Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway

Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway
Locale Lincolnshire, England
Dates of operation 1948–
Track gauge 15 in (381 mm)
Previous gauge 14 1⁄4 in (362 mm)
Length 2 miles (3.2 km)
Headquarters Cleethorpes
Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway

Cleethorpes

Coast Light Railway

Legend
Kingsway Station

Viaduct
over boating lake
Discovery Station
request only
Engineering shed

Lakeside Central
Humberston
North Sea Lane

The 15 in (381 mm) gauge Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway primarily serves holidaymakers in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England. It operates from near the Cleethorpes Leisure Centre, running to the mouth of the Buck Beck.

Cleethorpes' passenger lines

Six forms of passenger-carrying rail transport have served Cleethorpes:

and

Timeline

A timeline of the changes to the route and stations can be accessed here.

History

The present day CCLR has moved a long and tortuous way from its origins as the 300 yards (270 m) long, steam-hauled single track 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) gauge Cleethorpes Miniature Railway (CMR) founded in 1948. The stages are summarised in the table below, where Cleethorpes Borough Council and its successors are shown as "CBC".

Years Name Gauge Motive power Managers Notes
1948 CMR 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) Steam W Botterill, concession from CBC One season on original route[6]
1949-53 CMR 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) Steam W Botterill, concession from CBC New longer route, profitable[7]
1954-58 CMR 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) Battery A Clethro, concession from CBC Completely new rolling stock, steady state[8]
1959-71 CMR 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) Battery CBC, in-house General decline as the market changed[9]
1972-90 CMR 14 1⁄4 in (362 mm) Propane CBC, in-house Line invested in and extended, then declined[10]
1991-93 CCLR 14 1⁄4 in (362 mm) Propane Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway Line privatised[11]
1994-99 CCLR 15 in (381 mm) Mixed Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway Line regauged, significant investment[11]
2000-13 CCLR 15 in (381 mm) Mixed Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway Line extended in 2000 and 2007[11]
2014-Present CCLR 15 in (381 mm) Mixed Cleethorpes Light Railway Ltd Line bought by P Bryant and J Kerr[11]

Fourteen different locomotives worked on then left the line before the current stock shown later in this article.

and

In addition many locomotives have visited the line on Gala events, made possible by the change to the widely used 15 inch gauge in 1994.

1972 regauging

Changes of ownership and management, rebuilding and fluctuating financial fortunes are common among miniature railways, but the 1972 rebuilding to 14 1⁄4 in gauge is remarkable, not least as the gauge is believed to be unique. Two theories have been advanced how this came about, one is that the track suppliers measured between rail centres rather than their inner faces. The suppliers were an established and experienced company of repute, which would make such a procedure highly unusual. The competing theory is that the suppliers read their order from Cleethorpes Council for a "quarter gauge railway" and acted accordingly, to a tolerance of  1⁄8 inch.[15]

This was no esoteric matter. The immediate consequence was that locomotives and rolling stock were delivered to 15 inch gauge and had to be re-engineered to fit, incurring cost, delay and reputational damage. Over time costs accumulated with having non-standard equipment and opportunities were lost for any form of locomotive sharing; Gala Days of various forms with visiting locomotives have become big business in the miniature railway world. Finally, the railway would, in effect, have to add a surcharge on any second hand stock they might seek to buy, as it would need re-gauging to be usable.

Present operations

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 SSW to run past the shed and museum at Lakeside station. During 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 mouth of the Buck Beck. This brought the total running length to 2 miles (3.2 km).

In the 1960s, the line used battery locomotives. On being regauged in the 1970s, two Rio Grande steam outline locomotives built by Severn Lamb were used. Since being taken into private ownership, a variety of steam and diesel locomotives have been used, 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, all of which is currently housed in the old Sutton Miniature Railway locomotive shed, including Bassett-Lowke Class 10 Little Giant 'Mighty Atom.'[16][17]

The railway also held the Olympic Torch on Day 39 of the 2012 Olympic Torch relay with BMR locomotive 'Mountaineer' hauling the Alan Keef 'Council Rake' carriages, taking it from Kingsway station to Lakeside station.[18]

In May 2014, the railway was sold to Cleethorpes Light Railway Limited.[19][20][21]

Stations

Operations

There are three official colour-coded timetables:

The usual timetable is the Blue Service, used during mid-week and off peak seasons; while the Green timetable is used on weekends and bank holidays. The Red timetable is used occasionally for gala days and some special events.

The railway is operated by a fleet of seven steam locomotives and six diesel locomotives. Passenger rolling stock consists of nineteen fully enclosed bogie carriages, one articulated set and four open top carriages.

Steam locomotives

Name No Wheel Arrangement Tractive + Cyl Size Built Status Owned By
Sutton Belle[22] 1 4-4-2 Tender 4.25 x 6.75 Cannon Ironfoundries 1933 Under Restoration CCLRSA
Sutton Flyer[23] 2 4-4-2 Tender 4.25 x 6.75 Griffin Foundry 1950 Stored CCLRSA
Mighty Atom/Prince of Wales[24] 11 4-4-2 Tender Bassett-Lowke 1908 Stored CLR Ltd
SRRL 24[25] 24 2-6-2 Tender 3000 lb 5.94 x 8 Fairbourne 1990 In Service CLR Ltd
Effie[26] 0-4-0 Well Tank Great Northern Steam 1999 In Service Private Owner
Yvette[27] 111 4-4-0 Tender 3 13/16 x 6 508 lbs Craven 1946 Under Restoration T. Brackenbury
O4 Class[28][29] 6284 2-8-0 Tender Crome/Loxley 2009 In Service R Crome & R Loxley
Bonnie Dundee[30] 11 0-4-2 Tender Kerr Stuart 1900 Under Restoration Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway
Flower of the Forest[31] 0-4-0 Vertical Boiler Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway 1985 Stored Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway

Diesel and petrol locomotives

Name No Built Wheels Fuel/ Trans Status Owner
7 Lister 1944 0-4-0 Diesel-mechanical In Service CLR Ltd
Dudley[32] SMR 4 G & S Light Engineering 1946 Bo-Bo 4* Petrol-mechanical Stored CCLRSA
DA1[33] 6 Bush Mill Railway 1986 0-4-0 Diesel-mechanical In Service CLR Ltd
Bluebell[34] 278 Severn Lamb 1979 2-8-0 Diesel-hydraulic In Service CLR Ltd

Rolling Stock

Number Type Built Seats Livery Notes
1 Enclosed Observation 1930 14 Royal Maroon with coloured linings Was built as a drive trailer for a 2-car railcar. As the engine was an Austin 7 engine, it was fitted with an Austin logo, which it still carries today. Was converted into an ordinary coach****. It arrived at Cleethorpes in 2002.
2 Enclosed 1930 12 Royal Maroon with coloured linings Built for the Sutton Miniature Railway, arrived at Cleethorpes in 2002.
3 Enclosed 1930 12 Royal Maroon with coloured linings Built for the Sutton Miniature Railway, arrived at Cleethorpes in 2002.
4 Enclosed 1952 12 Royal Maroon with coloured linings Built for the Sutton Miniature Railway, arrived at Cleethorpes in 2002.
5 Enclosed 1952 12 Royal Maroon with coloured linings Built for the Sutton Miniature Railway, arrived at Cleethorpes in 2002.
6 Enclosed Observation 1952 14 Royal Maroon with coloured linings Built originally the same as no. 2-5. Rebuilt with observation in 1956. Built for the Sutton Miniature Railway, arrived at Cleethorpes in 2002.
7 Open 1952 14 Red & Brown seats with black floorboards and frames Built for the Sutton Miniature Railway, arrived at Cleethorpes in 2002.
8 Open 1954 14 Red & Brown seats with black floorboards and frames Built for the Sutton Miniature Railway, arrived at Cleethorpes in 2002.
9 Open 1956 14 Red & Brown seats with black floorboards and frames Built for the Sutton Miniature Railway, arrived at Cleethorpes in 2002.
10 Open 1956 14 Red & Brown seats with black floorboards and frames Built for the Sutton Miniature Railway, arrived at Cleethorpes in 2002.
100 Guard's Van 1977 12 Crimson and Cream Built for the Longleat railway, sold to Cleethorpes in 1990.
101 Enclosed 1977 16 Crimson and Cream Built for the Longleat railway, sold to Cleethorpes in 1990.
102 Enclosed 1977 16 Crimson and Cream Built for the Longleat railway, sold to Cleethorpes in 1990.
103 Enclosed 1977 16 Crimson and Cream Built for the Longleat railway, sold to Cleethorpes in 1990.
N/A Council Rake 1987 102 + 2 wheelchair users Royal Maroon with black frames & yellow lining Built by Alan Keef for the North East Lincolnshire Council, only stock to have disabled access & held the Olympic Torch on 'The Flame Train' on Day 39.

References

Sources

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway.

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

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