Beer Heights Light Railway
| Beer Heights Light Railway | |
|---|---|
 Steam locomotive 'Claudine' running round its train at the terminus. | |
| Dates of operation | 14 July 1975–Present |
| Track gauge | 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) |
The Beer Heights Light Railway operates 1 mile (1.6 km) of minimum gauge 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) track at Beer, Devon, England.[1] It is part of Pecorama, an exhibition owned by Peco.[2]
Overview
The official opening was by Rev. W.V. Awdry on 14 July 1975, at which time it offered a return ride from "Much Natter" station via a balloon loop. Subsequently, it was almost doubled in length by construction of the "Devil's Gorge" extension which involved a very considerable cutting, and the complex track layout also includes a more recent steeply-graded branch line to "Wildway Down".
The line is notable for its high standard of presentation to the public and for the fine views obtainable from it. [3] It is home to eight steam locomotives designed on narrow gauge principles.
Locomotives
The railway currently has eight steam locomotives, one diesel and one electric.[4] An internal combustion locomotive is currently under construction in the Beer workshops. A locomotive called 'Finn MacCool' also visits every summer (usually July – September) from the Belfast and County Down Miniature Railway Society, Northern Ireland, to help out in the peak season. [5] Other locomotives also visit during the 'Loco Week' and 'Bank Holiday Weekend Gala' in August.
| Operational: | |||
| Claudine | 2-4-4T | Single Fairlie | Steam |
| Thomas II | 0-4-2ST + T | Thomas II (Original) | Steam |
| Mr.P | 2-4-2T + T | 'redesigned Thomas 2' | Steam |
| Otter (privately owned) | 2-4-2 + T | 'improved Thomas 2' | Steam |
| Dickie | 0-4-2 + T | Steam | |
| Gem | 0-6-0 + 4T | Romulus (heavily modified - Engerth tender arrangement) | Steam |
| Jimmy | Bo-Bo | Severn Lamb | Diesel Hydraulic |
| Alfred | Bo-Bo | Tram style | Battery Electric |
| Linda | 2-4-0ST | Mainline Hunslet | Steam |
| Samastipur (privately owned - on loan) | 0-4-2T | Exmoor | Steam |
| Number 11 | 0-4-0 + 0-4-0 | Freelance | Internal combustion |
| Under overhaul or construction: | ||||
| No loco needing overhaul or under construction yet | ||||
References
- ↑ "Beer Heights Light Railway 7¼ inch". UK: Miniature Railway World. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
- ↑ "Pecorama". Seaton Bay. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
- ↑ http://www.pecorama.info/beer-heights-light-railway/
- ↑ http://www.pecorama.info/beer-heights-light-railway/our-rolling-stock/
- ↑ http://www.pecorama.info/beer-heights-light-railway/the-bhlr-revealed/
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beer Heights Light Railway. |
