Bicton Woodland Railway facts for kids
loco name: Sir Walter Raleigh
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Budleigh Salterton |
| Locale | England |
| Dates of operation | 1963–Present |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 18 in (457 mm) |
| Length | 1359 yards |
The Bicton Woodland Railway is a fun, small railway located in the beautiful Bicton Park Botanical Gardens in Devon, England. It's a special type of railway called a narrow gauge railway, which means its tracks are closer together than regular train tracks. This railway offers visitors a lovely ride through the park's amazing grounds.
Contents
A Journey Through Time: The Bicton Woodland Railway
The Bicton Woodland Railway was built in 1962. It was created to give visitors to Bicton House and its gardens an exciting new attraction. The railway officially opened its doors to passengers in 1963.
Where the Trains Came From
Many of the railway's first trains and carriages came from interesting places. For example, two of its first locomotives, named Woolwich and Carnegie, came from the Royal Arsenal Railway in Woolwich. Seven goods wagons from the same place were turned into passenger carriages for visitors to ride in.
Other parts of the railway's equipment came from the RAF Fauld railway and the internal railway of the LNWR Wolverton works. When the railway first started, its locomotives and carriages were painted a bright royal blue.
Changes Over the Years
In 1998, the Bicton Gardens, where the railway is located, were put up for sale. This meant the railway had to stop running for a while. The new owners of the gardens decided to sell the railway's original trains and equipment.
In 2000, the railway got a brand new train! It was a 5.5-tonne diesel engine designed to look like an old steam tank engine. The railway's original equipment was bought by a museum called the Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey.
Locomotives of the Bicton Woodland Railway
The Bicton Woodland Railway has had several interesting locomotives over the years. A locomotive is the part of the train that pulls the carriages. Here are some of the engines that have run on its tracks:
| Number | Name | Builder | Type | Date Built | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Woolwich | Avonside Engine Company | 0-4-0T (Steam Tank Engine) | 1916 | This engine used to work at the Royal Arsenal Railway. Now it is at the Statfold Barn Railway. |
| 2 | Bicton | Ruston and Hornsby | 4wDM (Four-Wheel Diesel Mechanical) | 1942 | This engine was originally built for a War Department storage depot. |
| 3 | Carnegie | Hunslet | 0-4-4-0DM (Diesel Mechanical) | 1954 | This engine also came from the Royal Arsenal Railway. It is now at the Statfold Barn Railway. |
| 4 | Sir Walter Raleigh | Alan Keef | 0-4-0DM (Diesel Mechanical, looks like steam) | 2000 | This engine was custom-built for the Bicton Woodland Railway. It looks like an old steam engine but runs on diesel. |
