Abbey Light Railway
| Abbey Light Railway | |
|---|---|
| Locale | England |
| Dates of operation | 1974–Present |
| Track gauge | 2 ft (610 mm) |
| Headquarters | Leeds |
The Abbey Light Railway is a narrow gauge railway in Kirkstall, Leeds, West Yorkshire. Built by enthusiasts, the Railway runs from the nearby commercial area into the grounds of Kirkstall Abbey. It operates most Sundays.
Contents |
History
The railway dates back to 1974 when Peter Lowe applied for planning permission to build a railway at Kirkstall. The line was built from scratch by a group of local enthusiasts, most of whom were members of the Ffestiniog Railway. Second hand rail was acquired from the Ffestiniog and the line was built over a number of years. Initially the line ran purely as a private railway but in 1986 it received permission to start public passenger services.
In 2006 plans were made to extend the line to the Armley Mills Industrial Museum nearby.
Locomotives
| Name | Number | Builder | Type | Date | Works number | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loweco | Lister | 0-4-0PM 6HP | 1942 | 20449 | Supplied new to Kelby Sand and Gravel Co. Lincolnshire. Later worked at Hoe Hill Tile works, Barton-on-Humber. Became the first locomotive of the ALR. |
| 2 | Atlas | Hunslet | 4wDM 20HP | 1943 | 2465 | Supplied new to the Ministry of Defence, then to the Strensall Brick and Tile works, finally worked at the Alne Tile works, near Selby. |
| 3 | Odin | Motor Rail | 4wDM 20HP | 1934 | 5859 | Originally used as a contract locomotive, purchased by the Ham River Grit Co. Ltd then by Joseph Arnold & Sons, Leighton Buzzard. |
| 4 | Vulcan | Ruston | 4wDM 44/48HP | 1942 | 198287 | Supplied to Harpur Hill, Buxton then sold to the Royal Air Force at Burtonwood, finally acquired by Yorkshire Water for use at Chellow Heights and Thornton Moor near Bradford. |
| 5 | Ruston and Hornsby | 4wDM 20HP | 1946 | 235654 | Supplied new to the Elsham Lime Co., sold to the Barrow Haven Tile works, Lincolnshire. Informally known on the ALR as Little Ruston. | |
| 6 | Druid | Motor Rail | 4wDM 20HP | 1941 | 8644 | Supplied new to the Ministry of Defense. Sold to the Alne Tile works. Purchased by the Creekmoor Light Railway at Poole. Has been heavily rebuilt at the ALR, with only the chassis and transmission surviving from the original. |
| 7 | Orenstein & Koppel | 4wDM 11HP | 1935 | 5926 | Supplied new to Cape Universal Building Products Ltd., Uxbridge. Preserved at the Chalk Pits Museum, Amberley. | |
| 12 | Greenbat | 4wBE | 1957 | 2848 |
References
- Thomas, Cliff (2002). The Narrow Gauge in Britain & Ireland. Atlantic Publishers. ISBN 1-902827-05-8.
See also
External links
- Details of Railway
- A new Narrow Gauge Railway for Leeds?
- Movie clips of the railway These were taken some time ago on 8 mm and include a movie of some of the construction. Small movies for dial up, others need DSL.