List of British heritage and private railways

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Interactive map of standard gauge heritage railways in Great Britain.
Interactive map of miniature heritage railways in Great Britain.

This is a list of heritage, private and preserved railways throughout the United Kingdom, the Crown dependencies, and British Overseas Territories whether operational or closed, that are operated for charitable purposes or shareholder profit. Some also provide economic local transport. For rail museums, see List of British railway museums.

Many of the standard-gauge railways listed, including former branch lines and ex-mainline routes, were closed by British Railways under the Beeching Axe of the 1960s. Most have been restored and operate as heritage lines. A smaller number of lines were formerly industrial or colliery railways.

Many of these preserved railways are mentioned in national and international tour guides, and visits may form part of a school curriculum or feature in other studies, including civil engineering, mechanics, social, economic and political history, visual arts and drama.[citation needed]

This list also includes tramways. Nearly all tram services in Britain ended in the 1950s and early 1960s, leaving just Blackpool Corporation Tramways, although some big cities have since revived them in the late 20th century onwards.

England[edit]

East of England[edit]

Mixed train on the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway
Restored double track section on the Mid-Norfolk Railway

Standard gauge[edit]

Railway centres and museums[edit]

Narrow gauge[edit]

Miniature gauge[edit]

Tramways[edit]

East Midlands[edit]

Standard gauge[edit]

Railway centres and museums[edit]

Narrow gauge[edit]

Miniature gauge[edit]

Tramways[edit]

A 1931 Leeds tram seen at Crich Tramway Village in 2004

North England[edit]

Goathland station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Standard gauge[edit]

Railway centres and museums[edit]

Narrow gauge[edit]

Miniature gauge[edit]

Miniature Railway in Royden Park

Tramways[edit]

South East[edit]

GWR Earl of Berkeley at Horsted Keynes Station, Bluebell Railway

Standard gauge[edit]

Railway centres and museums[edit]

The engine sheds at Didcot Railway Centre

Narrow gauge[edit]

Miniature gauge[edit]

South West[edit]

Steam locomotive (number 80136) with carriages at station platform.
Bishops Lydeard station on the West Somerset Railway
A general view of the Swanage Railway

Standard gauge[edit]

Railway centres and museums[edit]

Narrow gauge[edit]

Restored Victorian coach at the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway
Exmouth Miniature Railway

Miniature gauge[edit]

Tramways[edit]

West Midlands[edit]

Arley station on the Severn Valley Railway

Standard gauge[edit]

Railway centres and museums[edit]

Narrow gauge[edit]

Miniature gauge[edit]

Tramways[edit]

Dudley tram No. 5 of 1920 at Black Country Museum

Proposed[edit]

East of England[edit]

North of England[edit]

South West[edit]

Defunct[edit]

Northern Ireland[edit]

See List of heritage railways in Northern Ireland

Broad gauge[edit]

Railway centres and museums[edit]

Narrow gauge[edit]

Defunct[edit]

  • Shanes Castle Railway, County Antrim – closed 1994 (stock moved to Giants Causeway and Bushmills Railway.)

Scotland[edit]

Standard gauge[edit]

Central Highlands[edit]

East Coast of Scotland[edit]

Scottish Borders[edit]

West Coast of Scotland[edit]

Railway centres and museums[edit]

Narrow gauge[edit]

Craignure station on the 10+14 in (260 mm) gauge Isle of Mull railway

Miniature railways[edit]

Tramways[edit]

Proposed[edit]

Defunct[edit]

Wales[edit]

North Wales[edit]

Standard gauge[edit]

Railway centres and museums[edit]

Narrow gauge[edit]

Miniature railways[edit]

Tramways[edit]

Mid Wales[edit]

Narrow gauge[edit]

Miniature railways[edit]

South Wales[edit]

Standard gauge[edit]

Narrow gauge[edit]

Miniature railways[edit]

Tramways[edit]

Proposed[edit]

North Wales[edit]

Standard gauge[edit]
Narrow gauge[edit]

South Wales[edit]

Standard gauge[edit]

Defunct[edit]

Crown dependencies[edit]

Isle of Man[edit]

See Rail transport in the Isle of Man.

Channel Islands[edit]

British Overseas Territories[edit]

Falkland Islands[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "One Suffolk". leistonworksrailwaytrust.onesuffolk.net. Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Southwold Railway Trust – England's premier 3-foot gauge railway". www.southwoldrailway.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 March 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  3. ^ "ScottishIndustrialRailwayCentre". www.scottishindustrialrailwaycentre.org.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  4. ^ "The Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust Incorporating Ferryhill Men's Shed - Welcome Page". www.frht.org.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  5. ^ http://www.shed47.org/index.html
  6. ^ . 27 October 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091027060737/http://geocities.com/summerleetrams/. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2018. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ Orme Tramway

External links[edit]