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There were more than a thousand British narrow-gauge railways ranging from large, historically significant common carriers to small, short-lived industrial railways. Many notable events in British railway history happened on narrow-gauge railways including the first use of steam locomotives, the first public railway and the first preserved railway.
History
Early railways: before 1865
The earliest narrow-gauge railways were crude wooden trackways used in coal mines to guide wooden tubs. Because of the restricted loading gauge of the tunnels and the need for the tubs to be small enough to be pushed by one man, these railways were almost all narrow gauge. These underground lines often had short above-ground sections as well.
After the start of the Industrial Revolution it became possible to create railways with iron tracks and wheels, which reduced the friction involved in moving wagons and made longer horse-hauled trains possible. These could move more material over longer distances, allowing the construction of railways from mines and quarries to transshipment points on rivers, canals and the coast. The earliest narrow-gauge railways that were more than internal mine or quarry systems were all horse-drawn industrial railways. Prominent examples include: the 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge Little Eaton Gangway of 1793; the 3 ft 4+3⁄4 in (1,035 mm) gauge Lake Lock Rail Road of 1796; the 2 ft 1⁄2 in (622 mm) gauge Penrhyn Railroad of 1801; and the 4 ft 2 in (1,270 mm) gauge Surrey Iron Railway of 1803. The Lake Lock Rail Road is recognized as the world's first public railway.[1]
Meanwhile, the development of the stationary steam engine was proceeding to the point where early steam locomotives were being proposed. In 1804, Richard Trevithick demonstrated the first locomotive-hauled railway in the world: the 4 ft (1,219 mm) gauge Penydarren Tramway in south Wales. Although this first use of locomotives was a limited and short-lived experiment, in 1812, the 4 ft 1 in (1,245 mm) gauge Middleton Railway in Leeds became the first in the world to make commercial use of steam locomotives.[2]
Steam technology developed rapidly in the early 19th century, allowing smaller locomotives to haul more goods. The horse-drawn Ffestiniog Railway opened in 1836 to connect the slate quarries at Blaenau Ffestiniog with the coastal port of Porthmadog. The traffic on the line quickly grew to the point where the horses could no longer haul the empty slate wagons back to the quarries quickly enough to meet demand. In 1863, steam locomotives were introduced on the 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) gauge railway, with passenger services following in 1865. This was the first steam operated railway providing both freight and passenger services on such a small gauge and it proved the model for the introduction of narrow-gauge railways across the world.[3]
In 1846, the British Parliament passed the Gauges Act that established 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) as the standard gauge for Britain.[4] After the Gauges Act, most of the railway track laid in Great Britain was to standard gauge. However many minor railways, both public and industrial, were built to narrower gauges. These lines either followed local traditions or were built in locations where the smaller size of the railway proved more economical.
The boom years: 1865–1914
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The success of the Ffestiniog Railway triggered a boom in the construction of narrow-gauge railways, not just in Britain but around the world.[5] In the United Kingdom, the centre of narrow gauge construction was North Wales. The mountains of the north held large quantities of slate and their narrow valleys and steep hillsides meant that the smaller narrow-gauge railways were cost effective. The major slate mining regions at Bethesda, Llanberis, Blaenau Ffestiniog and Corris all developed multiple railways to serve the quarries. Some of these lines, like the Ffestiniog Railway, the Corris Railway and the Talyllyn Railway were common carriers, while others like the Penrhyn Quarry Railway and the Padarn Railway were industrial lines.
Outside Wales, other industries started to use narrow-gauge railways to move freight, notably ironstone, limestone, china clay, brick clay and metals. Many common carrier lines were built: most of the railways on the Isle of Man were narrow gauge – mostly 3 ft (914 mm) gauge. A number of railways were built to connect standard gauge railways with smaller towns, including the Southwold Railway, the Wolverton and Stony Stratford Tramway and the famous Lynton and Barnstaple Railway in Devon. These lines allowed communities that did not merit a full railway service to connect to the mainline network at low cost.
The 1880s were the high point of British narrow-gauge railways as traffic on many of these lines reached its peak volume and new lines were built across the country.[citation needed]
In 1896, the Light Railways Act was passed which allowed the construction of railways to less stringent standards than had previously been allowed. This led to a short resurgence in the building of narrow-gauge railways, especially in rural locations. In Wales, the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway was built to serve farming communities and the Vale of Rheidol Light Railway was a tourist line that also served lead mines; in England the Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway served similar purposes in the Staffordshire Moorlands.
The 1904 Railway Clearing House Railway Atlas showed the major narrow gauge railways:
| Railway | Gauge |
|---|---|
| East Cornwall Mineral Railway | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) (later converted to4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge) |
| Southwold Railway | 3 ft (914 mm) |
| Pentewan Railway | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) |
| Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway | |
| Corris Railway | 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) |
| Talyllyn Railway | |
| Croesor Tramway | 2 ft (610 mm) |
| Ffestiniog Railway | 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) |
| Lynton and Barnstaple Railway | |
| Vale of Rheidol Railway | |
| Welsh Highland Railway |
Decline of the narrow gauge: 1914–1950
After the First World War, rail traffic declined with the widespread adoption of motor vehicles and public narrow gauge lines in Britain began to struggle financially.[6] Most of these railways were built to serve marginal traffic that would not support a larger line. As road competition increased, many existing lines fell into decline and fewer new railways were built.
The 1920s saw a brief resurgence of the narrow gauge as surplus equipment from the War Department Light Railways (WDLR) became available. Several industrial railways were built using second-hand WDLR equipment, notably the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway. Other lines such as the Glyn Valley Tramway and the Snailbeach District Railways were able to replace ageing locomotives relatively cheaply and continue to operate on shoestring budgets. Even the famed Ffestiniog Railway acquired a Baldwin locomotive to shore up the fleet working the Welsh Highland Railway which it now owned.
The last narrow-gauge commercial carrier in Britain was the Ashover Light Railway,[citation needed][dubious – discuss] opened in 1925 using surplus war equipment. This was the epitome of cheaply constructed light railways and was one of several minor railways owned by Colonel Stephens.
Meanwhile, the use of narrow-gauge railways in industry continued to flourish. Many small railways were built to serve sand and gravel pits, cement works and the peat and timber extraction industries, often using ex-WDLR equipment.
The continued development of road transport and the economic crises of the 1930s saw a slow decline in the use of narrow-gauge railways across the country. The Second World War pushed many struggling enterprises into bankruptcy as labour and materials were diverted to the war effort. During and immediately after the war, the majority of the remaining lines closed: between 1946 and 1950 the Ffestiniog, Corris, Ashover Light, Rye and Camber and Eaton Hall railways all closed. Many industrial lines did not survive the war years.
The narrow gauge after 1950
The use of narrow-gauge railways in Britain declined throughout the first half of the 20th century. This decline accelerated after the Second World War as improved road transport displaced railways in industry and for passenger service.[7]
In 1951 however, a group of railway enthusiasts, alarmed at the loss of this part of British industrial heritage, stepped in to save the failing Talyllyn Railway. This became the first railway to be run entirely by volunteers and sparked a movement to preserve many railways, both narrow and standard gauge as tourist attractions. Since then many lines have been preserved as working museums, and new narrow-gauge railways are being constructed for the tourist industry.
In the 21st century a very few industrial and common carrier lines survive. Notable among the latter are the Glasgow Subway, an underground metro line that operates on a 4 ft (1,219 mm) gauge, and the Manx Electric Railway on the Isle of Man.
Significant lines
Amongst the most well-known narrow-gauge lines in Britain are the Ffestiniog, the oldest independent railway company in the world, the Talyllyn, the world's first preserved railway of any gauge, and the Welshpool & Llanfair in Wales; and the Lynton & Barnstaple in England. Unique among British railways is the rack-and-pinion Snowdon Mountain Railway which climbs to just below the summit of Wales' highest peak.
Several significant lines operate on the Isle of Man. The 3 ft (914 mm) gauge Isle of Man Steam Railway operates as a tourist attraction. The 3 ft (914 mm) Manx Electric Railway has the two oldest operating electric trams in the world.[8] The 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge Snaefell Mountain Railway climbs the island's main peak and is the sole operating Fell system railway in the world.
The narrow-gauge railways of Britain and the Isle of Man
Public railways
These are narrow-gauge railways that ran public passenger trains for a significant portion of their existence. In 1951 the Talyllyn Railway was the first railway in the world to be taken over and preserved by volunteers. This was the start of the heritage railway movement, which has flourished in Britain and around the world in the years since. As a result, many of these lines passed from being common carriers and were preserved as heritage railways after their demise. Where this has happened their heritage existence is included as a second row.
| Name | Years of operation | Gauge | Length | Location | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Light Railway[9] | 1978–2012 | 2 ft (610 mm) | 0.75 mi (1.21 km) | Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds, England | 
|
From opposite the shopping zone into the Abbey grounds. Industrial diesels, used to run most Sundays in summer. Dismantled in 2013 after death of owner. |
| Alford and Sutton Tramway[10][11] | 1884–1889 | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 7 miles (11.3 km) | Alford, England | 
|
Steam-hauled street tramway. |
| Alford Valley Railway[9] | 1979–present | 2 ft (610 mm) | 0.84 miles (1.4 km) | Alford, Scotland | 
|
Built on the old standard gauge branch from Upper Donside to Kintore Junction |
| Almond Valley Light Railway[12] | 1993–present | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 0.25 miles (0.4 km) | Livingston, Scotland | 
|
Short line at a heritage museum featuring diesel locomotives from armaments factories |
| Ashover Light Railway[13][14] | 1925–1950 | 2 ft (610 mm) | 7.5 miles (12.1 km) | Clay Cross, England | 
|
Mineral and passenger line owned by the Clay Cross Company built using ex-WDLR equipment |
| Bala Lake Railway[9] | 1972–present | 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) | 4.5 miles (7.2 km) | Llanuwchllyn, Wales | 
|
Steam-hauled tourist railway built on the trackbed of the standard gauge Ruabon–Barmouth line. |
| Birmingham Corporation Tramways | 1872-1953 | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) | 80.5 miles (129.6 km) | Birmingham | 
|
A large network of tramways running through Birmingham and the Black Country. Originally steam- and horse- hauled, converted to electricity from 1901 |
| Brecon Mountain Railway[9] | 1980–present | 2 ft (610 mm) | 5 miles (8 km) | Merthyr Tydfil, Wales | 
|
Steam-hauled tourist railway built on the trackbed of the standard gauge Brecon & Merthyr Railway. |
| Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway[9] | 1975–present | 2 ft (610 mm) | 0.5 miles (0.8 km) | Hollingbourne, England | 
|
A one-half-mile (0.8 km) long private steam railway that holds regular open days |
| Camborne and Redruth Tramways[15] | 1902–1934 | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) | 3.5 miles (5.6 km) | Redruth, England | 
|
Cornwall's only electric tramway. As well as a passenger service, mineral traffic was carried behind electric locomotives. |
| Campbeltown and Machrihanish Light Railway[16][17] | 1877–1932[14] | 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) | 6 miles (9.7 km) | Mull of Kintyre, Scotland | 
|
Remote line serving coal mines and passengers on the Kintyre peninsula. |
| Corris Railway | 1859–1948 | 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) | 12.25 miles (19.7 km)[14] | Machynlleth, Wales | 
|
Built to carry slate from the Corris district. Closed after flooding of the Afon Dyfi. |
| 1967–present | 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) | 1 mile (1.6 km) | Corris, Wales | 
|
Heritage railway revival of the Corris Railway. Reopened in 2002. | |
| Devon Railway Centre | 1997–present | 2 ft (610 mm) | Unknown | Tiverton, England | .jpg)
|
A tourist railway and locomotive collection. |
| Fairbourne Railway | 1895–1916 | 2 ft (610 mm) | 2 miles (3.2 km) | Fairbourne, Wales | 
|
A horse-drawn tramway carrying building materials for Fairbourne village. |
| 1916-1986 | 15 in (381 mm) | 2 miles (3.2 km) | Fairbourne, Wales | 
|
A minimum gauge railway replacing the horse-drawn tramway, for carrying tourists. | |
| 1986–present | 12+1⁄4 in (311 mm) | 2 miles (3.2 km) | Fairbourne, Wales | 
|
Passenger carrying miniature railway running from Fairbourne village to Penrhyn Point. From 2012 onwards, some 15 in (381 mm) track has been reinstated. | |
| Festiniog and Blaenau Railway[18] | 1868–1883 | 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) | 3.5 miles (5.6 km) | Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales | 
|
Independent line feeding the Ffestiniog Railway to which it was connected. Converted to a standard gauge branch of the Great Western Railway in 1883. |
| Ffestiniog Railway[18] | 1836[14] -1946 | 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) | 13.5 miles (21.7 km) | Porthmadog, Wales | 
|
Built to carry slate from the Blaenau Ffestiniog district to the coast. |
| 1954–present | 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) | 13.625 miles (21.9 km) | Porthmadog, Wales | 
|
Heritage revival of the original company. Longer route due to the spiral. | |
| Foxdale Railway | 1886–1905 | 3 ft (914 mm) | 2.5 miles (4.0 km) | Foxdale, Isle of Man | 
|
Carried lead and silver ore from mines at Foxdale to St John's for onward transport to Ramsey via the Manx Northern Railway who operated the line. |
| Gartell Light Railway | 1990–Present | 2 ft (610 mm) | 0.75 miles (1.2 km) | Yenston, Somerset, England | .jpg)
|
Built partly along the track of the old Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. |
| Glasgow Subway | 1896–present | 4 ft (1,219 mm) | 6.5 miles (10.5 km) | Glasgow, Scotland | 
|
Underground cable-hauled metro line, converted to third rail operation in 1935[19] and modernised 1977–1980. Still in operation as a common carrier. |
| Glyn Valley Tramway[20] | 1873–1935 | 2 ft 4+1⁄2 in (724 mm) | 8.75 miles (14.1 km)[14] | Chirk, Wales | 
|
Carried granite and passengers along the Ceriog Valley, much of the length as a roadside tramway. |
| 2007–present | 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) | 0.1 miles (0.2 km) | Chirk, Wales | Glyn Valley Tramway Trust based at Chirk Station. Has planning permission for a 1 mile running line.[21] | ||
| 1989–present | 2 ft 4+1⁄2 in (724 mm) | 0.1 miles (0.2 km) | Chirk, Wales | New Glyn Valley Tramway & Industrial Heritage Trust based at Glyn Ceriiog station | ||
| Great Laxey Mine Railway | 2004–present | 19 in (483 mm) | 0.25 miles (0.4 km) | Laxey, Isle of Man | 
|
Replica locomotives running passenger trains on the original trackbed of the Laxey mines railway. |
| Great Orme Tramway | 1902–present | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) | 1.25 miles (2 km) | Llandudno, Wales | 
|
Cable-hauled tourist railway carrying passengers to the top of the Great Orme headland. |
| Groudle Glen Railway | 1896–1962 | 2 ft (610 mm) | 0.75 miles (1.2 km) | Isle of Man | .jpg){kind=small}
|
Tourist railway along the clifftops at Groudle Glen |
| 1986–present | 2 ft (610 mm) | Unknown | Isle of Man | 
|
Tourist railway along the clifftops at Groudle Glen
Restored by the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association | |
| Hampton & Kempton Waterworks Railway | 1916-1945, 2013–present | 2 ft (610 mm) | 0.18 miles (0.3 km) | Hampton, London | .jpg)
|
A short line near the site of the original industrial railway serving Hampton Waterworks. |
| Hayling Seaside Railway | 2003–present | 2 ft (610 mm) | 1.1 miles (1.8 km) | Hayling Island | 
|
Runs along Hayling Island sea front |
| Herne Bay Pier Railway | 1896–1939 | 3 ft 4+1⁄2 in (1,029 mm)[22] | 0.75 miles (1.2 km) | Herne Bay, England | 
|
Pier construction railway that was retained for passenger use. |
| Hythe Pier Railway[23][24] | 1879–present | 2 ft (610 mm) | 0.33 miles (0.53 km) | Hythe, England | 
|
Originally hand operated. Relaid and converted to third rail electric operation in 1922. Forms part of an integrated rail and ferry transport link from Hythe to Southampton. |
| Isle of Man Steam Railway | 1873–present | 3 ft (914 mm) | 46 miles (74 km) | Douglas, Isle of Man | 
|
An extensive network of lines covering the island. Now reduced to one main line that is principally a steam-hauled tourist railway. |
| Jersey Railway[20] | 1870–1936 | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) | 8.5 miles (13.7 km) | Saint Helier, Jersey | Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=Narrow-gauge_railways_in_the_United_Kingdom