Railway General Knowledge.

[Calthrop]

Correct. No need for an Act of Parliament as the company bought all the land privately and didn't need compulsory purchase powers.

Your floor.

Thanks.

In Africa, the greatly-predominating rail gauge (except in the formerly French parts of the continent) is 3' 6". The system serving the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania departs from that norm, in always having been metre-gauge (pace the modern Tan -- Zam route). Please explain, "how come?"

 

[Marton]

Because Tanzania was a pre WWI German colony and had the largest rail network at 1m this was the logical choice.

 

[Calthrop]

Because Tanzania was a pre WWI German colony and had the largest rail network at 1m this was the logical choice.

That's correct re Tanzania; but British Kenya and Uganda's railways were inaugurated separately at the turn of the 19th / 20th centuries, also on metre gauge. Why metre from the start, for them?

 

[TheEdge]

Because metre gauge is cheaper to build and easier to lay?

 

[Calthrop]

Because metre gauge is cheaper to build and easier to lay?

It is, in comparison with standard / broad; but there's a more specific reason in this situation.

 

[theageofthetra]

The line was mainly built by engineers from India and the first locomotives were shipped also from there so it made sense to use their metre gauge.

 

[Calthrop]

The line was mainly built by engineers from India and the first locomotives were shipped also from there so it made sense to use their metre gauge.

Correct. theageofthetra and Marton, would you like to sort out between yourselves, who has the floor next?

 

[OA2011]

Sainsbury's in Norwich is sited on which disused station grounds?

 

[TheEdge]

Norwich Victoria

 

[OA2011]

Correct. The floor is yours

 

[TheEdge]

Staying in East Anglia.

On the East Suffolk Line there are currently 12 station from Lowestoft to Ipswich. But it has had both less and more stations. So, which stations have come and gone and what is the least and most stops the line has had?*

*NB For purposes of this quiz I am using the modern definition of the East Suffolk line, that is Ipswich - Lowestoft not Ipswich - Yarmouth

 

[Calthrop]

Staying in East Anglia.

On the East Suffolk Line there are currently 12 station from Lowestoft to Ipswich. But it has had both less and more stations. So, which stations have come and gone and what is the least and most stops the line has had?*

*NB For purposes of this quiz I am using the modern definition of the East Suffolk line, that is Ipswich - Lowestoft not Ipswich - Yarmouth

Bealings, between Westerfield and Woodbridge, closed long ago. Didn't Darsham and Brampton close, and subsequently reopen? I'm going to say: least number of stations, 10; greatest, 13. Incidentally, Oulton Broad South station was formerly called Carlton Colville.

 

[TheEdge]

You got Bealings and the most stations (13) but not the least. But you are on the right track.

 

[Calthrop]

You got Bealings and the most stations (13) but not the least. But you are on the right track.

Guessing here -- was it maybe only one out of Darsham and Brampton which closed and then opened again: least number, thus 11?

 

[TheEdge]

You are close. 11 and 13 are right, Bealings is right, stations closing and re-opening are right but you are on the wrong one.

If you wanted to view a national treasure you would use the station in question.

 

[Calthrop]

You are close. 11 and 13 are right, Bealings is right, stations closing and re-opening are right but you are on the wrong one.

If you wanted to view a national treasure you would use the station in question.

I take it that the national treasure is Sutton Hoo. Woodbridge is a sizeable town, so its station wouldn't have been closed -- by elimination, "closed-and-opened-again" would need to be Melton.

You've had to do spoon-feeding to the max: so if I'm right, here -- open floor.

 

[TheEdge]

And there we are, so I guess open floor.

 

[Calthrop]

Ah, heck; I'll set the next question, after all.

Which railway undertaking in the British Isles was able to boast, for about a quarter of a century, that it ran regular passenger services with all the following forms of traction: steam, diesel, electric, and horse?

 

[TheEdge]

Ffestiniog? I'm basing this on maybe having a battery loco at some point not tiny OHL...

 

[Calthrop]

Ffestiniog? I'm basing this on maybe having a battery loco at some point not tiny OHL...

Not the Ffestiniog: a much more extensive outfit.

 

[krus_aragon]

Ah, heck; I'll set the next question, after all.

Which railway undertaking in the British Isles was able to boast, for about a quarter of a century, that it ran regular passenger services with all the following forms of traction: steam, diesel, electric, and horse?

The Oystermouth? (I've been reading recently about John Dickson, and he had a fair number of legal wrangles about the Oystermouth Railway, and I've not yet got my head around all of it.)

 

[DaleCooper]

Coal mines?

 

[TheEdge]

Coal mines?

Ooh, clever.

I say NCB.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Ooh, clever.

I say NCB.

I doubt the NCB ran passenger services.

Noting that it says British Isles, I'll plump for the Isle of Man. ( assuming they ran at least one diesel for 25 years or so... )

 

[hexagon789]

Just beaten to it! I would agree that it's the Isle of Man. Steam was and is used on the line from Douglas to Port Erin (The Isle of Man Railway), electricity on both the Snaefell Mountain and Manx Electric Railways, horse on the Douglas Tramway and Diesel Railcars were used on the Manx Northern Railway from Foxdale to Ramsey for a period.

 

[martinsh]

Just beaten to it! I would agree that it's the Isle of Man. Steam was and is used on the line from Douglas to Port Erin (The Isle of Man Railway), electricity on both the Snaefell Mountain and Manx Electric Railways, horse on the Douglas Tramway and Diesel Railcars were used on the Manx Northern Railway from Foxdale to Ramsey for a period.

Yes, but the OP said "which railway undertaking" and the Isle of Man lines are separate undertakings ...

PS got no idea of the right answer though !

 

[hexagon789]

Good point. I missed that bit! I just assumed that because they were amalgamated into one company that it was the Isle of Man. Back to the drawing board!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Yes, but the OP said "which railway undertaking" and the Isle of Man lines are separate undertakings ...

You could construe, as I have done, that the IoM Government is the "railway undertaking" as it calls the shots over all those operators, rather like the DfT over the franchises.

 

[theageofthetra]

Swansea and Mumbles used all of them and sail.

 

[Calthrop]

Ingenious ideas, folks; but none of them, what I have in mind. My set-up used all four modes of traction, simultaneously, for 25 years or so, for passenger services. As Peter Mugridge alludes to: did the NCB have (horse/ diesel / electric) passenger workings? If so, NCB would be an alternative correct answer; but I'd have thought not.

Per my question: it was indeed, all one and the same rail administration in the period concerned. Was in the British Isles, but not Great Britain or Man.