the event being celebrated on 24 May. (fn. 49) The original lease to the L. & S.W.R. was renewed periodically and has been continued by the Southern Railway and British Transport Commission. The present lease runs for ten years from 1 July 1954 at £150 a year.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Dr Hoo

Established Member
Joined
10 Nov 2015
Messages
3,910
Location
Hope Valley
The OP asked the question in the present tense (“is”). Would historical companies, either closed or subsequently merged, nationalised, etc. be eligible?
 

Shimbleshanks

Member
Joined
2 Jan 2012
Messages
1,020
Location
Purley
Alderney Railway if you extend the definition to include the British Isles rather than the UK?
I guess some of the preservation schemes that haven't got much in the way of running lines yet would be the shortest though.
 

Gostav

Member
Joined
14 May 2016
Messages
413
The OP asked the question in the present tense (“is”). Would historical companies, either closed or subsequently merged, nationalised, etc. be eligible?
Now l added “was”, absolute include closed or former company.
 

ac6000cw

Established Member
Joined
10 May 2014
Messages
3,119
Location
Cambridge, UK
Were any of our old 'joint' stations legally owned by companies set up for that purpose, with shares split between the railway companies who used the station?
 

Gwenllian2001

Member
Joined
15 Jan 2012
Messages
671
Location
Maesteg
Alderney Railway if you extend the definition to include the British Isles rather than the UK?
I guess some of the preservation schemes that haven't got much in the way of running lines yet would be the shortest though.
Alderney is not part of the British Isles.
 

341o2

Established Member
Joined
17 Oct 2011
Messages
1,899
Suggest, in its final form, the Ryde Pier Tramway
 
Joined
21 Oct 2012
Messages
929
Location
Wilmslow
Fishguard & Rosslare Railways and Harbours Company ? - still extant with just under 1 mile of standard gauge track in Wales, but had, at maximum extent, 104 miles of broad gauge track in Ireland. Now jointly owned by Irish Rail and Stena - originally GS&WR and GWR.
 

Dr Hoo

Established Member
Joined
10 Nov 2015
Messages
3,910
Location
Hope Valley
Some funicular railways were built as standard gauge, albeit not necessarily under normal railway legislation. Although the Wikipedia article is somewhat ambiguous I think that the Saltburn Cliff Railway may be the 'shortest' standard gauge line although two separate tracks might not constitute a 'network' if one was being pedantic. I think that the route is 207ft (63m) long. So 414ft of track.

The Felixstowe Dock & Railway Company initially owned the whole branch but sold most of it to the Great Eastern, leaving themselves with only half a mile of route. That situation continued for quite a long time.
 

PeterC

Established Member
Joined
29 Sep 2014
Messages
4,066
I was going to suggest the Corringham Light Railway, not the shortest quoted but a separate railway rather than an internal operation at a harbour.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top