
LIST OF BRITISH HERITAGE AND PRIVATE RAILWAYS
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This is a list of heritage, private and preserved railways throughout the United Kingdom and the Channel Islands whether operational or former, for charitable purposes or shareholder profit. Some also provide a local economic transport purpose. For rail museums, see List of British railway museums.
Many of the standard gauge railways listed (thus including former branch lines and ex-mainlines) were closed by British Railways (later shortened to British Rail) under the Beeching Axe of the 1960s. Others later or earlier closed. All ceased their public financing with up-to-date rolling stock and often avoided electrification and electronic signals to be restored and operated as heritage lines. A smaller number of lines were formerly industrial or colliery railways.
Many of these preserved railways and railway centres such as stations, engineering workshops and collections of old locomotives are mentioned in national and international tour guides, and visits may form part of a school curriculum and centres of other studies including in civil engineering, mechanics, social, economic and political history, visual arts and drama.
Contents
England
South West
Bishops Lydeard station on the West Somerset Railway
A general view of the Swanage Railway
Standard Gauge
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Avon Valley Railway, Bitton, Gloucestershire
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Bodmin & Wenford Railway, Bodmin, Cornwall
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Bristol Harbour Railway, Bristol
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Dartmoor Railway, Okehampton, Devon
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Dartmouth Steam Railway, Paignton, Devon
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East Somerset Railway, Cranmore, Somerset
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Helston Railway, Prospidnick, Cornwall
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Plym Valley Railway, Marsh Mills, Devon
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Somerset & Dorset Railway, Midsomer Norton, Somerset
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South Devon Railway, Buckfastleigh, Devon
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Swanage Railway, Swanage, Dorset
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Swindon & Cricklade Railway, Blunsdon, Wiltshire
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West Somerset Railway, Minehead, Somerset
Railway Centres and Museums
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Shillingstone Railway Project, Shillingstone, Dorset
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STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway, Swindon, Wiltshire
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Yeovil Railway Centre, Yeovil, Somerset
Narrow Gauge
Restored Victorian coach at the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway
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Bicton Woodland Railway, Devon
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Devon Railway Centre, Bickleigh, Devon
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Exmoor Steam Railway, Devon - private site
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Gartell Light Railway, Templecombe, Somerset
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Launceston Steam Railway, Launceston, Cornwall
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Lynbarn Railway, Devon
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Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, Woody Bay, Devon
Miniature Gauge
The Beer Heights Light Railway
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Beer Heights Light Railway, Devon
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Berkeley Light Railway, Gloucestershire
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Gorse Blossom Farm Railway, Devon
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Lappa Valley Steam Railway, Cornwall
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Moors Valley Railway, Ashley Heath, Dorset
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Porterswick Junction Light Railway, Cornwall
Tramways
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Seaton Tramway, Seaton, Devon
East of England
Mixed train on the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway
Standard Gauge
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Colne Valley Railway, Castle Hedingham, Essex
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Epping Ongar Railway, Ongar, Essex
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Lincolnshire Wolds Railway, Ludborough, Lincolnshire
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Mid-Norfolk Railway, Dereham, Norfolk
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Nene Valley Railway, Wansford, Cambridgeshire
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North Norfolk Railway, Sheringham, Norfolk
Railway Centres and Museums
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Appleby Frodingham Railway, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire
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Bressingham Steam and Gardens, Diss, Norfolk
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East Anglian Railway Museum, Chappel & Wakes Colne Station, Essex
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Mangapps Railway Museum,Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex
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Mid Suffolk Light Railway, Brockford, Suffolk
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Railworld, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
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Whitwell & Reepham Railway, Reepham, Norfolk
Narrow Gauge
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Bressingham Steam and Gardens,Diss, Norfolk
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Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway, Lincolnshire
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Leighton Buzzard Light Railway, Bedfordshire
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North Ings Farm Railway, Lincolnshire
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Southend Pier Railway, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
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Stevington & Turvey Light Railway, Turvey, Bedfordshire - private site
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Yaxham Light Railway, Norfolk - private site
Miniature Gauge
The Wells and Walsingham Light Railway
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Audley End Railway, Essex
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Bure Valley Railway, Aylsham, Norfolk
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East Herts Miniature Railway, Ware, Hertfordshire
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Eaton Park Miniature Railway, Norwich, Norfolk
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Fancott Miniature Railway, Bedfordshire
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Museum of Power, Langford, Essex
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Watford Miniature Railway, Cassiobury Park, Watford, Hertfordshire
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Wells & Walsingham Light Railway, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk
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Wells Harbour Railway, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk
Tramways
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East Anglia Transport Museum, Lowestoft, Suffolk
East Midlands
Standard Gauge
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Battlefield Line, Shackerstone, Leicestershire
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Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, Wirksworth, Derbyshire
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Great Central Railway, Loughborough, Leicestershire
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Great Central Railway (Nottingham), Ruddington, Nottinghamshire
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Midland Railway, Butterley, Derbyshire
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Northampton & Lamport Railway, Pitsford and Brampton, Northamptonshire
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Northants Ironstone Railway, Hunsbury Hill, Northamptonshire
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Peak Rail, Matlock, Derbyshire
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Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway, Rushden, Northamptonshire
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Rutland Railway, Cottesmore, Rutland
Railway Centres and Museums
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Barrow Hill Railway Centre, Barrow Hill nr Chesterfield, Derbyshire
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Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre, Ruddington, Nottinghamshire
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Rushden Transport Museum, Northamptonshire
Narrow Gauge
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Derbyshire Dales Narrow Gauge Railway, Rowsley, Derbyshire
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Golden Valley Light Railway, Butterley, Derbyshire
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Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum, Irchester, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
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Steeple Grange Light Railway, Wirksworth, Derbyshire
Miniature Gauge
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Markeaton Park Light Railway, Derby, Derbyshire
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Stapleford Miniature Railway, near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
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Wicksteed Park Railway, Kettering, Northamptonshire
Tramways
A 1931 Leeds tram seen at Crich Tramway Village in 2004
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Crich Tramway Village and Museum, Crich, Derbyshire
North of England
Goathland station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Standard Gauge
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Aln Valley Railway, Alnwick, Northumberland
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Bowes Railway, Tyne and Wear
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Derwent Valley Light Railway, Murton, North Yorkshire
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East Lancashire Railway, Bury, Greater Manchester
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Eden Valley Railway, Warcop, Cumbria
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Elsecar Heritage Railway, South Yorkshire
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Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, Embsay, North Yorkshire
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Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, Haworth, West Yorkshire
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Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway, Haverthwaite, nr Staveley, Cumbria
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Middleton Railway, Hunslet, West Yorkshire
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North Tyneside Steam Railway, North Shields, Tyne and Wear
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North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Pickering, North Yorkshire
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Ribble Steam Railway, Preston, Lancashire
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Stainmore Railway, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria
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Tanfield Railway, Marley Hill, County Durham
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Weardale Railway, Stanhope, County Durham
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Wensleydale Railway, Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire
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Yorkshire Wolds Railway Restoration Project, Sledmere–Fimber, East Yorkshire (still under construction)
Railway Centres and Museums
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Astley Green Colliery Museum, Lancashire
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Beamish Museum & Railway Centre, County Durham
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Carnforth Railway Centre, Carnforth, Lancashire
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Crewe Heritage Centre, Crewe, Cheshire
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Darlington Railway Centre and Museum, Darlington, County Durham
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Haig Colliery Mining Museum, Cumbria
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Leeds Industrial Museum, Armley, West Yorkshire
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Locomotion, Shildon, County Durham
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Monkwearmouth Station Museum, Sunderland
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Stephenson Railway Museum, West Chirton, Tyne and Wear
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National Railway Museum, York, North Yorkshire
Narrow Gauge
The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway in 1981
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Eaton Hall Railway, Cheshire - private site
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Heatherslaw Light Railway, Northumberland
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Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, Cumbria
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South Tynedale Railway between Alston, Cumbria and Lintley, Northumberland
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West Lancashire Light Railway, Lancashire
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Windmill Farm Railway, Lancashire
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Woodhorn Narrow Gauge Railway, Ashington, Northumberland
Miniature Gauge
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All in one Miniature Railway, Knutsford, Allostock, Cheshire
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Brookside Miniature Railway, Poynton, Cheshire
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Dragon Miniature Railway, Marple, Greater Manchester
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High Legh Miniature Railway, High Legh, Cheshire
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Kirklees Light Railway, Clayton West, West Yorkshire
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Lakeside Miniature Railway, Southport, Merseyside
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North Bay Railway, Scarborough, North Yorkshire
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Saltburn Miniature Railway, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire
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South Park Miniature Railway, Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
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Woodhorn Narrow Gauge Railway, Ashington, Northumberland
Tramways
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Beamish Museum, County Durham
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Bradford Industrial Museum, Eccleshill, (nr Bradford), West Yorkshire
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Heaton Park Tramway, Manchester, Greater Manchester
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Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society, Birkenhead, Merseyside
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Shipley Glen Tramway, Shipley, West Yorkshire
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South Yorkshire Transport Museum, Aldwarke (nr Rotherham), South Yorkshire
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Southport Pier Tramway, Southport, Merseyside
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Wirral Tramway & Transport Museum, Wirral, Merseyside
South East
GWR Earl of Berkeley at Horsted Keynes Station, Bluebell Railway
Standard Gauge
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Bluebell Railway, Sheffield Park, Sussex
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Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, Chinnor, Oxfordshire
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Cholsey & Wallingford Railway, Wallingford, Oxfordshire
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East Kent Railway, Shepherdswell, Kent
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Fawley Hill Railway, Buckinghamshire
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Isle of Wight Steam Railway, Havenstreet, Isle of Wight
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Kent & East Sussex Steam Railway, Tenterden, Kent
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Lavender Line, Isfield, East Sussex
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Mid Hants Railway, The Watercress Line, New Alresford, Hampshire
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Rother Valley Railway, Robertsbridge, East Sussex (land purchases in progress)
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Spa Valley Railway, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Railway Centres and Museums
The engine sheds at Didcot Railway Centre
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Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton Road, Buckinghamshire
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Didcot Railway Centre, Didcot, Oxfordshire
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London Transport Museum, Covent Garden, Central London
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London Transport Museum Depot, Acton, West London
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Southall Railway Centre, Southall, West London
Narrow Gauge
Trains on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway
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Amberley Museum Railway, Amberley, West Sussex
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Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway,near Sittingbourne, Kent
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Exbury Gardens Railway, Beaulieu, Hampshire
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Hayling Seaside Railway, Hayling Island, Hampshire
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Hollycombe Steam Collection, near Liphook, Hampshire
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Hythe Pier Ferry Railway, Hampshire
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Hampton & Kempton Waterworks Railway, Hanworth/Hampton, London.
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Kew Bridge Steam Museum, Brentford, London
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London Post Office Railway - Proposed
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Volk's Electric Railway, Brighton, East Sussex
Miniature Gauge
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Bekonscot Light Railway, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
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Blenheim Park Railway, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
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Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway, Hampshire
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Frimley Lodge Park Railway, Surrey
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Great Cockcrow Railway, Chertsey, Surrey
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Ickenham Miniature Railway, Ickenham, London
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Malden District Society of Model Engineers, Thames Ditton, Surrey
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Moors Valley Railway, near Ringwood, Hampshire
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Royal Victoria Country Park, Southampton, Hampshire
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Ruislip Lido Railway, Ruislip, London
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South Downs Light Railway, Pulborough, West Sussex
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Woking Miniature Railway, Knaphill, Surrey
West Midlands
Arley station on the Severn Valley Railway
Standard Gauge
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Cambrian Heritage Railways, Oswestry and Llynclys, Shropshire
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Chasewater Railway, Staffordshire
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Churnet Valley Railway, Cheddleton, Staffordshire
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Dean Forest Railway, Norchard, Gloucestershire
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Foxfield Light Railway, Blythe Bridge, Staffordshire
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Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, Toddington, Gloucestershire and Broadway, Worcestershire
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Kingfisher Line. Titley, Herefordshire - private site
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Rowden Mill & Fencote Railway, Herefordshire - private site
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Severn Valley Railway, Bridgnorth, Shropshire
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Telford Steam Railway, Horsehay, Shropshire
Railway Centres and Museums
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Coleford Great Western Railway Museum, Coleford, Gloucestershire
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Tyseley Railway Centre, Tyseley, Warwickshire
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Winchcombe Railway Museum, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire
Narrow Gauge
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Amerton Railway, Staffordshire
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Apedale Valley Light Railway Chesterton, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire
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Bromyard and Linton Light Railway, Bromyard, Herefordshire - private site
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Moseley Railway Trust, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
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North Gloucestershire Railway, Toddington, Gloucestershire
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Perrygrove Railway, Gloucestershire
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Rudyard Lake Steam Railway, Rudyard, Staffordshire
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Statfold Barn Railway, Tamworth, Staffordshire - private site
Miniature Gauge
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Broomy Hill Railway, Herefordshire
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Downs Railway Colwall, Ledbury, Herefordshire
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Echills Wood Railway, Kingsbury Waterpark, Warwickshire
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Weston Park Railway, Shropshire
Tramways
Dudley tram No. 5 of 1920 at Black Country Museum
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Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, West Midlands
Tramways
Tramway operation in Britain ceased almost entirely in the 1950s. Once Glasgow had disposed of its lines, the sole survivor was the Blackpool Corporation Tramways, although considerably reduced in size. In the late 20th century there was a tramway revival, notably in Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, the West Midlands and Croydon.
Proposed
East of England
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Leiston Works Railway, Leiston, Suffolk (currently under construction)[1]
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Southwold Railway, Southwold, Suffolk (Proposed)[2]
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Wisbech and March Railway, Waldersea, Cambridgeshire (Proposed)
North of England
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Poulton and Wyre Railway, Thornton–Cleveleys, Lancashire (currently under restoration)
South and West of England
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Combe Rail, Mortehoe-Woolacombe, Devon (Proposed)
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Remembrance Line, Folkestone, Kent (Proposed)
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North Dorset Railway, Shillingstone, Dorset (Currently under construction)
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North Somerset Railway, Radstock, Somerset (Proposed)
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Tarka Valley Railway, Torrington, Devon (Display museum at former station house, public house only)
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Vale of Berkeley Railway, Sharpness, Gloucestershire (Proposed)
Defunct
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Ashford Steam Centre, Willesborough, Kent - closed in 1976.
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Abbey Light Railway, Kirkstall, West Yorkshire - closed in 2012.
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Brockham Museum Trust, Dorking, Surrey - closed 1982 (Stock moved to Amberley Museum Railway, West Sussex)
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Bolebroke Castle Miniature Railway, East Sussex - closed 2012
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Buxton Steam Centre, Derbyshire - closed in 1987, as Peak Rail moved to Darley Dale.
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Cadeby Light Railway, Cadeby, Leicestershire - closed in 2005.
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Creekmoor Light Railway, Poole, Dorset - closed in 1973
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Dinting Railway Centre, Derbyshire - closed in 1991, (Society moved to Ingrow (West) station on the KWVR, West Yorkshire.)
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Dowty Railway Centre, Ashchurch, Gloucestershire - closed in the 1980s
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Eastbourne Tramway, East Sussex - closed 1969, (moved to Seaton, Devon)
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Great Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society, Starbeck, North Yorkshire - closed in 1989 (Group moved to Murton, near York, to restore part of the former Derwent Valley Light Railway)
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Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway, Humberston, Lincolnshire - closed 1985- Rebuilt 2009 in Skegness.
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Museum of British Transport, Clapham, South London - closed in 1973 Some exhibits moved first to Syon Park, West London and subsequently to Covent Garden to form London Transport Museum. Some exhibits moved to N.R.M. York
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North Downs Steam Railway, Dartford, Kent - closed in 1995 (society merged with Spa Valley Railway)
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North Woolwich Old Station Museum, East London - closed in 2008
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Ramsgate Tunnel Railway, Ramsgate, Kent - closed in 1965
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Snibston Railway, Coalville, Leicestershire. - closed on 31 July 2015 (as with the Discovery Museum, itself)
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Southport Railway Museum, Southport, Lancashire - closed in 1999, (Society moved to Preston Docks as Ribble Steam Railway).
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Westerham Valley Railway Assocation, Westerham, Kent - closed 1965 (merged with Kent and East Sussex Railway Preservation Society with a few items of stock transferred to KWVR.)
Northern Ireland
See List of heritage railways in Northern Ireland
Standard gauge
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Downpatrick and County Down Railway, County Down
Railway Centres and Museums
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Railway Preservation Society of Ireland, Whitehead, County Antrim
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Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra
Narrow gauge
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Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway, County Antrim
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Peatlands Park Railway, County Armagh
Defunct
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Shanes Castle Railway, County Antrim - closed 1994 (stock moved to Giants Causeway and Bushmills Railway
Scotland
Standard gauge
Central Highlands
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Keith & Dufftown Railway, Dufftown, Banffshire and Keith, Morayshire
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Strathspey Railway, Aviemore, Highland
East Coast of Scotland
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Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway, Bo'ness, Falkirk
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Fife Heritage Railway, Leven, Fife
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Caledonian Railway, Brechin, Angus
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Royal Deeside Railway, Milton of Crathes, Aberdeenshire
Scottish Borders
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Waverley Route Heritage Association, Whitrope, Roxburghshire
Railway centres and museums
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Scottish Industrial Railway Centre, Ayrshire [4]
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Scotland's Military Railway, Lathalmond, Fife [5]
Narrow gauge
Craignure station on the 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) gauge Isle of Mull railway
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Alford Valley Railway, Alford, Aberdeenshire
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Leadhills and Wanlockhead Railway, South Lanarkshire
Miniature railways
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Kerr's Miniature Railway, Arbroath
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Ness Islands Railway, Inverness
Tramways
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Summerlee Heritage Park,[6] Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire
Proposed
TBA
Defunct
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Isle of Mull Railway, Inner Hebrides - closed in 2011.
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Lochty Private Railway, Fife - closed in 1992.
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Sanday Light Railway, Braeswick, Orkney - closed in 2006.
Wales
North Wales
Standard Gauge
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Llangollen Railway, Llangollen, Denbighshire
Railway centres and museums
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Conwy Valley Railway Museum Bettws-y-coed, Conwy
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Narrow Gauge Railway Museum Tywyn, Gwynedd
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Penrhyn Castle Railway Museum, Bangor, Gwynedd
Narrow Gauge
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Bala Lake Railway, Llanuwchllyn, Gwynedd
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Ffestiniog Railway, Porthmadog to Bleanau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd
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Llanberis Lake Railway, Llanberis, Gwynedd
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Penrhyn Quarry Railway, Bethesda, Gwynedd
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Snowdon Mountain Railway, Llanberis, Gwynedd
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Talyllyn Railway, Tywyn, Gwynedd
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Welsh Highland Heritage Railway,Porthmadog, Gwynedd
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Welsh Highland Railway, Porthmadog to Caernarfon, Gwynedd
Miniature railways
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Conwy Valley Railway Museum Miniature Railway, Betws-y-Coed
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Fairbourne Railway, Gwynedd
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Rhyl Miniature Railway, Rhyl
Tramways
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Conwy Valley Railway Museum Tramway, Betws-y-Coed
Mid Wales
Narrow Gauge
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Corris Railway, Gwynedd
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Welshpool & Llanfair Railway, Powys
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Vale of Rheidol Railway, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
Miniature railways
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Rhiw Valley Light Railway, Berriew, Powys
South Wales
Standard Gauge
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Barry Tourist Railway, Vale of Glamorgan, Glamorganshire
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Gwili Railway, Bronwydd Arms, Carmarthenshire
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Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway, Monmouthshire
Narrow gauge
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Brecon Mountain Railway, Pant, near Merthyr Tydfil
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Margam Park Railway, Margam
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Teifi Valley Railway, Henllan near Newcastle Emlyn, Ceredigion
Proposed
North Wales
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Dolgarrog Railway, Conwy (under construction)
Narrow Gauge
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Glyn Valley Tramway, Chirk, Denbighshire
South Wales
Standard Gauge
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Garw Valley Railway, Pontycymer, Bridgend
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Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway, Cynheidre, Carmarthenshire
Defunct
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Butetown Historical Railway Society Cardiff Bay - closed in 1997, moved to Barry Tourist Railway
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Swansea Vale Railway, Pentrechwyth - closed in 2009, (most of the track and rolling stock are now located on the Gwili Railway).
Isle of Man
See Rail transport in the Isle of Man.
Channel Islands
Alderney
Jersey
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heritage railways in the United Kingdom.
References
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http://web.archive.org/web/20091027060737/http://geocities.com/summerleetrams/
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External links
[show]
Heritage railways and railway museums in England