Exmoor Steam Railway

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Locomotive Mariloo in Exbury Gardens
Exmoor Steam Railway Builder's Plate

The Exmoor Steam Railway is a narrow gauge steam railway and locomotive manufacturer, located at Bratton Fleming in North Devon.

12+1⁄4 in (311 mm) gauge[]

The railway was built by the Stirland family and first opened as a tourist attraction in August 1990. At this time the railway ran in a circuit from the main station at Exmoor Central, trains descending on a large embankment before climbing back up through a spiral tunnel. In 1996 a new station was opened at Cape of Good Hope, which changed the line to an "end-to-end" layout. At the end of the 2001 season, the decision was taken to close the railway to the public and concentrate on building new steam locomotives and associated equipment. The railway remains in full working order, and work started in the winter 2008/9 on extending the railway. By mid-2010 an additional 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) of track had been brought into use, with a very steep ascending and descending of 1 in 28.

1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) gauge[]

During the 1990s, a number of 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) gauge Beyer Garratt articulated locomotives from South Africa arrived on site and were displayed. One locomotive was sold to the Welsh Highland Railway in 2006, whilst another has been under long-term restoration. Over the winter 2008/9 work started on constructing around 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) of 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in gauge railway to run the Garratts on.

Locomotives[]

Name Builder Type Number Built Notes
Anglo Franco Belge 2-8-2 2685 1955 S.A.R. NG15
Beyer Peacock 2-6-2+2-6-2T 115 1939 S.A.R. NGG16
Hanomag 2-6-2+2-6-2T 77 1928 S.A.R. NGG13, repainted in Dark Blue livery 2010
Eddy Hunslet 4wDH 9336 1946 Now at Exbury Gardens after re-gauging to 12+1⁄4 in (311 mm)
Motor Rail 4wDM 8856 1944

Engineering works[]

Since the railway opened, there has been a large workshop on site, which was used to build all the locomotives and equipment used on the railway. In 2001, the decision was taken to close the railway as a tourist attraction and concentrate on the manufacture of miniature and narrow gauge railway equipment.

Exmoor Steam Railway builds several new steam locomotives a year, as well as rolling stock and also advise on the setup and expansion of miniature and narrow gauge railways. Exmoor is a member of Britain's Great Little Railways and has supplied locomotives to many other members who operate public miniature and narrow gauge railways.

Locomotives Constructed[]

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by with reliable sources.
Identity Works Number Type Gauge Year Built Operator Status Notes Image
Cricor 0-4-2T 7+1��4 in (184 mm) 1999 Dibleys Nurseries Railway [1]
Phalaenopsis 2-4-2T 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) 2008 Mortocombe Miniature Railway [1]
John-Remy 0-6-2T 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) 1991 Beale Railway [1]
George 0-4-2T 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) 2010 Poole Park Railway [1]
Samastipur now named Jools 0-4-2T 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) 1999 Beer Heights Light Railway Major rebuild by B.H.L.R completed in 2018 [2]
Yeo Valley 190 2-8-0T 1990 Withdrawn from service and dismantled[when?]
Excalibur 293 2-4-2T 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) regauged from 12+1⁄4 in (311 mm) 1993 Rudyard Lake Steam Railway Formerly River Churnet[3]
SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE 295 0-6-0T 15 in (381 mm) 1993 Perrygrove Railway [4]
7 Merlin 296 2-4-2T 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) 1998 Rudyard Lake Steam Railway [5] Miniature locomotive "Merlin" (geograph 1854299).jpg
Pendragon 297 2-4-2T 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) regauged from 12+1⁄4 in (311 mm) 1994 Originally Ashorne[6]
Denzil 299 0-4-2T+T 12+1⁄4 in (311 mm) 1995 Exmoor Steam Railway [7]
MONTY 300 0-4-2T 15 in (381 mm) 1996 Evesham Vale Light Railway Originally named Markeaton Lady at Markeaton Park Light Railway [4] Evesham Vale Light Railway - double headed gala day train (geograph 4556247).jpg
SANDY 301 0-6-0T 15 in (381 mm) 1996 Wotton Light Railway [4]
Dennis now named Ruby 302 0-4-2T 15 in (381 mm) 1997 (for Brocklands Adventure Park) Lappa Valley Steam Railway [7]
Jane 307 0-4-2T 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) 2000 Pugneys light Railway
Jean 309 0-4-2T 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) 2000 Barnards Miniature Railway [8][1]
Billy May 310 2-4-2T 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) 2000 Woodseaves Miniature Railway Privately Owned [8][1]
ST.CHRISTOPHER 311 2-6-2T 15 in (381 mm) 2001 Bressingham [4][7] St Christopher at Bressingham.jpg
ST EGWIN 312 0-4-0T+T 15 in (381 mm) 2003 Evesham Vale Light Railway [4] Evesham Vale Light Railway (geograph 2534757).jpg
Amy Louise 314 0-4-2 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) 2003 [8][1]
ROSEMARY 315 0-6-2T 12+1⁄4 in (311 mm) 2001 Exbury Gardens [7] Eddy and Rosemary - geograph.org.uk - 450018.jpg
NAOMI 316 0-6-2T 12+1⁄4 in (311 mm) 2002 Exbury Gardens [7] "Naomi", miniature steam engines on the railway in Exbury Gardens - geograph.org.uk - 450128.jpg
THE DUCHESS OF DIFFLIN 317 0-4-2T 15 in (381 mm) 2003 Difflin Lake Railway [4] Oakfield Park Railway Station - geograph.ie 2479666.jpg
Pulborough 319 0-4-2T 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) 2004 South Downs Light Railway [1]
DAME ANN 320 0-4-2ST 2 ft (610 mm) 2004 Wales West Light Railway Steam tank locomotive Dame Ann in Cottontail Express livery.jpeg
ANNE 323 0-6-2T 15 in (381 mm) 2004 Perrygrove Railway Formerly John Hayton
8 King Arthur 324 0-6-2T 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) 2005 Rudyard Lake Steam Railway [9]
Black Beauty 325 2-6-2 12+1⁄4 in (311 mm) 2009 [7]
MARILOO 326 2-6-0 12+1⁄4 in (311 mm) 2008 Exbury Gardens [7] Mariloo - Exbury Gardens - Exbury, England - DSC04083.jpg
Lorna Doone 330 0-4-2T 12+1⁄4 in (311 mm) Exmoor Steam Railway [7]
Peggy 334 0-4-2T 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) 2007 South Downs Light Railway [1]
Jeremy 339 0-4-2T 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) 2010 Barnards Miniature Railway [8][1]
ARUN 341 0-4-2DH 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) 2015 South Downs Light Railway [10]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Bryant, Peter; Holroyde, Dave (2012). Miniature Railways of Great Britain & ireland (First ed.). Sheffield, UK: . ISBN 978-1-902336-93-0.
  2. ^ "Samastipur". Beer Heights Light Railway. Pecorama. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Excalibur". Leek and Rudyard Railway Ltd. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Industrial Locomotives: including preserved and minor railway locomotives. Vol. 17EL. Melton Mowbray: Industrial Railway Society. 2015. ISBN 978 1 901556 88 9.
  5. ^ "Merlin". Leek and Rudyard Railway Ltd. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  6. ^ "Pendragon". Leek and Rudyard Railway Ltd.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Surviving Steam Locomotive Search". www.steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Locomotives". Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  9. ^ "King Arthur". Leek and Rudyard Railway Ltd. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  10. ^ "News". South Downs Light Railway. South Downs Light Railway. Retrieved 24 August 2017.

Don.Fifer The Heywood Society Journal No.56 Spring 2005

External links[]


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