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Discovering Preserved Railways By F G Cockman Soft Cover 1980 80 pages indexed
Discovering Preserved Railways by F.G. Cockman soft cover
Discovering Preserved Railways
F.G. Cockman
Soft Cover
80 Pages
Copyright 1980
Contents
Preface 4
1. Bala Lake Railway 5
2. Bluebell Railway 6
3. Cadeby Light Railway 8
4. Chasewater Light Railway 8
5. CoIne Valley Railway 9
6. Dart Valley Railway • 10
7. Fairbourne Railway 11
8. Festiniog Railway 12
9. Foxfield Light Railway 14
10. Great Central Railway 15
11. Isle of Man Railways 17
12. Isle of Wight Steam Locomotive Society 20
13. Keighley and Worth Valley Railway 21
14. Kent and East Sussex Railway 23
15. Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway 24
16. Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway 25
17. Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway 27
18. Llanberis Light Railway 27
19. Middleton Railway 28
20. Mid-Hants Railway 28
21. Nene Valley Railway 30
22. North Norfolk Railway 32
23. North Yorkshire Moors Railway 50
24. Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway 52
25. Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway 53
26. Severn Valley Railway 55
27. Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway 58
28. Snowdon Mountain Railway 59
29. Strathspey Railway 60
30. Talyllyn Railway 62
31. Torbay and Dartmouth Railway 64
32. Vale of Rheidol Railway 66
33. Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway 67
34. West Somerset Railway 69
35. Whipsnade and Umfolozi Railway 71
36. Yorkshire Dales Railway 72
37. Other interesting railways 74
38. Railway centres and museums 76
Bibliography 78
Index 79
Preface
Railway preservation may be said to have started in Great Britain with the founding of the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society in 1950, and it has since spread over the country from Kingswear to Aviemore. Other countries like Germany, Holland. Belgium and France have their preserved lines, but it is appropriate that Britain, where the railway was invented, should lead the way in the number so maintained. The founders of the new Talyllyn Railway might have been pardoned if they had paraphrased Pitt and said 'The Tallyllyn has saved herself by her exertions, and will, as we trust, save others by her example'. Apart from the miniature railways, the preserved lines could be divided into two kinds: those which had taken over private companies where failure was due to the exhaustion of the mineral deposits for which they were created; and those which wished to revive services on branches for which the British Transport Commission and later the British Railways Board had no further use. The difficulties were daunting. For example. the Festiniog Railway had to see part of its track, including a tunnel, submerged by a new reservoir created by the Central Electricity Generating Board and had to construct an entirely new stretch of line with a new tunnel. In the case of the Kent and East Sussex Railway the necessary light railway order was withheld year after year. Both of these railways ultimately triumphed, but only, as elsewhere, by means of enthusiasm, hard work and money. In defence of British Rail it must be stated that the effects of the Transport Acts of 1947, 1953 and 1962 were inevitably detrimental. Again, the abandonment of steam was necessary if the railways were to compete with modern motorway traffic and the airlines. Those who love the steam locomotive also admit that it caused air pollution. involved extremely dirty work in its maintenance and was thermally inefficient. Quite different considerations apply to the preserved railways, and we rely on them to show us the majesty of the steam locomotive, both in sight and in sound, and long may they continue to do so. Preservation provides an interesting if challenging hobby to thousands of young people, many of whom may decide to make railways their career in life.
I have received much help from the press and publicity officers of various railways and this I record with great pleasure. Where photographs have been provided, due acknowledgement is given. Finally I wish to thank my old friend John Davis, MSc, C Eng. M I Mech E. for his unstinted help, not only with photographs. but also from his intimate knowledge of railway operation.
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