Most feasible new heritage railway

[nuneatonmark]

I happened to pass the Yorkshire Wolds Railway the other day, not knowing of it's existence. Its new and small and a bit out of the way but seems to be doing ok. Is there a location, maybe with a largely intact and accessible track bed, for a decent length, with good potential that is crying out for yet another heritage railway? Or, are we reaching the limit for any new heritage railways?

 

[Western Gaffer]

I'd suggest that, given the parlous state of the finances of many of the existing ones, yet another heritage railway would struggle unless it had a particularly remarkable USP.

 

[m79900]

I'd suggest that, given the parlous state of the finances of many of the existing ones, yet another heritage railway would struggle unless it had a particularly remarkable USP.

C&HPR would have a sick USP with the cable hauled inclines, but I doubt the council would give up their cycle paths.

 

[Trainlog]

Before the 'glass half empty brigade' turns up. I think there is a possible future of new heritage railways that could be created, provided there is a clear vision for it.

Ideally, the best gauge's to use would be either

• 15-inch gauge.
• Narrow gauge '2ft' lines

Both types of narrow gauge railway can provide affordable steam traction and can be set up in areas that have minimal space/land available and make the best of it.

New standard-gauge lines are possible, but there has to be thought put into their execution. The Whitwell & Reapham and Mid Suffolk have done well to show what a smaller standard gauge heritage railway is capable of by using smaller and more historic coaches and steam locos such as 0-4-0 Saddle tanks.

 

[Ken H]

I think a new urban one. The keighley & Worth Valley, East Lancs, great Central and Severn Valley do well. A london one or a West Yorkshire one might do well. (Yes i know about the middleton). Bristol, glasgow, Edinburgh & Sheffield maybe too.

 

[m79900]

I think a new urban one. The keighley & Worth Valley, East Lancs, great Central and Severn Valley do well. A london one or a West Yorkshire one might do well. (Yes i know about the middleton). Bristol, glasgow, Edinburgh & Sheffield maybe too.

On those lines, the trackbed of the Stoke-Leek line is still very much in situ with a fair bit of track still in place.

 

[brad465]

Andover-Ludgershall perhaps: the branch is separate from the WEML all the way to Andover, and has sidings and a platform that could be designated to it, so would only require some spruce up work to get going. Andover station itself would make it easily accessible. Not sure about intermediate stations and where the Ludgershall station would go: if the military depot is still used for rail then a turnback would have to be further east, otherwise they might be able to convert some of the depot/yard.

 

[Iskra]

I think a new urban one. The keighley & Worth Valley, East Lancs, great Central and Severn Valley do well. A london one or a West Yorkshire one might do well. (Yes i know about the middleton). Bristol, glasgow, Edinburgh & Sheffield maybe too.

For Sheffield (and South Yorkshire), the Elsecar Heritage Railway had already extended the track towards Cortonwood Retail Park before ceasing operations, at this point it would just require a lot of gardening and maintenance to bring back into use. If it gets left too much longer though I suspect it will be lost. The Deepcar branch could also be a reasonable heritage line, but again it would need to happen soon or it will be too late.

 

[Spartacus]

For Sheffield (and South Yorkshire), the Elsecar Heritage Railway had already extended the track towards Cortonwood Retail Park before ceasing operations, at this point it would just require a lot of gardening and maintenance to bring back into use. If it gets left too much longer though I suspect it will be lost. The Deepcar branch could also be a reasonable heritage line, but again it would need to happen soon or it will be too late.

Rather than Stocksbridge/Deepcar I think i better northern terminus might be Penistone, but using the existing route for now could certainly be valid. Either way it's a quite a long run for a fledgling line, but I think the mix of urban and countryside running would do it good.

 

[Iskra]

Rather than Stocksbridge/Deepcar I think i better northern terminus might be Penistone, but using the existing route for now could certainly be valid. Either way it's a quite a long run for a fledgling line, but I think the mix of urban and countryside running would do it good.

There is zero chance of a heritage railway reinstating Deepcar-Penistone.

 

[Zomboid]

I think it's more likely that some existing operations will cease than anything new coming along and doing anything meaningful.

That said, I've sometimes thought that a Jacobite style thing between Llandundo Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog could have something to offer, given that it's an infrequently served line in a popular tourist area.

 

[xotGD]

Are any bits of mothballed lines around Edinburgh of sufficient length to form the basis of a heritage operation?

 

[cce]

I think a new urban one. The keighley & Worth Valley, East Lancs, great Central and Severn Valley do well. A london one or a West Yorkshire one might do well. (Yes i know about the middleton). Bristol, glasgow, Edinburgh & Sheffield maybe too.

The Avon valley railway is very much in Bristol's suburbs

 

[Ken H]

The Avon valley railway is very much in Bristol's suburbs

Sorry. Forgot them.

 

[Egg Centric]

Using more of the post office railway in a non-exhibity way with a second station would work well I think. I'm not sure if it all still exists though.

 

[The Pelican]

I'd like a meter gauge Swiss-style railway on the old Callander and Oban trackbed between Callander itself and Crianlarich. By buying up old rolling stock from both the major metre gauge networks such as the Rhaetian Railway and Matterhorn-Gottard railway, and the smaller tramways and railways which also run on metre gauge, and adapting it to run from a battery wagon, it would gradually grow to provide a meter-gauge version of the Vale of Rhiedol's impressive 2ft gauge loco collection. If any rolling stock from the slightly wider 1067mm gauge or the slightly narrower 950mm Italian metre gauge are possible to regauge, it could be even more intetesting. How is any of this relevant to Britain?- well, many of these networks arose in the late Ninteenth century to transport tourists, a high fraction of which were British in those days. Switzerland and the Scottish highlands were both very popular Victorian mountain holiday destinations, and the West Highland Line had it's stations built in Swiss Chalet style.

 

[William3000]

Holborn to Aldwych?

 

[Yorkshire09876]

The Avon valley railway is very much in Bristol's suburbs

And Keighley is very easily accessible from Leeds and Bradford (and much of the rest of West Yorkshire). It is also within the Bradford metropolitan boundary.

Retirement ages are rising, the wealth of retired people will be falling once the current generation die off, and there is no longer anything in the way of suitable 'heritage' stock being disposed of by the big railway (Pacers and Sprinters are not going to be much of a draw, and anything newer will become very difficult to maintain due to the electronics). It's therefore difficult to see how all of the current heritage lines are going to survive, never mind any more be created.

 

[JKF]

, and there is no longer anything in the way of suitable 'heritage' stock being disposed of by the big railway (Pacers and Sprinters are not going to be much of a draw, and anything newer will become very difficult to maintain due to the electronics).

if there’s no ‘new’ heritage stock on the horizon then I guess railways can just focus on the mass of unrestored vehicles already in their possession? Enough there to keep people busy, especially carriages and wagons.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Oct 2025 ==

I'd like a meter gauge Swiss-style railway on the old Callander and Oban trackbed between Callander itself and Crianlarich. By buying up old rolling stock from both the major metre gauge networks such as the Rhaetian Railway and Matterhorn-Gottard railway, and the smaller tramways and railways which also run on metre gauge, and adapting it to run from a battery wagon, it would gradually grow to provide a meter-gauge version of the Vale of Rhiedol's impressive 2ft gauge loco collection.

There’s a lot of redundant metre gauge stock in Portugal too, in part because only the state is allowed to authorise /operate railways so no preserved lines to speak of. Steam locos plinthed all over the place.

 

[JGurney]

Is there a location, maybe with a largely intact and accessible track bed, for a decent length, with good potential that is crying out for yet another heritage railway?

What about heritage operations on the Boulby line, in an area with growing tourism, with the attraction of the clifftop section and with track in situ?

 

[A S Leib]

I wonder how many places there are relatively far from other heritage railways with the potential for one. I don't think Surrey currently has any, but I think Farnham – Tongham – Wanborough and Guildford – Horsham are the only substantial closed lines there, and one the existing lines in Hampshire, Kent and East Sussex aren't very far.

On the opposite end of the scale, is there anywhere apart from Porthmadog, Llanberis and Loughborough where having the ability to change between heritage railways could be viable?

 

[Backroom_boy]

I think the Rye & Camber sands railway could be relayed relatively easily; could only be a benefit for Camber but imagine Rye would be a bit snooty about it

 

[Fawkes Cat]

I think a new urban one. The keighley & Worth Valley, East Lancs, great Central and Severn Valley do well. A london one or a West Yorkshire one might do well. (Yes i know about the middleton). Bristol, glasgow, Edinburgh & Sheffield maybe too.

A while back, someone quite vociferously suggested steam on the North Mersey branch (Bootle to Aintree).

 

[satisnek]

I did the bus journey between Ashbourne and Buxton last Saturday and thought that the former railway linking those towns (now the 'Tissington Trail') would have made an absolutely stunning heritage route. Not feasible though, particularly with the still very active freight traffic at the Buxton end. And there are three other heritage lines in the area anyway.

 

[Trainlog]

How is any of this relevant to Britain?- well, many of these networks arose in the late Ninteenth century to transport tourists, a high fraction of which were British in those days. Switzerland and the Scottish highlands were both very popular Victorian mountain holiday destinations, and the West Highland Line had it's stations built in Swiss Chalet style

By that Philosophy, should the Nene Valley do more to import more Polish steam locomotives, given the number of UK rail enthusiasts who went out to Wolsztyn in the last 30 years?

The Avon valley railway is very much in Bristol's suburbs

Sorry. Forgot them.

Whilst it's only one member that has forgotten about the Avon valley and its proximity to Bristol, it can be easy to forget about the existence of this line, unfortunately. It's pretty tucked away, and whilst it has a steam fleet, the locos of interest to most enthusiasts are the 4F, and that looks to be a pretty long-term restoration project.

It's a nice railway, I have walked past it on the Bath to Bristol railway path, and I would be interested in checking it out at a steam railway gala. I just think it needs a more interesting resident loco, such as a 4mt or a GWR tank loco such as a Pannier or Prairie type.

I think the Rye & Camber sands railway could be relayed relatively easily; could only be a benefit for Camber but imagine Rye would be a bit snooty about it

Definitely agree on this one. In terms of newbuild steam locos, this would be relatively affordable to do. If the Southwold trust can build Blyth, I can't see why such a trust couldn't build a 'Camber' loco replica.

Though you are right about relaying the line, I can imagine the amount of fuss that would kick up in local papers even if a small stint was to be brought back.

Most we could hope for would be if the KESR decided to build a demonstration line with a Camber replica loco from one of their stations, kind of like the Toddington narrow gauge railway on the Gloswarks.

 

[The Pelican]

By that Philosophy, should the Nene Valley do more to import more Polish steam locomotives, given the number of UK rail enthusiasts who went out to Wolsztyn in the last 30 years?

Yes, more continental steam engines (or the Portugese metre gauge locomotives mentioned above, American like the Brecon Mountain, or the Vale of Rhiedol's Gwailor Pacifics, the WHR's NG15 and Chinese loco, the Welshpool and Llanfair's Austrian steam and Taiwanese diesel engines etc.) is always an interesting thing to have at a railway. The Metre gauge heritage railway I discusses above could also do with a new build Harz steam loco- one of the other East German narrow gauge railways built one recently.

 

[Trainlog]

Yes, more continental steam engines (or the Portugese metre gauge locomotives mentioned above, American like the Brecon Mountain, or the Vale of Rhiedol's Gwailor Pacifics, the WHR's NG15 and Chinese loco, the Welshpool and Llanfair's Austrian steam and Taiwanese diesel engines etc.) is always an interesting thing to have at a railway. The Metre gauge heritage railway I discusses above could also do with a new build Harz steam loco- one of the other East German narrow gauge railways built one recently.

I could certainly see more SAR locos being considered for preservation within the UK. I am impressed with what the Welsh Highland Railway has done with the NG15 loco, and it looks very much at home there.

It might be my stubborn nature on this, however, I think more needs to be done with the established narrow gauges within the UK first. Germany has many steam enthusiasts of their own, and lines like the Harz are still popular over there. Plus, railways like the Harz are relatively easy enough to visit from the UK to Germany, especially with budget airlines.

There would probably be more demand to build a narrow gauge line using Isle of Man locos and rolling stock in the UK than a continental-based one with metre gauge.

Apologies for the tangent, I know this thread is for new heritage railways in the UK, but I am surprised that Japan might not be considering new heritage railways as smaller branch lines are being lost in Japan as rural populations decline.

 

[Llanigraham]

On the opposite end of the scale, is there anywhere apart from Porthmadog, Llanberis and Loughborough where having the ability to change between heritage railways could be viable?

Just in Wales, Aberystwyth is an obvious one, but also Tywyn for the Talyllyn, Fairbourne for the Fairbourne.

 

[The Pelican]

I could certainly see more SAR locos being considered for preservation within the UK. I am impressed with what the Welsh Highland Railway has done with the NG15 loco, and it looks very much at home there.

It might be my stubborn nature on this, however, I think more needs to be done with the established narrow gauges within the UK first. Germany has many steam enthusiasts of their own, and lines like the Harz are still popular over there. Plus, railways like the Harz are relatively easy enough to visit from the UK to Germany, especially with budget airlines.

There would probably be more demand to build a narrow gauge line using Isle of Man locos and rolling stock in the UK than a continental-based one with metre gauge.

Apologies for the tangent, I know this thread is for new heritage railways in the UK, but I am surprised that Japan might not be considering new heritage railways as smaller branch lines are being lost in Japan as rural populations decline.

I agree, metre gauge is mainly because there is, in principle, a reasonable stream of withdrawn stock available, and stock from a lot of places, and because the various proposals over the years that might have produced a British version of a Swiss Metre gauge railway- the Snowdon Mountain railway started off a lot like one for example, and was nearly electrified in the 1930s which might have given it some attractive art deco SLM railcars- haven't taken off. (otherwise, English Electric might have bid for it, and a Blackpool railcoach with a cogwheel might take visitors up the mountain.) Really loco and carriages plus interesting motive power is mostly what I want from them, so I like the Welsh Highland and Ffestinog a lot. (I suppose the railway I'd like to see restored in the area is the Penrhyn railway, which has so many surviving locos, which it would be interesting to see running on their old line- I know there was an effort to restore it ten years ago.)

Narrow gauge has also had the great luck to have several collectors assemble lots of locomotives from around the world, which often share gauges with existing railways, especially 2ft.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

Just in Wales, Aberystwyth is an obvious one, but also Tywyn for the Talyllyn, Fairbourne for the Fairbourne.

I think the OP meant changing from one heritage railway to another heritage railway ie FR to WHR at Porthmadog, LlLR to SMR at Llanberis etc, not changing from NR metals to a heritage line.