List of British private narrow-gauge railways

Many private individuals in Great Britain own collections of narrow-gauge railway equipment or operate short railways. These railways are generally not open to the public, but often contain historically significant rolling stock or other items.

For a list of passenger-carrying narrow-gauge railways, see British narrow-gauge railways.

Private collections
Name Opened Closed Gauge Location Notes
D.L. Walker private collection [1] 1970 1985? 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm) Minsterley, England Static storage of quarry Hunslet Dorothea
F. Stapleton private collection [2] ? after 1987 2 ft (610 mm) Newbury, England 4wDM locomotive in storage
I. Gunn private collection [2] ? after 1987 1 ft 10 in (559 mm) Bristol, England 4wBE locomotive in storage
Ian Jolly private collection [1] 1976 Present various Mold, Wales A private collection of narrow-gauge locomotives, including a 1/4 mile line.
J. Hampton private collection [2] ? after 1987 3 ft (914 mm) Fenstanton, England 4wDM locomotive in storage
J. Thomas private collection [1][2] before 1981 after 1987 2 ft (610 mm) Bletchley, England A private collection of narrow-gauge locomotives ex-Oxstead Greystone Lime
M.A.G. Jacobs private collection [2] ? after 1987 2 ft (610 mm) Long Eaton, England One 4wPM, one 4wDM locomotive
M. Capron private collection [2] ? after 1987 2 ft (610 mm) Bristol, England 4wDM locomotive in storage
Pallot private collection [2] ? after 1987 2 ft (610 mm) Jersey, Channel Islands Two 4wDM locomotives
Pengally Farm [1] ? after 1987 [2] 2 ft (610 mm) Callington, England Private collection of narrow-gauge locomotives
Phyllis Rampton Narrow Gauge Railway Trust ? Present Various gauges Surrey, England Test track a private location near Godalming, Surrey. The trust owns the Vale of Rheidol Railway in Wales
Ray Maslen collection [3] ? present? 2 ft (610 mm) Arlesey, England
R.J. Harrison private collection [1] before 1981 ? 2 ft (610 mm) Carlisle, England Private collection of narrow-gauge locomotives

Private railways
Name Opened Closed Gauge Length Location Notes
Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway 1970s 2 ft (610 mm) ​1⁄2 mile near Maidstone, England A short line laid across fields surrounding a private house, open for charity events one Sunday each month during the summer.
Bromyard and Linton Light Railway 1968[4] present 2 ft (610 mm) ? Bromyard, England A short line laid on the trackbed of the standard gauge former GWR Worcester-Bromyard branch.
Cadeby Light Railway [1] 1962 2005 2 ft (610 mm) 97 yards Hinckley, England A short line and collection of rolling stock running round the rectory garden. Assembled by the late Reverend Teddy Boston, the line was closed in 2005.
Cheltenham Light Railway [1] ? ? 2 ft (610 mm) ? Cheltenham, England A short private line, not open to the public
Creekmoor Light Railway [5] 1967 1972 2 ft (610 mm) Fleets Bridge, England Technically an agricultural railway, its main use was for private passenger trains. Used a small collection of Simplex diesel locomotives and one Orenstein & Koppel steam locomotive.
Crockway Light Railway [5] 1972 1979 2 ft (610 mm) Maiden Newton, England Built using much of the track and rolling stock of the Creekmoor Light Railway.
Eynsford Light Railway [6] ? present 2 ft (610 mm) Eynsford, England Short private line in Kent, with ex-Provan Gas Works steam locomotive
Gartell Light Railway [5][7] 1984 Present 2 ft (610 mm) ​3⁄4 mile Templecombe, England Private railway with occasional open days
Great Bush Railway [8] 1971 Present 2 ft (610 mm) ​1⁄4 mile Hadlow Down, England Private railway with occasional open days
Isle of Thanet Light Railway [9] 1995 Present 2 ft (610 mm) 300 yards Isle of Thanet, England A short private line, not open to the public
Inny Valley Railway [1][10] 1968 1987 1 ft 10 3⁄4 in (578 mm) 400 yards Launceston, England A short private line, not open to the public. ex-Dinorwic Bagnall locomotive Sybil was located here.
Oldberrow Light Railway [1] ? before 2002 2 ft (610 mm) ? Henley-in-Arden, England A short private line, not open to the public
Penton Light Railway [1] 1981 ? 2 ft (610 mm) ? Penton, England
Rheilffordd Llechi Sir Caernarfon 2004 present 1 ft 11 3⁄4 in (603 mm) Gwynedd, Wales Private railway
Ripon and District Light Railway [11] 1984 present 2 ft (610 mm) ½ mile Ripon, England Private railway moving building materials around a housing estate. Uses extremely light track and Lister locomotives
Statfold Barn Railway ? present 2 ft (610 mm) and 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) Staffordshire, England An extensive collection of restored narrow-gauge locomotives running on several miles of track. The railway hosts several open days each year.
Stevington and Turvey Light Railway [3] ? 2014 2 ft (610 mm) Turvey, England A short line laid on the trackbed of a former standard gauge branch from Bedford. Closed due to vandalism in 2014 and the stock and rails moved to Woburn in Bedfordshire.
Surrey Light Railway [12][13] 1976 2000 1 ft 11 3⁄4 in (603 mm) ? Hersham, England Fully signalled private line with one steam locomotive, several 4wDMs and 2 4wBEs. Most of the stock went to the Great Bush Railway on closure. From there the stock moved to Rheilffordd Llechi Sir Caernarfon.
Tiny Tramway Mining Company [5] 1991 1995 2 ft (610 mm) and 18 in (457 mm) ? Corfe Mullen, England Locomotive-worked garden railway with a working mine shaft and adit for sand extraction.
Tucking Mill Tramway [1] ? 1987 2 ft (610 mm) ? Midford, England A short private line
Umberslade Light Railway [1] ? ? 2 ft (610 mm) ? Hockly Heath, England A short private line, not open to the public
Vobster Light Railway [5] 1991 1994 2 ft (610 mm) ​1⁄4 mile Vobster, England Diesel locomotive worked short line connecting with the trackbed of the standard gauge Newbury Railway
Wootton Railway 2009 Present 2 ft (610 mm) ? Northampton, England A short private garden line, not open to the public
Southfield House Railway 2004 Present 2 ft (610 mm) 2 Miles Louth, England A short private garden line, open to the public on special open days [14]

References
  1. Crumbleholme, Roger & Kirtland, Terry (1981). steam '81. George Allen & Unwin. ISBN 0-04-385082-0.
  2. Bryant, R.S. (ed.) (1987). Industrial Locomotives, including preserved and minor railway locomotives. Industrial Railway Society. ISBN 0901096555.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  3. Compiled by Dave Holroyde & Lawson Little (2003). Annual Guide to Narrow Gauge and Miniature Railways in the British Isles and Ireland: 2003. Narrow Gauge Railway Society.
  4. "BBC Hereford and Worcester article on Bromyard railways".
  5. Mitchell, Vic & Smith, Keith (2006). Dorset and Somerset Narrow Gauge. Middleton Press. ISBN 1904474764.
  6. Stuart Chapman (1 July 2017). Eynsford Light Railway (YouTube). Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  7. "Gartell Light Railway web site".
  8. "Tinkerspark web site".
  9. "Locomotive Elsa of the IoTLR".
  10. Dart, Maurice (2005). Cornwall narrow gauge including the Camborne & Redruth tramway. Middleton Press. ISBN 190447456X.
  11. "Ripon and District Light Railway website".
  12. Mitchell, Vic & Smith, Kevin (2003). Surrey Narrow Gauge including South London. Middleton Press. ISBN 1901706877.
  13. Mitchell, Vic & Smith, Keith (2004). Hampshire Narrow Gauge including the Isle of Wight. Middleton Press. ISBN 1904474365.
  14. brokenlashes (6 July 2017). SHLR - A trip around the largest private railway in the UK (YouTube).

See also
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