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 Steam locomotive 'Claudine' running round its train at the terminus. | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 14 July 1975–Present |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) |
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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. It is part of Pecorama, an exhibition owned by Peco.
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 tunnel, and the complex track layout also includes a more recent steeply-graded branch line to "Wildway Down". The station at Deepwater was revamped in late 2014 and reopened in July 2015 as 'Deepwater Halt'.
The line is notable for its high standard of presentation to the public and for the fine views obtainable from it. It is home to eight live steam locomotives designed on narrow gauge principles.
Locomotives
The railway currently has eight steam locomotives, two diesel and one electric. 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. Other locomotives also visit during the 'Loco Week' and 'Bank Holiday Weekend Gala' in August. A list of locomotives currently in use is below:
| Number | Name | Wheel Arrangement | Notes | Power source | Arrived | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Dickie | 0-4-2+T | Built by David Curwen, Wiltshire | Steam | 1976 |  |
| 4 | Thomas II | 0-4-2ST+T | Thomas II (Original), Built by Roger Marsh | Steam | 1979 | |
| 5 | Linda | 2-4-0ST+T | Mainline Hunslet, rebuilt by TMA Engineering, Birmingham. Replica of Ffestiniog Loco. | Steam | 1983 | |
| 6 | Jimmy | Bo-Bo | Built Severn Lamb, Stratford-On-Avon | diesel hydraulic | 1986 | |
| 7 | Mr.P | 2-4-2T+T | Built in Beer Works | Steam | 1997 |  |
| 8 | Gem | 0-6-0+T | Romulus (heavily modified – Engerth tender arrangement) | Steam | 1999 | |
| O&EBR 1 | Otter | 2-4-2+T | Built at Western Steam, Privately Owned | Steam | 2004 |  |
| 9 | Claudine | 2-4-4T | Single Fairlie, Built at Beer Works | Steam | 2005 |  |
| 10 | Alfred | Bo-Bo | Tram style, Built at Beer Works | Battery Electric | 2003 | |
| 11 | Ben | Bo-Bo | Freelance, Built at Beer Works | LPG / Petrol Mechanical | 2015 | |
| 12 | Jools | 0-4-2T | Heavily rebuilt from Samastipur. | Steam | 2018 |
References
- "Gallery 16 Beer Heights July 2016". www.ribblevalleyrail.co.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- "Plan Your Visit - Pecorama". Pecorama. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
- "A Short History of English Maps". www.bsswebsite.me.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- "Beer Heights Light Railway 7¼ inch". UK: Miniature Railway World. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
- "Pecorama". Seaton Bay. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
- "The BHLR".
- "Miniature Railway - Beer Heights". YouTube. 20 March 2009.
- "Beer Heights Light Railway". Archived from the original on 13 July 2010.
- "Our Rolling Stock". Archived from the original on 22 May 2011.
- "The BHLR Revealed". Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- "Our Trains". Pecorama. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
External links
50°41′49″N 3°06′08″W / 50.69687°N 3.10215°W / 50.69687; -3.10215
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