British industrial narrow-gauge railways explained

British industrial narrow-gauge railways are narrow-gauge railways in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man that were primarily built to serve one or more industries. Some offered passenger services for employees or workmen, but they did not run public passenger trains. They are categorized by the primary industry they served.

Quarrying and mining

See main article: British quarrying and mining narrow-gauge railways.

Heavy industry

Engineering works

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Godwin and Sons Engineering (Manchester) Ltd.^[1]		by 1979		Shaw and Crompton, England	Locomotive-worked line.
Painter Bros. Ltd.		after 1979		Hereford, England	Locomotive-worked line.
William Ainscough and Sons Mossy Lea Road		by 1979		Wrightington, England	Locomotive-worked line at this crane hire and general engineering company^[2]

Power generation

Power stations were some of the last regular users of industrial steam locomotives in the United Kingdom, although most of these were standard gauge. However, several power generation facilities used narrow-gauge railways.

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Central Electricity Generating Board Fawley Tunnel^[3]		by 1979		Fawley, England	Two mile long tunnel under Southampton Water worked by a single battery-electric locomotive.
Central Electricity Generating Board Woodhead Tunnel	1960s	2016		Woodhead, England	Ex-British Railways tunnel under the Pennines used to carry high-voltage electricity supply cables. Narrow-gauge railway used for cable maintenance. Moved to the new Woodhead tunnel, completed in 2016. The narrow gauge railway through the old tunnel is now disused
Stourport Power Station	?	1989		Stourport, England	Internal line.
J.S. Fry and Sons railway^[4]	?	after 1967		Somerdale, England	Short railway running parallel to a standard gauge line. The narrow-gauge locomotives hauled standard gauge coal wagons to the power station.

Steel works

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
British Steel Corporation Aldwarke Works railway		after 1979		Rotherham, England	Internal steel works railway, with an entirely new line built in 1971
British Steel Corporation Micklam works		after 1987		Lowca, England	Underground railway serving the refractories.
British Steel Corporation Shotton Steel Works railway^[5]		before 2013		Connah's Quay, Wales	Internal steel works railway, with an entirely new line built in 1971
British Steel Corporation Stanton and Staveley Works		after 1979		Ilkeston, England	Foundry railway worked by battery-electric locomotives
Clay Cross Ltd. Spun Pipe works		after 1979		Clay Cross, England	Internal locomotive-worked line
Ebbw Vale Steel Iron and Coal Company railway^[6]				Ebbw Vale, Wales	Internal steel works railway using Ramsbottom locomotives similar to those at the Crewe Works Railway
Flather Bright Steels Ltd. Tinsley works		after 1979		Sheffield, England	Internal locomotive-worked line
Goldendale Iron Works^[7]		after 1957		Chatterley, England	Horse-hauled works tramway used to move pig iron.
Guest Keen Baldwins Iron and Steel Company Ltd. Briton Ferry Steelworks^[8]		after 1956		Glamorgan, Wales	Steelworks line worked by steam locomotives
Gurnos Tin Plate Works railway	before 1920			Lower Cwmtwrch, Wales	Internal steel works railway
Sanders and Forster		after 1979		Stratford, London, England	Diesel locomotive worked line

Zinc smelting

See also: zinc smelting.

Construction industry

Contractor depots

Many construction contractors maintained depots that included narrow-gauge equipment in store and under repair. While some of these were temporary locations and often unrecorded, others were long term yards with extensive stock and facilities.

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Arnold & Nathan Ltd. East Peckham depot		after 1979	and	Paddock Wood, England	Battery electric locomotives for tunnelling
Associated Tunnelling Co. Ltd. Lowton St. Marys Depot		after 1979		Warrington, England	Battery electric locomotives for tunnelling
Baillie Contracting Co. Ltd. Coventry Depots		after 1979		Coventry, England
C. Bryant & Sons Ltd. Doris Road Depot		after 1979		Birmingham, England
Cementation Mining Ltd. Bentley Works		after 1979	and	Doncaster, England
Clugston Construction Scunthorpe depot		after 1979		Scunthorpe, England
Clydeside Constructional Co. Ltd. Bridge of Weir depot		after 1979		Strathclyde, Scotland
J.F. Donelan & Co. Ltd. Manchester depot		after 1979		Manchester, England
Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd. Swynerton depot		after 1979	and	Swynnerton, England	Extensive stock depot, on occasions including over 100 battery electric locomotives
J.J. Gallagher & Co. Ltd. Armour Close depot		after 1979		Birmingham, England
J.C. Gillespie Civil Engineering. Ltd. Green Lane depot	after 1979	after 1987		Timperley, England	Two battery electric locomotives at depot (1987)
M.J Gleesons (Contractors) Ltd. Mitcham depot		after 1979		London, England
Sam Henry & Partners		after 1979		unknown location
J.H. Tractors Ltd. Tickhill Plant Hire		after 1979	and	Doncaster, England
Johnston Construction		after 1979		Surrey, England
Kier Ltd. Setchey depot		after 1979		Kings Lynn, England
T & A.M. Kilroe Ltd. Lomax Street depot		after 1979		Radcliffe, England
Lilley/Waddington Ltd. Harvey Road depot		after 1979	and	Basildon, England
Lilley/Waddington Ltd. Horwich depot		after 1979	and	Manchester, England
Lilley/Waddington Ltd. Haunchwood Colliery depot		after 1979	and	Nuneaton, England
Lilley/Waddington Ltd. Charles Street depot		after 1979	and	Glasgow, Scotland
Macclesfield Corporation Engineers Department Store		after 1987		Macclesfield, England	4wPM locomotive in store
Martin & Co. (Contractors) Ltd. Bristol Road South depot		after 1979		Birmingham, England
Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons Ltd. Kettering depot		after 1979		Kettering, England
Miller Engineering & Construction Ltd. Sandiacre depot		after 1987	and	Sandiacre, England	Locomotives at construction depot
Raynesway Plant Ltd.^[10]		after 1989		Derby, England	Three out of use locomotives on site in 1989
Tarmac Construction Ltd. Peterborough depot^[11]		after 1987		Peterborough, England	Collection of 4wBE locomotives used for construction
M & H Tunnel & Civil Engineering Co. Ltd. Green Lane depot		after 1979	and	Thurcroft, England
Welham Plant Ltd. Barford Road depot		after 1987	and	St. Neots, England	Battery electric locomotives at depot.

Tunnelling

Many narrow-gauge lines were employed for short-term tunnelling contracts. Most of these are unrecorded, so this list represents only a few of the many such lines.

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Bedminster Water Outfall contract	1974	1975		Bedminster, England	Water tunnel construction scheme in Bristol, using eleven diesel locomotives
Cockermouth Sewer Contract	?	1988	?	Cockermouth, England	Temporary line to serve the renewal of the main sewer tunnel. Used battery electric locomotives.
Eurotunnel contract^[12]	1988	1992		Dover, England	Extensive rack and adhesion railway used in the construction of the Channel Tunnel.
Lochaber Narrow Gauge Railway	1925	1977		Fort William, Scotland	25miles long railway used in the construction of the 15miles long tunnel of the Lochaber hydroelectric scheme.
Nuttall Dover Sewer contract	1996	1998		Dover, England	Construction railway for a one-mile long interception sewer tunnel.
Nuttall Portsmouth Sewer contract	1998	2001		Dover, England	Construction railway for an 8 km long sewer tunnel.
Nuttall Southampton Rail Tunnel contract	1985	1987		Southampton, England	Diesel locomotive worked temporary railway used to reline the standard gauge railway tunnel out of Southampton Central station
Selby Road sewer tunnel contract	1971	1972		Leyton, England	Contractor's railway for building a new sewer tunnel in north east London. Used battery electric locomotives.
Weymouth and Portland Long Sea Outfall		1983		Wyke Regis, England	3 km long sewage outfall tunnel built using battery electric locomotives

City construction

During the garden city construction boom, several new towns and cities were built using narrow-gauge railways

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Ashington Village Tramway^[13]	1880	1930s		Ashington, England	Tramway built to serve the mining village of Ashington. It provided coal and sewage service to houses and connected the local gas and electricity works.
Carr Estate	1945?	1947?	probably	Acomb, England	Was used to construct parts of Carr Estate to the West of York. Track seen piled up at end of Woodlea Avenue 1946–7, track seen in Danebury Drive. Hand worked?
Port Sunlight village railway^[14]	1905	1914		Port Sunlight, England	Locomotive worked construction railway for the expansion of Port Sunlight "garden village"
Welwyn Garden City Light Railway^[15]	After WWI	1936		Welwyn Garden City, England	Locomotive worked construction railway used during the building of Welwyn Garden City. It connected the mainline with the Nabisco Shredded Wheat factory and brickworks around the site, as well as the Model Dairy.

Land reclamation and river maintenance

Temporary and semi-permanent narrow-gauge railways were often used during land reclamation schemes

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Anglian Water Authority Lincolnshire River Division		after 1979		Southrey, England	Locomotive depot for river bank maintenance around Lincolnshire
Anglian Water Authority Norfolk & Suffolk River Division		after 1979		Southrey, England	Locomotives used for flood protection and river bank maintenance.
Middle Level Commissioners Ashbeach Road Plant Depot		after 1979		March, England	Locomotive depot for river bank maintenance and land reclamation schemes in and around Cambridgeshire
North West Water Authority Mersey and Weaver River Unit		after 1979		Great Sankey, England	Locomotive used for river bank maintenance
North West Water Authority Longdendale Headworks		after 1987		Tintwistle, England
Robert Stannard's Railway^[16]	1816	after 1821		Chat Moss, England	Portable hand-worked tramway used for the reclamation of Chat Moss.
The Embankment Tramway^[17]	1808	about 1830		Porthmadog, Wales	Horse-drawn tramway used to construct the "Cob" for the Traeth Mawr land reclamation scheme. Later replaced by the Ffestiniog Railway.
The North Sea Camp Railway^[18]	1935	after 1979		Frieston, England	Locomotive worked land reclamation scheme in the Lincolnshire Wash
Severn Trent Water Authority Orston Road East Depot		after 1979		West Bridgford, England	Locomotives used in river bank maintenance
Yorkshire Water Authority River Ouse scheme		1973		Saltmarshe, England	Temporary riverbank line used for repairs to the River Ouse
Yorkshire Water Authority Ricall Plant Depot		after 1979		York, England	Locomotives used for river bank maintenance

Reservoir construction

Many reservoirs constructed before the Second World War employed narrow-gauge railways to move equipment and materials.

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Blake Dean Railway^[19]	1901	1912		Hardcastle Crags England
Baldersdale Reservoir railway^[20]	1889	1896		Middleton in Teesdale England
Bulkeley Hill Narrow Gauge Railway^[21]	1937	?		Bulkeley England	350yds-long cable-hauled incline used in the construction of the Bulkeley Hill reservoir.
Burnhope Reservoir railway	1930	1937		Wearhead England	Extensive narrow-gauge system serving the construction of the Burnhope Reservoir
Catcleugh Reservoir railway	1902	1905		Woodburn, England	Connection from the Woodburn station of the North British Railway to Catcleugh dam
Cowlyd Tramway^[22]	1916	1968		Dolgarrog Wales	Steam locomotive worked line
Crookfoot Reservoir railway	1900	1904		Hartlepool England	Steam locomotive worked line
Eigiau Tramway	1907	1971		Dolgarrog Wales	Steam locomotive worked line
Fontburn Reservoir railway	1902	1908		Kirkwhelpington England	Steam locomotive and horse worked line connecting to sidings on the North British Railway
Geltsdale Reservoir railway	1904	1909		Carlisle England	Steam locomotive worked line
Leighton and Roundhill Reservoir railway^[23]	1905(?)	1930 (?)	2 ft (610mm)	Masham England	Railway that left the Masham Branch just north of Masham station. Construction of Roundhill and Leighton Reservoirs
West Baldwin Reservoir railway^[24]	1901	1905		Douglas Isle of Man	Steam locomotive worked line north of Douglas
Bamford to Howden Railway^[25]		1915		Derwent Valley	Construction of Derwent and Howden Reservoirs
Fewston Reservoir Railway^[26]	1874	1879		Washburn Valley, England	Construction of Fewston Reservoir
Swinsty Reservoir Railway	1873	1877		Washburn Valley, England	Construction of Swinsty Reservoir
Vyrnwy Waterworks Railway^[27]	1881	1890		Vyrnwy, Wales	Steam locomotive worked line used in the construction of the Llyn Vyrnwy reservoir and waterworks.

Road construction

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Caterham Bypass^[28]	1939	1939		Caterham, England	Diesel locomotive worked temporary lines used during the construction of the A22 bypass east of the town
Cranmore Depot		after 1950	various	Cranmore, England	Equipment depot of Roads Reconstruction (1934) Ltd. where many narrow-gauge locomotives used on road construction contracts were stored
Dorking Bypass	1926	1926		Dorking, England	Diesel locomotive worked line carrying chalk excavated to create new route for the A29
Guildford Bypass	1931	1931		Guildford, England	Steam locomotive worked line used in the construction of the A3
Kingston Bypass	1924	1925	?	London, England	Steam locomotive worked line using at least one American Davenport locomotive in the construction of the A3 bypass of Kingston upon Thames

Other construction

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Bournemouth Pier	1980	1980		Bournemouth, England	Locomotive-worked line used in reconstruction of the pier
Southern Railway Wimbledon-Sutton Railway	1928	1930		Sutton, England	Steam locomotive worked line used in the construction of the Sutton-Wimbledon line.
Surrey and Hants Canal Society The Deepcut Railway	1977	1979		Deepcut, Surrey, England	Diesel locomotive worked line used in the restoration of the Basingstoke Canal

General

Water treatment and sewage works

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Anglian Water Authority Marsh Farm Sewage Works		by 1979		Tilbury, England	Locomotive worked railway
Anglian Water Authority Nevendon Treatment Works		by 1979		Basildon, England	Locomotive worked railway
Brede Waterworks railway^[29]	1899	1935		Brede, England	Steam locomotive worked railway that hauled coal from barges unloaded from the River Brede to the Brede Valley water works.
Chichester Sewage Works railway	1930s (?)	1976		Apuldram, England	Short line around the sewage works
Colne Valley Waterworks railway^[30]	1931	1967		Watford, England	Light railway connecting the LNWR Watford to Rickmansworth branch line with the Eastbury Pumping Station
Deephams Sewage Works railway	1920s	1968		Edmonton, England	Small-scale railway at sewage treatment works
Dukinfield Sewage Works railway	?	late 1980s		Manchester, England	Small-scale railway at sewage works
Knostrop Sewage Works railway	?	after 1975		Leeds, England	Experimental facility that used locomotives from the First World War into the 1970s
Metropolitan Water Board Railway^[31]	1915	1947		Hampton, England	Transported coal from a wharf on the River Thames to the Kempton pumping station.
North Bierley Sewage Works railway^[32]				Bradford, England	Railway serving the sewage works
North Surrey Joint Sewage Board railways^[33]	1939	after 1965		Berrylands, England	Railways serving the Malden, Berrylands and Hogsmill sewage works (Hogsmill and Malden works railways connected c1961).
North Surrey Water		present		Walton-on-Thames, England	Diesel locomotive worked 400 yard long line in occasional use
North West Water Authority Ashton works		after 1979		Dukinfield, England	Locomotive-hauled railway
North West Water Authority Llanforda Hall	?	1989		Oswestry, England	Locomotive-worked railway serving the filtration beds and sand washing plant.
North West Water Authority Lower Rivington Reservoir		after 1979		Horwich, England	Locomotive-hauled railway
North West Water Authority Spade Mill No. 2 Reservoir		after 1979		Longridge, England	Locomotive-hauled railway
Plantation Farm Sewage Works railway	?	after 1975		Dukinfield, England	Railway serving the filter beds
Richmond Main Sewerage Board railway^[34]	1887	about 1950		Mortlake, England	Short railway connecting a dock on the River Thames with the sewerage works at Mortlake. Used what was probably the first internal combustion narrow-gauge locomotive made in 1902 by engine maker Blake Motors Ltd of Kew
Severn Trent Water Authority Blithe Valley Works		after 1979		Uttoxeter, England	Locomotive-hauled railway
Severn Trent Water Authority Burslem Works		after 1979		Burslem, England	Locomotive-hauled railway
Severn Trent Water Authority Newstead Works		after 1979		Trentham, England	Locomotive-hauled railway
Severn Trent Water Authority Stoke Bardolph Sewage Works		after 1989		Nottingham, England	Locomotive-hauled railway
Severn Trent Water Authority Strongford Works		after 1979		Barlaston, England	Locomotive-hauled railway
Severn Trent Water Authority Tunstall Works		after 1979		Stoke on Trent, England	Locomotive-hauled railway
Wandle Valley Sewerage Board railway	?	1963		Merton, England	Internal sewerage railway
Water Orton Sewage Plant railway	before 1968	1990		Minworth, England	Internal sewerage railway of the Upper Tame Main Drainage Authority
Wood Lane Tip railway	before 1961			Kensington, England	Railway serving the refuse tips operated by Kensington Council
Yorkshire Water Authority Naburn Purification Works		after 1979		Naburn, England	Locomotive-worked works railway
Yorkshire Water Authority Old Whittington Sewage Works		after 1979		Chesterfield, England	Locomotive-worked sewage works railway

Gas works

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Berkhamsted Gasworks Railway	?	1955		Berkhamsted, England	Short horse-worked line connecting the gasworks with a goods yard
Bournemouth Gas & Water Company Railway	1864	1930s	and	Bournemouth, England	gauge elevated railway for coal transport until 1918. gauge locomotive worked line for gasholder construction in the early 1930s.
Dundee Gasworks Railway	?	?		Dundee, Scotland	Internal steam-hauled gas works railway.
Granton Gasworks Railway^[35]	?	1965		Edinburgh, Scotland	Internal steam-hauled gas works railway.
Hilsea Gasworks Railway				Portsmouth, England	Steam-locomotive hauled gasworks railway.
Harrogate Gasworks Railway	1908	1956		Harrogate, England	Steam-hauled railway running from the North Eastern Railway to Harrogate gasworks.^[36]
London Gas Light Co. Nine Elms Works	1863 (?)	1927	and	London, England	Internal steam-hauled railway hauling coal to the gasworks, replaced by conveyor belts
South Metropolitan Gas Company East Greenwich Works	before 1910	1933		London, England	Internal steam-hauled gas works railway.
South Metropolitan Gas Company Old Kent Road Works	1892	1953		London, England	Internal steam-hauled gas works railway on the Old Kent Road.
South Metropolitan Gas Company Vauxhall Works	1890s	after 1951		London, England	Internal steam-hauled gas works railway.
Southern Gas Board, Poole Gasworks	1944	1972		Poole, England	Internal gasworks line using Lister locomotives
Stroud Gas Light & Coke Co. Tramway	1924	1956	2 ft (610 mm)	Stroud, England	Petrol-driven^[37] locomotives ran from coal chute on the Stroud branch of the Midland Railway, over two branches of the River Frome, to 1833 gasworks alongside Stroudwater Navigation^[38] ^[39] ^[40]
Winnal Gasworks Railway				Winchester, England	Overhead electric-locomotive hauled gasworks railway.
York Gasworks Company^[41]	1915	1959		York, England	Electrified railway, operated by a locomotive built by Dick, Kerr & Co.

General freight

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Belvoir Castle Tramway^[42]	1815	1918		Belvoir Castle, England	A short horse-drawn line used to haul coal and other goods from a Grantham Canal wharf to the castle.
Guilford Tramway	1903	1930		Sandwich, England	Steam locomotive worked, freight-only line serving the St. George's Golf Club.
Portreath Tramroad^[43]	1809	1867		Portreath, England	Early freight and mineral horse-hauled hauling plateway. One director's carriage survives in the Royal Cornwall Museum
Redruth and Chasewater Railway^[44]	1826	1915		Redruth, England	Freight and mineral hauling line; horse-drawn until 1854; later steam worked.
St. Michael's Mount Tramway	1879	present		Marazion, England	Cable-hauled railway and incline delivering supplies and guest's luggage to St Michael's Mount.
Swanage Pier Tramway	1858	1930s		Swanage, England	Coal, stone and general freight line between Swanage town and Old Pier. Originally standard gauge but converted to narrow gauge between 1860 and 1880. Some track still exists in situ.
Talisker Distillery	?	1930s		Isle of Skye, Scotland	Hauled goods from a pier to the whisky distillery.

Forestry

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Ampthill Timber Railway^[45]	1917	1918		Ampthill, England	Controller of Timber Supply (CTS) forestry railway using one Kerr Stuart Haig class locomotive.
Aviemore Light Railway	1917	1922		Aviemore, Scotland	Extensive forestry railway built by the War Office Directorate of Timber Supply.
Cefn Vron Tramway	1924	1926		Newtown, Wales	Temporary timber hauling railway on the Welsh-English border.
Dornoch forestry railway	1917	1922		Dornoch, Scotland	Forestry railway built by the War Office Directorate of Timber Supply.
Downham Hall timber railway	1917	1922		Brandon, England	CTS timber railway using three Bagnall locomotives
Kerry Ridgeway Railway	1941	1943		Newtown, Wales	Temporary timber-hauling railway at Kerry, Powys.
Kerry Tramway	1887	1923		Newtown, Wales	Locomotive-worked line hauling timber from Kerry forest to Kerry Station on the Cambrian Railways
Pennal Timber Tramway^[46]	1918	1920		Pennal, Wales	Short-lived Timber Supply Department tramway carrying timber from Cwm Dwr to Pennal, reusing part of the Cwm Ebol slate tramway. Locomotive Baguley 774 worked there.
Wool timber railway	1918	1920		Wool, England	Forestry railway using a single Bagnall locomotive.
Wolsingham railway	1917	1922		Wolsingham, England	1½ mile long timber railway using three steam locomotives.

Railway works

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
Beyer Peacock Works Railway^[47]	?	?		Manchester, England	Extensive railway serving the locomotive construction works of Beyer Peacock.
British Railways Beeston Sleeper Depot railway	?	?		Beeston, Nottinghamshire, England	Sleeper depot line
British Railways Chesterton Junction Central Materials Depot railway	?	after 1979		Cambridge, England	Materials dept internal line
Melton Constable Railway Works	?	1936	?	Melton Constable, Norfolk	Small narrow-gauge rail network around the M&GN works
Crewe Works Railway	1863	1932		Crewe, England	Extensive railway serving the Crewe locomotive works of the London and North Western Railway
Horwich Works Railway		1965		Bolton, England	Railway serving the Horwich locomotive works of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.

Other industries

Name	Opened	Closed	Gauge	Location	Notes
ABCO Petroleum^[48]	before 1910	after 1965		Rye, England	2000NaN0-long internal railway serving the reprocessing plant.
Ashton Canal Carriers (Now Ashton Packet Boat Company)(incorrectly shown as Clayton Canal Carriers)	1978	Present		Guide Bridge, England	Short loco-worked line within a boatyard.
Ballard's Malt Vinegar Works^[49]	1894	after 1974		Malvern, England	Hand-worked line connecting the barley malting works to the piggery.
Bedford and Jesty Ltd. Sylva Springs Watercress railway^[50]	before 1967	present (but only part of the original line)		Bere Regis, England	Short line serving the watercress beds powered by a home made petrol locomotive
Bedford and Jesty Ltd. Spetisbury Watercress railway	before 1970	1980		Spetisbury, England	Short line serving the watercress beds, using motorised flatbed wagons
BICC Belvedere	1930s (?)	1968		Belvedere, England	Steam-hauled railway at British Insulated Callender's Cables Ltd's cable plant.
BICC Prescot Refineries Unit		after 1979		Prescot, England	Locomotive-worked line
Biwater Pipes and Castings	?	2000	, and ^[51]	Clay Cross, England	Very short line for hauling pipes within the works.
Bowaters Paper Railway	1906	1969		Sittingbourne, England	Served Bowater's paper mills. The last steam-worked industrial narrow-gauge line in Britain.
British Ropes		after 1965		Charlton, England	Diesel locomotive worked line at rope factory
Bude Canal Edge Railway	1823	1942	, after 1923	Bude, England	Horse-hauled line conveying sand from Summerleaze Beach to Bude Canal. In some years storms expose the old tracks on the beach.^[52]
Cadbury's factory railway^[53]	1920s	1950s		Worcester, England	Line connecting the canal to the chocolate factory taking timber for construction of packing cases.
Civil Aviation Authority Laxey Airport		after 1979		Laxey, Isle of Man	Two railcars
Daydawn Nurseries Ltd.	1965 (?)	1971		Bisley, England	Diesel locomotive worked line around garden nursery
Department of the Environment Harpur Hill Research Laboratory		after 1987		Buxton, England
Droitwich Canal Trust	?	after 1979		Salwarpe, England	Short loco-worked line
Faverdale Works railway		after 1975		Darlington, England	Railway at the Chemical and Insulating Co. Ltd, in Faverdale, Darlington
Gardner Machinery & Metals Dove Holes Station		out of use by 1987		Buxton, England	Scrap merchant yard with railway and 4wDM locomotive
ICI Nobels Ardeer Works		after 1989		Strathclyde, Scotland	At least nine locomotives on site in 1989
ICI Nobels Roburite Works		after 1979		Shevington, England	Locomotive worked line
ICI Winnington Works		after 1987		Winnington, England	Locomotive worked line at the crystal plant at Winnington
Lochaber Narrow Gauge Railway^[54]	1925	1977		Fort William, Scotland	Long line built for the construction and maintenance of pipelines from Lochaber to Fort William.
London Pneumatic Despatch Company railway^[55]	1863	1874	and	London, England	An underground Atmospheric railway. The gauge line connected Euston railway station and the North West District Post Office in Eversholt Street. The gauge line connected Euston to Holborn
London Post Office Railway ('Mail Rail')^[56]	1927	2003		London, England	Driverless electric mail-delivery service, serving nine sorting offices on a 6.5 mile route between Paddington and Whitechapel. Entirely underground; double track in single 9 ft tunnel.
Lynlite Concrete Ltd.	?	1979		Ramsey, England	Concrete suppliers.
Nocton Potato Estate	1920	1969		Lincoln, England	Extensive system to carry potatoes from the fields to the crisp processing plant.
Oakhill Brewery	1904	1921		Oakhill, England	Mile long steam operated railway connecting the brewery with the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway at Binegar
Pett Level Tramway	1934	1946		Winchelsea, England	Built to aid the construction and maintenance of sea defences on the Sussex coast.
Port Sunlight	1914 (?)	early 1950s		Port Sunlight, England	Locomotive-worked industrial light serving Lever Brothers soap factory.
Redland Pipes railway	before 1968	1972		Ripley, England	Continuous circuit around the pipe works.
Royal Ordnance Factory	c 1938	not known		Bishopton, Scotland	Approx 80 mile-long system serving munitions and ordnance explosives production site now owned by BAE Systems and operated by the Global Combat Systems-Munitions arm of its Land & Armaments business unit. Tracks still in situ in places
Royal Ordnance Factory	c 1939	not known		Puriton, England	Extensive system serving explosives production site latterly owned by BAE Systems and operated by its Munitions & Ordnance business unit. Tracks still in situ in places when site ceased production and closed in 2007.
Woodhead Tunnel railway^[57]	1960s	2016		Woodhead, England	Locomotive worked railway for transporting workers maintaining the high voltage electrical cables in the old Woodhead Tunnel

See also

• British military narrow-gauge railways
• British narrow-gauge railways
• British quarrying and mining narrow-gauge railways
• British narrow-gauge slate railways
• Decauville
• Industrial railway
• Minimum gauge railway
• Tramway (industrial)

Bibliography

• Web site: Narrow Gauge Railway Museum's list of railways. https://web.archive.org/web/20080114023653/http://www.ngrm.org.uk/narrow_gauge/index.php. 2008-01-14 .
• Web site: List of British narrow-gauge steam locomotives . https://web.archive.org/web/20081021060921/http://membrane.com/~elmer/rail/units/uk.html . 2008-10-21.
• Book: Crumbleholme, Roger . Kirtland, Terry . amp . steam '81. George Allen & Unwin. 1981. 0-04-385082-0.
• Book: Dean, Ian . Neale Andrew . Smith, David . Industrial Railways of the South-East. Middleton Press. 1983. 0-906520-09-6.
• Book: Lee, Charles E.. Narrow-Gauge Railways in North Wales. The Railway Publishing Co. Ltd.. 1945.
• Book: Macmillan, Nigel S.C.. The Campbeltown & Machrihanish Light Railway. David & Charles: Newton Abbot. 1970.
  • • Book: Stoyel, B.D. . Kidner R.W. . amp . The Cement Railways of Kent. The Oakwood Press. 1973. 0-85361-370-2.
    • Narrow Gauge News, the journal of the Narrow Gauge Railway Society

External links

• Narrow Gauge Railway Society
• Industrial Railway Society

Notes and References

1. Book: Industrial Locomotives 1979: including preserved and minor railway locomotives. Industrial Railway Society. 0-901096-38-5. 1979 . Industrial Railway Society..
2. Web site: Cranes and Access Magazine article on Ainscough Crane Hire . https://web.archive.org/web/20070928115538/http://www.vertikal.net/en/pdf/ca_2006_7_p56-58.pdf . 2007-09-28.
3. Book: Hampshire Narrow Gauge including the Isle of Wight . Mitchell, Vic . Smith, Keith . amp . Middleton Press . 2004 . 1-904474-36-5.
4. Book: Nicholson, Peter . Industrial Narrow Gauge Railways in Britain . Bradford, Barton . 0-85153-236-5 . 1975.
5. Web site: List of 2 ft 6 in gauge railways . https://web.archive.org/web/20030618153516/http://www.pearcedale.com/C%26B/SZ.html#uk . 2003-06-18 . dead .
6. Talbot 2005
7. Robertson 1988, page 38
8. 1974 Aidan Fuller Memorial Trophy Photographic Competition Entry . The Industrial Railway Record . Industrial Railway Society . 60 . 49 . 1975.
9. Book: The British Internal Combustion Locomotive 1894-1940 . Webb, Brian . David & Charles . 1973 . 0715361155.
10. Narrow Gauge News . March 1992 . Industrial News . 189.
11. Book: Industrial Locomotives, including preserved and minor railway locomotives. Industrial Railway Society . 1987 . 0-901096-55-5 . Bryant, R.S. .
12. Book: Mitchell, Vic . Smith, Keith . amp . Kent Narrow Gauge. Middleton Press. 2000. 1-901706-45-1 .
13. Robertson, 1988, page 37
14. Book: Lister, Mike. The Industrial Railways of Port Sunlight and Bromborough Port. The Oakwood Press. 1988. 0-85361-371-0 .
15. Web site: Gill, Robert. The Welwyn Garden City Light Railway.
16. Nicholls, Robert . Manchester's Narrow Gauge Railways: Chat Moss and Charrington Estates . The Narrow Gauge . The Narrow Gauge Railway Society . 1985 . 0142-5587.
17. Book: Boyd, James I.C. . Narrow Gauge Railways in South Caernarvonshire: Volume One . The Oakwood Press . 2nd. . 0-85361-365-6 . 1988.
18. Ashforth Philip, J. . The North Sea Camp Railway . The Industrial Railway Record . February 1974 . 178–182 . 52 . The Industrial Railway Society.
19. Book: Shannon, Issy . Rails to the Reservoirs. When the Klondyke Came to Calder Valley.
20. Book: Dam Builder's Railways from Durham's Dales to the Border . Bowtell, Harold D. . Plateway Press . 1-871980-19-4 . 1994.
21. https://maps.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/cwac/webmapping?&e=352873.14&n=355275.35&s=2500.00&bm=oscolour Cheshire West and Chester: Public Map Viewer.
22. Book: Boyd, James I.C. . Narrow Gauge Railways in North Caernarvonshire: Volume Three The Dinorwic Quarry and Railways, The Great Orme Tramways and Other Rail Systems . The Oakwood Press. 2001 . 0-85361-328-1.
23. Web site: Disused Stations: Masham Station. www.disused-stations.org.uk. 2015-10-12.
24. Web site: Isle of Man Water Authority page.
25. The Upper Derwent: long-term landscape archaeology in the Peak District . Bevan, Bill .
26. Book: Bowtell, Harold D. Lesser Railways of the Yorkshire Dales and the Dam Builders in the Age of Steam. Plateway Press. 1991. 1-871980-09-7.
27. Higgins, S.H.P.. Narrow Gauge at Vyrnwy Waterworks. The Industrial Railway Record . The Industrial Railway Society. 1974. 55 . 286–287.
28. Book: Mitchell, Vic . Smith, Keith . amp . Surrey Narrow Gauge including South London . Middleton Press . 2003 . 1-901706-87-7.
29. Book: Mitchell, Vic . Smith, Keith . amp . Sussex Narrow Gauge. Middleton Press. 2001 . 1-901706-68-0.
30. Neale, Andrew . Coal, Chemicals and Salt. The Colne Valley Waterworks Railway . Narrow Gauge & Industrial Railway Modelling Review. 2 . 10 . Ram Productions Ltd. . April 1992 .
31. Web site: Metropolitan Water Board Railway.
32. Web site: Amberley narrow gauge railway stock list . . https://web.archive.org/web/20061007064032/http://home.fastnet.co.uk/gerrycork/amberleyrail/index.html . 7 October 2006.
33. The Industrial Railway Record. Down, C.G. . The North Surrey Joint Sewage Board. 8. December 1965.
34. Book: The British Internal Combustion Locomotive 1894-1940 . Webb, Brian . David & Charles . 1973 . 0715361155.
35. Book: Trevor Rowe, D. Two Feet between the Tracks. Plateway Press. 1990. 1-871980-12-7.
36. MacKay. A N. Back to square one. Railway Magazine. August 1969. 115. 820. 435–438. Temple Press. London. 0033-8923.
37. Web site: Gasworks turntable . 2023-01-08 . flickr.com . 17 May 2010 . en-GB.
38. Web site: View map: Gloucestershire XLIX.3 (Kings Stanley; Rodborough; Stroud) - Ordnance Survey 25 inch England and Wales, 1841-1952 . 2023-01-08 . maps.nls.uk.
39. Web site: Lodgemore and Gasworks - Stroudwater History . 2023-01-08 . stroudwaterhistory.org.uk.
40. Web site: Dudbridge to Stroud Cycle Track and Gas Works . 2023-01-08 . Stroudie Central . en-GB.
41. • Book: Mitchell, Vic, and Keith Smith. Branch Line to the Derwent Valley, including the Foss Islands Branch . Middleton Press . Midhurst. 2003 . plate 24. 1-904474-06-3 .
42. Web site: Belvoir Castle Tramway. The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum. Tywyn. 2014-12-29.
43. Book: Dart, Maurice . Cornwall Narrow Gauge including the Camborne & Redruth tramway . 2005 . Middleton Press . 1-904474-56-X.
44. Book: Mineral Railways. Kidner, R.W.. The Oakwood Press. 1938.
45. Book: Cox, David . Krupa, Christopher . amp . The Kerry Tramway and other timber light railways. The Plateway Press. 1992. 1-871980-11-9.
46. Quine, Dan . Dan Quine . Industrial Railway Record . Baguley 774 and the Pennal Tramway . March 2017.
47. Web site: Narrow Gauge Railway Museum article on the Beyer Peacock Works Railway . https://web.archive.org/web/20070928071840/http://www.ngrm.org.uk/narrow_gauge/narrow_gauge.php?railway_id=126 . 2007-09-28.
48. Web site: List of 2 ft gauge railways worldwide . https://web.archive.org/web/20050206232332/http://members.shaw.ca/twofooter/ww2ftrr.htm . 2005-02-06.
49. Web site: Railways of the Malvern Hills.
50. Book: Mitchell, Vic . Smith, Keith . amp . Dorset and Somerset Narrow Gauge . Middleton Press . 2006 . 1-904474-76-4.
51. http://www.ingr.co.uk/englist.html Industrial Narrow Gauge Railways in England
52. News: Buried railway appears on Cornwall beach for the first time in years . Becquart . Charlotte . CornwallLive . Reach . 15 November 2022 . 15 November 2022.
53. Web site: Narrow Gauge Heaven gallery page.
54. Howat, Patrick (1980). The Lochaber Narrow Gauge Railway: Operated by Balfour, Beatty & Co. Ltd., and The British Aluminium Co. Ltd. between Fort William and Loch Teig, 1925-1977. Huddersfield: Narrow Gauge Railway Society. (Special issue of The Narrow Gauge No. 87/88) .
55. Book: Hadfield, Charles . Atmospheric Railways . 1967.
56. Trench, Richard and Hillman, Ellis (1984). London under London: A subterranean guide. London: John Murray. .
57. Narrow Gauge at Woodhead . Journal of the Welsh Highland Railway . 125.