Launceston Steam Railway
| Launceston Steam Railway | |
|---|---|
standard gauge | |
| Preserved operations | |
| Owned by | The Spice Settlement Trust Co. Ltd |
| Operated by | The Spice Settlement Trust Co. Ltd |
| Stations | 4 |
| Length | 2+1⁄2 miles (4 km) |
| Preserved gauge | 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 21 July 1892 |
| Closed | 30 January 1967 |
| Preservation history | |
| 1965 | Steam locomotive Lilian rescued |
| 1983 | Launceston Steam Railway opened |
| 1995 | Extension to Newmills opened |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2020) |
The Launceston Steam Railway is a
History
Standard gauge railway
The first railway to reach
Narrow gauge revival
In 1965, Nigel Bowman, a
Launceston Steam Railway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Route
The LSR starts at a new station just west of the original LSWR station, which is now an industrial estate. Launceston station is the main station on the railway, and the sheds and engineering facilities are located here. The line runs from the station through a cutting, passing under a road bridge and aqueduct carrying a mill leat, before crossing the River Kensey on a two-arch viaduct. The line is now on an embankment and crosses a bridge over a farm track before arriving at Hunt's Crossing, where it is planned to lay a passing loop. After Hunt's Crossing the line crosses two farm crossings and then reaches Canna Park which was the temporary terminus before the extension to Newmills. From Canna Park there is a fairly short run to Newmills, the terminus. Adjacent to the Newmills station is the Newmills Farm Park.
Locomotives
All public train services are operated by the steam locomotives, whilst the internal combustion locomotives are used for maintenance work.
Steam locomotives
| Number | Name | Builder | Type | Works Number | Built | Origin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lilian | Hunslet Engine Company | ST
|
317 | 1883 | Penrhyn Quarry
|
New boiler fitted in 1993 and tender added in 2008. Overhauled 2016 | |
| Covertcoat | Hunslet | ST
|
679 | 1898 | Dinorwic Quarry
|
Cab and tender added at Launceston | |
| Velinheli | Hunslet | ST
|
409 | 1886 | Dinorwic Quarry
|
Privately owned by James Evans, ex. Inny Valley Railway. Stored at the Ffestiniog Railway where a new boiler is being constructed. | |
| Dorothea | Hunslet | ST
|
763 | 1901 | Dorothea Quarry
|
Restored over 22 years by Kay Bowman, first steamed in November 2011 and entered passenger service in 2012. | |
| 89 | Perseverance | C. Parmenter | VBT
|
2004 | Originally constructed on a Hudson wagon chassis, rebuilt with a new chassis in 2010 |
Internal combustion and battery electric
| Number | Name | Builder | Type | Works Number | Built | Origin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | English Electric | 2w-2-2-2wRE | 761 | 1930 | Post Office Railway
|
On display in the museum | |
| Motor Rail | DM
|
5646 | 1933 | Grove Heath, Ripley, Surrey | |||
| N. Bowman | BE
|
1986 | Inspection trolley | ||||
| Launceston Steam Railway | DE
|
2004 | Inspection trolley | ||||
| Launceston Steam Railway | 4w-4DER | 2010-17 | New build diesel railcar |
Visiting locomotives
| Number | Name | Builder | Year Visited | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lilla | Hunslet | 1998 | Ffestiniog Railway | ||
| Pearl 2 | A. Civil | 2001 | Golden Valley Light Railway
|
||
| Dame Ann | Exmoor Steam Railway | 2004 | Wales West Light Railway, Alabama | ||
19
|
Sharp Stewart | 2009 & 2019 | Beeches Light Railway | Darjeeling Himalayan Railway 778 | |
| Gertrude | Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. | 2009 | Exmoor Transport | ||
| Lyd | Boston Lodge Works
|
2010 | Ffestiniog Railway | ||
| Roanoke Engineering | 2010 & 2011 | Private | Vertical boilered tram locomotive |
Rolling stock
The railway has four passenger carriages, all built on site and based on those built for the
References
- ^ "The Launceston Steam Railway". Narrow Gauge Pleasure. Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
- ^ "Launceston Steam Railway". British Railway Heritage. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
- ^ Statutory Instrument 1982 No. 1621 The Launceston Light Railway Order 1982
External links
- The Railway website
- "Lauceston Steam Railway" (Video) – via YouTube.