The Beer Heights Light Railway operates 11NaN1 of minimum gauge track at Beer, Devon, England.[1] It is part of Pecorama, an exhibition owned by Peco.[2]
The official opening was by Rev. W.V. Awdry on 14 July 1975,[3] at which time it offered a return ride from "Much Natter" station via a balloon loop. Subsequently, it was almost doubled in length by construction of the "Devil's Gorge" extension which involved a very considerable cutting and tunnel, and the complex track layout also includes a more recent steeply-graded branch line to "Wildway Down". The station at Deepwater was revamped in late 2014 and reopened in July 2015 as 'Deepwater Halt'. [4]
The line is notable for its high standard of presentation to the public and for the fine views obtainable from it.[5] It is home to eight live steam locomotives designed on narrow gauge principles.
The railway currently has eight steam locomotives, two diesel and one electric.[6] A locomotive called 'Finn MacCool' also visits every summer (usually July – September) from the Belfast and County Down Miniature Railway Society, Northern Ireland, to help out in the peak season.[7] Other locomotives also visit during the 'Loco Week' and 'Bank Holiday Weekend Gala' in August. A list of locomotives currently in use is below:[8]
| Number | Name | Wheel Arrangement | Notes | Power source | Arrived | Image | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Dickie | Built by David Curwen, Wiltshire | Steam | 1976 | ||||
| 4 | Thomas II | Thomas II (Original), Built by Roger Marsh | Steam | 1979 | ||||
| 5 | Linda | Mainline Hunslet, rebuilt by TMA Engineering, Birmingham. Replica of Ffestiniog Loco. | Steam | 1983 | ||||
| 6 | Jimmy | Bo-Bo | Built Severn Lamb, Stratford-On-Avon | diesel hydraulic | 1986 | |||
| 7 | Mr.P | Built in Beer Works | Steam | 1997 | ||||
| 8 | Gem | Romulus (heavily modified – Engerth tender arrangement) | Steam | 1999 | ||||
| O&EBR 1 | Otter | Built at Western Steam, Privately Owned | Steam | 2004 | ||||
| 9 | Claudine | Single Fairlie, Built at Beer Works | Steam | 2005 | ||||
| 10 | Alfred | Bo-Bo | Tram style, Built at Beer Works | Battery Electric | 2003 | |||
| 11 | Ben | Bo-Bo | Freelance, Built at Beer Works | LPG / Petrol Mechanical | 2015 | |||
| 12 | Jools | Heavily rebuilt from Samastipur. | Steam | Arrived 1999, rebuild completed | 2018 |