Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway

Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway
Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway
Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway Station.jpg
Locale Lincolnshire, England
Dates of operation 1948–
Track gauge 15 in (381 mm)
Headquarters Cleethorpes
Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway

Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway is a 15 in (381 mm) railway built in 1948 in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire operating between Cleethorpes Leisure Centre and behind Pleasure Island/buck beck. It was originally built to a slightly smaller 14.5 inches (370 mm) gauge.

Contents

History

The line was built in 1948 as a tourist attraction by Cleethorpes Borough Council, who also operated it from 1959 to 1990.[1] The line is now owned by Chris Shaw.

Trains run from Kingsway station, which is next to the Leisure Centre, over a 40 yards (37 m) viaduct and along the sea wall, turning west to run past the shed and museum at Lakeside station. Over the 2006/7 winter off-season, the Line was extended a further 900 yards (823 m) south-east to a new station at North Sea Lane, close to the Meridian Line car park, Pleasure Island Family Theme Park and the Buck Beck estuary. This brought the total current running length to 2 miles (3.2 km).

The railway used to be operated by a pair of Severn lamb locomotives. In the 1960s, the line used diesel trains, followed by petrol-driven engines with a steam outline, though genuine steam locomotives are now in operation. A National Lottery grant enabled the railway to acquire stock from the long-dismantled Sutton Miniature Railway in Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield, some of which is housed in the old Sutton Miniature Railway locomotive shed, including Bassett-Lowke Class 10 Little Giant 'Mighty Atom'. On guest weekends, visiting engines from other 15 in (381 mm) lines make an appearance.

Steam locomotives

Name No Wheel Arrangement Tractive + Cyl Size Main Dimensions Built Rebuild + Maint Gauge Colour Status Notes
Sutton Belle 1 4-4-2 Tender 4.25 x 6.75 16'8 x 3'6 x 2'6.5 Cannon Ironfoundries 1933 Griffin Foundry 1953 & CCLR 2003 15 in (381 mm) Royal Maroon In Service.
Sutton Flyer 2 4-4-2 Tender 4.25 x 6.75 17' x 3'6 x 2'6.5 Griffin Foundry 1950 CCLR 2003 +2006 15 in (381 mm) Royal Blue Out of service.
Mighty Atom/Prince of Wales 11 4-4-2 Tender Bassett-Lowke 1909 15 in (381 mm) On Display awaiting restoration
24 2-6-2 Tender 3000 lb 5.94 x 8 23ft x 6ft x 4 ft 3 in Fairbourne 1990 15 in (381 mm) Black Boiler away for reps Based on a Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Locomotive
Effie N/A 0-4-0 Well Tank Great Northern Steam CCLR 2006 15in Heywood Green Out of service
Yvette 111 4-4-0 Tender Craven's 1946 CCLR 2006 15 in (381 mm) LNER Apple Green Out of service Based on an LNER Class D49
Crompton 4-4-2 Tender Curwen 1951 18 in (457 mm) Long term restoration
Mountaineer 0-4-0 Tender W.van der Heiden 1972 Boiler 2006 15 in (381 mm) BMR Maroon Out of service. ex Bush Mill Railway
04 Class 6284 2-8-0 Tender Roger Loxley & Ray Crome 2009 15 in (381 mm) LNER Freight Black In Service Made debut at Barrow Hill Roundhouse Gala

Diesel Locomotives

Name No Built Rebuild/ Maint Wheels Fuel/ Trans Gauge Status Colour Notes
Toby 2 Lister 1944 CCLR 0-4-0 Diesel-Mechanical 15 in (381 mm) Under Rebuild Brown
The Cub/John Minirail 1954 CCLR 1993 0-4-0 Bo Diesel-Hydraulic Grey undercoat
Battison 5 Battison 1958 CCLR 2004 2-6-4T Diesel-Mechanical 15 in (381 mm) Under Rebuild Improved Engine Green Styled as steam locomotive
Dudley SMR 4 G & S Light Engineering 1946 CCLR 2003 Bo-Bo 4* Petrol-Mechanical 15 in (381 mm) Stored for winter Grey & Red
DA1 Bush Mill Railway 1986 0-4-0 Diesel-Mechanical 15 in (381 mm) shunting duties only Bush Mills Maroon with Chevrons on ends ex Bush Mill Railway

References

External links

Coordinates: 53°32′47″N 0°00′51″W / 53.54649°N 0.01425°W / 53.54649; -0.01425 (Cleethorpes Light railway, Lakeside)