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Camber Railway

Coordinates: 51°40′58″S 57°53′03″W / 51.6828°S 57.8842°W / -51.6828; -57.8842
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Not to be confused with Rye and Camber Tramway.
Camber Railway
One of the two 'Wren' class narrow gauge steam locomotives of Camber Railway on the Falkland Islands, 1915. The open cab was not appropriate for a Falklands winter. This photo was probably taken immediately after the unloading of the locomotive in 1915, with the ship in the background being the SS Ismailia which brought the railway and wireless station equipment out from Britain. The picture illustrates the two original types of wagon, a tipper on an inside bearing oval chassis seen on the left, and a flat wagon on a rectagular outside bearing chassis seen to the right. Both types of wagon ran on coil springs.
Overview
LocaleStanley, Falkland Islands
Termini
Stationsnone
Service
TypeNarrow gauge railway
Rolling stock2 locomotives and 3 cars[1]
History
Opened1915[1]
Closed1920 / 1940[1]
Technical
Line length5.6 km (3.5 mi)
Track gauge2 ft (610 mm)[1]

The Camber Railway was a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge railway in the Falkland Islands, in the South Atlantic; it was one of the most southerly railways in the world. The Camber Railway was constructed to support the Admiralty wireless station, supplying coal to generators; it ran along the north side of Stanley Harbour for about 3.5 miles (5.6 km).[2][1]

History

There were two Kerr, Stuart and Company "Wren" class 0-4-0 engines.[2][1] The system fell into disuse after the wireless station was modernised. Parts of the infrastructure were used in the Falklands War; rails were taken for use in some defensive structures.[1]

Fleet

  • Camber Railway, 1915-1922. The loco has 'Falkland Island Express' handwritten on the tank. The wooden wagon bodies carry removable seats at each end for workmen. The 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class, and 'Smoker' legends, not to mention that on the loco's tank, seem to imply that the whole thing was seen as a bit of a joke. The photo was later used on a Falkland Islands 54p stamp.
    Camber Railway, 1915-1922. The loco has 'Falkland Island Express' handwritten on the tank. The wooden wagon bodies carry removable seats at each end for workmen. The 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class, and 'Smoker' legends, not to mention that on the loco's tank, seem to imply that the whole thing was seen as a bit of a joke. The photo was later used on a Falkland Islands 54p stamp.
  • Sail-driven waggons with balanced lug, standing lug and gaff rigs (early 1920s)
    Sail-driven waggons with balanced lug, standing lug and gaff rigs (early 1920s)

References

  1. ^ a b "11ACamberRly". Railways of the Far South. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Camber Railway.

51°40′58″S 57°53′03″W / 51.6828°S 57.8842°W / -51.6828; -57.8842

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