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This is a list of heritage, private and preserved railways throughout the United Kingdom, the Crown dependencies, and British Overseas Territories whether operational or closed, that are operated for charitable purposes or shareholder profit. Some also provide economic local transport. For rail museums, see List of British railway museums .
Many of the standard-gauge railways listed, including former branch lines and ex-mainline routes, were closed by British Railways under the Beeching Axe of the 1960s. Most have been restored and operate as heritage lines. A smaller number of lines were formerly industrial or colliery railways.
Many of these preserved railways are mentioned in national and international tour guides, and visits may form part of a school curriculum or feature in other studies, including civil engineering, mechanics, social, economic and political history, visual arts and drama.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}
This list also includes tramways. Nearly all tram services in Britain ended in the 1950s and early 1960s, leaving just Blackpool Corporation Tramways, although some big cities have since revived them in the late 20th century onwards.
This list includes those railways which has public open days and excludes those on private sites which are not advertised to the public. {{TOC limit}}
This is a list of former heritage railway attractions that are now defunct.
See List of heritage railways in Northern Ireland
Name | Type | Gauge | Length | Opened | Closed | Re-Opened | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Llangollen Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|4 ft 8 1/2 in}} | 16km | 1862 | 1964 | 1981 | |
Conwy Valley Railway Museum | Museum and miniature railway | {{Track gauge|7 1/4 in}} | 1.6km | 1970s | Has a 0.8km long {{Track gauge|15 in}} gauge tramway | ||
Penrhyn Castle Railway Museum | Museum | N/A | 0km | 1951 | |||
Bala Lake Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|600mm|first=imp}} | 7.2km | 1861 | 1965 | 1972 | Originally standard gauge line |
Ffestiniog Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|1 ft 11 1⁄2 in}} | 21.7km | 1836 | 1946 | 1954 | Also owns and operates the Welsh Highland Railway |
Llanberis Lake Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|1 ft 11 1⁄2 in}} | 4km | 1971 | |||
Snowdon Mountain Railway | Tourist railway | {{Track gauge|800mm|first=imp}} | 7.5km | 1896 | |||
Welsh Highland Heritage Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|1 ft 11 1⁄2 in}} | 1.6km | 1980 | |||
Welsh Highland Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|1 ft 11 1⁄2 in}} | 40.2km | 1922 | 1937 | 1997 | Owned and operated by the Ffestiniog Railway |
Fairbourne Railway | Miniature railway | {{Track gauge|12 1⁄4 in}} | 3.2km | 1895 | 1940 | 1947 | Previously {{Track gauge|2 ft}} and {{Track gauge|15 in}} |
Rhyl Miniature Railway | Miniature railway | {{Track gauge|15 in}} | 1.6km | 1911 | |||
West Shore Miniature Railway | Miniature railway | 2018 | |||||
Great Orme Tramway | Tramway | {{Track gauge|3 ft 6 in}} | 1902 | ||||
Glyn Valley Tramway | Tramway | {{Track gauge|2 ft 4.5 in}} | 0km | 1873 | 1935 | {{circa|2022}}{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}} |
Name | Type | Gauge | Length | Opened | Closed | Re-Opened | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Corris Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|2 ft 3 in}} | 1.17km | 1859 | 1948 | 1971 | |
Talyllyn Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|2 ft 3 in}} | 11.67km | 1865 | Includes Narrow Gauge Railway Museum | ||
Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|2 ft 6 in}} | 13.7km | 1903 | 1956 | 1963 | |
Vale of Rheidol Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|1 ft 11 3⁄4 in}} | 18.91km | 1902 | |||
Rhiw Valley Light Railway | Miniature railway | {{Track gauge|15 in}} | 1.265km | 1970 | 2022 |
Name | Type | Gauge | Length | Opened | Closed | Re-Opened | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barry Tourist Railway | Tourist Railway | {{Track gauge|4 ft 8 1/2 in}} | 2.4km | 1885 | 1976 | 1994 | |
Gwili Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|4 ft 8 1/2 in}} | 7.24km | 1860 | 1973 | 1978 | |
Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|4 ft 8 1/2 in}} | 0.4km [8] | 1802 | 1989 | 2017 | |
Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|4 ft 8 1/2 in}} | 5.6km | 1866 | 1941 | 1983 | |
Brecon Mountain Railway | Tourist Railway | {{Track gauge|1 ft 11 3⁄4 in}} | 8km | 1980 | |||
Margam Park Railway | {{Track gauge|1 ft 11 3⁄4 in}} [9] | {{circa|2011}} [10] | |||||
Teifi Valley Railway | {{Track gauge|2 ft}} | 1km | 1986 | Closed 2014 and much of the track lifted. Reopened 2016 | |||
Cefn Mably Farm Park Railway Attraction | Miniature railway | {{Track gauge|12 1⁄4 in}} | {{circa|2020}} [11] | ||||
Heath Park Electric Tramway | {{Track gauge|18 in}} | 0.2km | |||||
Garw Valley Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|4 ft 8 1/2 in}} | 8km | 1876 | 1997 | {{circa|2001}} |
Name | Type | Gauge | Length | Opened | Closed | Re-Opened | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Douglas Bay Horse Tramway | Tramway | {{Track gauge|3 ft}} | 2.6km | 1876 | 1939 | 1946 | |
Great Laxey Mine Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|19 in}} | 0.4km | 1870s | 1929 | 2004 | |
Groudle Glen Railway | Heritage railway | {{Track gauge|2 ft}} | 0.9km | 1896 | 1962 | 1982 | |
Isle of Man Railway | Nationalised railway | {{Track gauge|3 ft}} | 25km | 1874 | Current line opened in 1974, however the company's first, now defunct line opened in 1973. | ||
Manx Electric Railway | Nationalised railway | {{Track gauge|3 ft}} | 27km | 1893 | |||
Snaefell Mountain Railway | Nationalised railway | {{Track gauge|3 ft 6 in}} | 8.9km | 1895 | |||
Crogga Valley Railway | Miniature railway | {{Track gauge|7 1⁄4 in}} | 0.41km | ||||
Orchid Line | Miniature railway | Multiple gauges |
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{{reflist}}
{{Heritage railways in England}} {{Heritage railways in Northern Ireland}} {{Heritage railways in Scotland}} {{Heritage railways in Wales}} {{Heritage railways in the Isle of Man}} {{Heritage railways in the Channel Islands}} {{List of heritage railways}}