Ribble Steam Railway

Coordinates: 53°45′32″N 2°45′22″W / 53.7588°N 2.7561°W

Ribble Steam Railway
GWR 5600 Class 5643 crossing the swing bridge
Locale Preston, Lancashire, England
Terminus Riversway
Commercial operations
Name Ribble Branch Line
Built by North Union Railway
Original gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Preserved operations
Operated by Ribble Steam Railway
Stations 1
Length 1 1⁄2 miles (2.4 km)
Preserved gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Commercial history
Opened 1882
Closed 1990s
Preservation history
Opened 2005
Route map
Legend
end of line with shed
Running Shed and Workshops
Museum Building
Riverside Station
Ribble Rail Shed
Lanfina Transfer Sidings
crossing over Lockside Road
Bridge over River Ribble into Marina
Exchange Sidings
limit of Ribble Steam
and Network Rail
crossing over Strand Rd
Fishergate Hill
 Walton Parade bridge
Christian Rd bridge
to Preston railway station

The Ribble Steam Railway is a standard gauge preserved railway in Lancashire, in the United Kingdom. It was opened to the public on 17 September 2005, running along Preston Docks. The railway began by housing much of the collection from the previously closed Southport Railway Museum (Steamport), which was based in the old Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway engine shed at Southport (BR shed code 27C).

History

LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 46441

The project was first started in 1973, a preservation centre opened in Southport, on the Derby Road, in a refurbished Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway steam shed. However, the shed was becoming a costly burden to handle for the museum, so a relocation scheme was started. Preston Docks was chosen as the new location for the museum. Preston Docks has a large railway network, that used to serve the vast docks and quays. But when the docks closed, the railway was not used. The project finally closed the Southport Railway Museum in 1999.

The project's new site now could be re-developed with new large workshops, platforms and a museum. The first building to open was the Workshop, in 2001.[1] Locomotives could now go into the building, and more space could now be utilised. Next to the workshop, is the machine shop, built in 1978. At the other end of the workshop is the visitor centre, which contains the museum, cafe, shop and railway platform. The museum was finally completed in 2004. The collection of locomotives (44), is one of the largest collection of locomotives in the United Kingdom.[2]

Operations

The museum also operates passenger services to Strand Road Crossing and back, from its own station – Preston Riverside. The frequency of its trains are every hour, and are usually made up of two or more Mark 1 coaches and a small steam engine or diesel engine.[3] This service is only operational in the summer months.

A separate company, Ribble Rail, handles the freight traffic that uses the dock lines. Ribble Rail takes over from the DB Schenker locomotive, and carries the load – Bitumen – down to the Total plant near the Preston Riverside station.

A DB Schenker-operated train arrives at the riverside sidings near Strand Road Crossing with loaded oil tanks. The locomotive uncouples, runs round and takes the empty wagons. This process occurs very early in the morning on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

From here Ribble Rail shunts these wagons to the siding serving the nearby Total bitumen plant. After unloading, Ribble Rail returns the wagons to the riverside sidings for pick-up.

Future

The museum is currently located in an industrial estate, and is not well publicised. There are currently plans to build a station at the Strand Road Crossing, so that the railway can utilise the more popular end of the docks. Then, instead of just a 'ride' on the train, it can be used as a 'service'. A L&YR signal box has recently been bought for the railway. It will be restored to its original condition, and put near the Preston Riverside station. There are also plans to extend the railway to the Ribble Link canal. The route would offer 1.5 miles extra to the line, although plans for this have not been finalised.[4]

Locomotives

Steam locomotives

The railway has a large collection of industrial steam engines and one main line locomotive.

Operational steam locomotives

Operational locos elsewhere

Steam locomotives undergoing overhaul or restoration

The Ribble Steam Railway's workshops house locomotives undergoing overhaul, restoration or stored.

Steam locomotives stored out-of-use

There are a number of locomotives stored in the yard/museum/away from Ribble.

Locomotives on display in the Museum

The following steam locomotives are on display in the museum.

Diesel locomotives

The railway has a large collection of diesel locomotives either for shunting or use on passenger trains.

Operational diesel locomotives

Diesel Locomotives under restoration / repair

Diesel Locomotives Stored awaiting repair

Diesel Locomotives on display in the Museum

The following diesel and electric locomotives are on display in the museum.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ribble Steam Railway.

References

  1. ↑ RSR history page
  2. ↑ The Railway Magazine issue 1294, February 2009
  3. ↑ Visit Lancashire information on the train services
  4. ↑ The Railway Magazine issue 1294, February 2009

External links