Ribble Steam Railway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ribble Steam Railway |
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Linda crossing the swing bridge
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| Locale | Preston, Lancashire, England |
| Terminus | Riversway |
| Commercial operations | |
| Name | Ribble Branch Line |
| Built by | North Union Railway |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Preserved operations | |
| Operated by | Ribble Steam Railway |
| Stations | 1 |
| Length | 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) |
| Preserved gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 1882 |
| Closed | 1990s |
| Preservation history | |
| Opened | 2005 |
The Ribble Steam Railway is a special kind of railway in Lancashire, United Kingdom. It's called a heritage railway because it keeps old trains and railway lines working for people to enjoy. It opened to visitors on 17 September 2005. The railway runs along the old Preston Docks, where ships used to load and unload goods.
The railway started by bringing many old trains from a museum that had closed down. This museum, called Steamport, was in Southport. The Ribble Steam Railway uses the old railway lines around Preston Dock. These lines were not used much after the docks closed. A group that wanted to save old trains moved to Preston in 1999. They started the Ribble Steam Railway in 2005. Their main base is at Preston Riverside. Trains run from there to Strand Road.
The Preston Riverside station is a bit far from Preston city centre. There are ideas to build a new station platform at Strand Road. This new spot would be closer to other public transport and walking paths. It would also be near the River Ribble.
Contents
How the Railway Began
The idea for this railway started a long time ago, in 1973. A place to save old trains opened in Southport. It was at an old engine shed. But keeping the shed was very expensive for the museum. So, they decided to move to a new place.
Preston Docks was chosen as the new home for the museum. Preston Docks had a huge network of railway tracks. These tracks were used to move goods around the docks. But when the docks closed, the railway lines were no longer used. The Southport Railway Museum finally closed in 1999.
The new site at Preston Docks was perfect for building new, large workshops, platforms, and a museum. The first building to open was the workshop in 2001. This meant that the old trains could be repaired and stored properly. Next to the workshop is a machine shop, which was built in 1978. At the other end of the workshop is the visitor centre. This building has the museum, a cafe, a shop, and the railway platform. The museum was finished in 2004. The railway has one of the biggest collections of old trains in the United Kingdom. They have 61 trains, with 55 of them usually on site.
What Visitors Can Do
The museum also offers train rides for visitors. You can ride from their station, Preston Riverside, to Strand Road Crossing and back. Trains usually run every hour. They are often pulled by a small steam engine or a diesel engine. The trains use old passenger coaches.
Future Plans for the Railway
There are plans to make the railway line longer. They want to extend it to the Ribble Link canal. This would add about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the line. However, these plans are not final yet. They need to find a lot of money to make this big project happen.
Strand Road Crossing
Strand Road Crossing is a place in Preston, Lancashire, where a railway line crosses a road. This railway line is mainly used for freight trains that go to Preston Docks. The Ribble Steam Railway's passenger rides end near this crossing. There is a plan to build a station here in the future.
Freight Trains at the Docks
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In 2015, the only regular freight trains carried bitumen. Bitumen is a thick, black substance used for things like making roads. These trains brought 15 tank wagons of bitumen from a place called Lindsey Oil Refinery three times a week. After crossing Strand Road, the main train engine would switch to empty wagons. A smaller diesel engine would then take the full wagons a short distance to a special siding near Preston Riverside station.
See also
- Riversway
- Riversway railway station
- Strand Road Crossing
- Preston
- List of transport museums
