Lappa Valley Steam Railway
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lappa Valley Steam Railway is a 15 in (381 mm) minimum gauge railway located near Newquay in Cornwall. The railway functions as a tourist attraction, running from Benny Halt to East Wheal Rose where there is a leisure area.
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[edit] History
[edit] Treffry's Tramway
In 1843, J.T. Treffry suggested building a tramway between Par and Newquay, with a branch line to the East Wheal Rose silver lead mine, which at the time was entering its most prosperous period. Treffry spent six years trying to overcome public opposition to the tramway and was forced to modify his intended route. The tramway was eventually built from Newquay to St. Dennis with the branch line to East Wheal Rose, and the first load of ore left East Wheal Rose on 26th February 1849 in horse-drawn tubs. 1874 saw the Treffry's network of tramways taken over by the Cornwall Minerals Railway, who introduced steam locomotives to the line.
[edit] Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway took over the Cornish Minerals Railway in 1896, and incorporated the East Wheal Rose branch into a new railway from Newquay to Chacewater via. Perranporth. This new railway was opened in 1905, and enabled passengers to reach the market town of Truro much quicker than they had before. The Newquay to Chacewater branch line also proved popular for holidaymakers. The railway closed on the 4th February 1963 under the Beeching cuts.
[edit] Lappa Valley Steam Railway
The Lappa Valley Steam Railway was established by Eric Booth in the 1970s. The trackbed was cleared of the thick undergrowth that had grown since the closure of the railway in 1963, and the 15" gauge track was laid for a mile between Benny Halt and East Wheal Rose. A brand new steam locomotive Zebedee was built for the line by Severn Lamb, arriving in early 1974 with 4 locally built carriages. The railway opened to the public on the 16th June 1974. A large boating lake was dug at East Wheal Rose in 1975 to drain the area, and the whole East Wheal Rose area landscaped. More locomotives arrived from the failed Axe & Lyme Valleys Railway in 1976, with more carriages also being built at the time. In the 1970s a 7¼" gauge railway was laid around a smaller boating lake, whilst a third railway, of 10¼" gauge, running a further ½ mile along the old trackbed was opened in May 1995.
[edit] East Wheal Rose
At East Wheal Rose, there is a large boating lake, crazy golf course and children's play area. There are also a gift shop and café, and a brick path maze depicting the first steam locomotive built by Richard Trevithick. The 10¼" gauge Newlyn Branch Line runs from here to Newlyn Halt, where there is another children's play area.
[edit] Stocklist
| Number | Name | Gauge | Type | Builder | Built | Origin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zebedee | 15" | 0-6-4T | Severn Lamb | 1974 | Rebuilt from 0-6-2T in 1990. | |
| 2 | Muffin | 15" | 0-6-0 | Berwyn Engineering | 1967 | Longleat House | |
| Gladiator | 15" | 4-4wDH | Minirail | 1960 | Longleat House | Formerly a railcar | |
| 4 | Pooh | 15" | 4wDM | Lister | 1952 | Longleat House | |
| Duke of Cornwall | 10.25" | 4w-4wPH | Severn Lamb | Carlyon Bay, St Austell | |||
| 7.25" | 4w-4wPH | Mardyke | Model of Advanced Passenger Train |
[edit] External link
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