Beer Heights Light Railway

Beer Heights Light Railway
Steam locomotive 'Claudine' running round its train at the terminus.
Overview
Dates of operation14 July 1975–Present
Technical
Track gauge7+1⁄4 in (184 mm)
Beer Heights
Light Railway
Legend
 Deepwater Station
Wildway Down
Beer Mine
Quarry siding
Much Natter
Upsan Downs MPD
 Little Moore
White Falls Halt
Upsan Downs sidings
[1][2][3]

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.[4] It is part of Pecorama, an exhibition owned by Peco.[5]

Overview

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The official opening was by Rev. W.V. Awdry on 14 July 1975,[6] 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'. [7]

The line is notable for its high standard of presentation to the public and for the fine views obtainable from it.[8] It is home to eight live steam locomotives designed on narrow gauge principles.

Locomotives

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The railway currently has eight steam locomotives, two diesel and one electric.[9] 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.[10] Other locomotives also visit during the 'Loco Week' and 'Bank Holiday Weekend Gala' in August. A list of locomotives currently in use is below:[11]

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
Steam locomotive 'Mr P' on turntable.
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
BHLR Claudine
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

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  1. ^ "Gallery 16 Beer Heights July 2016". www.ribblevalleyrail.co.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Plan Your Visit - Pecorama". Pecorama. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  3. ^ "A Short History of English Maps". www.bsswebsite.me.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Beer Heights Light Railway 7¼ inch". UK: Miniature Railway World. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  5. ^ "Pecorama". Seaton Bay. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  6. ^ "The BHLR".
  7. ^ "Miniature Railway - Beer Heights". YouTube. 20 March 2009.
  8. ^ "Beer Heights Light Railway". Archived from the original on 13 July 2010.
  9. ^ "Our Rolling Stock". Archived from the original on 22 May 2011.
  10. ^ "The BHLR Revealed". Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  11. ^ "Our Trains". Pecorama. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
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