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, UK. It's called a 'heritage railway' because it keeps old trains running. It opened on September 17, 2005, next to Preston Docks. The railway started by moving many trains from the old Southport Railway Museum. That museum used to be in an old engine shed in Southport.
The railway tracks around Preston Dock were not used much after the docks closed. A group that wanted to save old trains moved from Southport to Preston in 1999. They started the Ribble Steam Railway in 2005. Their main base is at Preston Riverside. They run trains as far as Strand Road.
The Riverside station is a bit far from Preston city centre. There are ideas to build a new platform at Strand Road. This new platform would be close to the Preston park and ride service. It would also be near the Guild Wheel walking trail and the River Ribble.
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How the Ribble Steam Railway Started
The idea for this railway began in 1973. A special centre opened in Southport to save old trains. It was in a former steam shed at Derby Road. But keeping up the shed became 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 has a huge network of railway tracks. These tracks used to serve the many docks and quays. But when the docks closed, the railway tracks were no longer used. The Southport Railway Museum finally closed in 1999.
Building the New Museum and Workshops
The project's new site at Preston Docks could be developed. It would have new, large workshops, platforms, and a museum. The first building to open was the workshop in 2001. Now, locomotives could be worked on inside. This gave them more space to fix and care for the trains.
Next to the workshop is the machine shop, which was built in 1978. At the other end of the workshop is the visitor centre. This building holds the museum, a cafe, a shop, and the railway platform. The museum was fully finished in 2004. The railway has one of the largest collections of locomotives in the United Kingdom. They have 61 locomotives, with 55 currently on site.
How the Railway Operates Today
The museum also runs passenger trains for visitors. These trains go from their own station, Preston Riverside, to Strand Road Crossing and back. Trains usually run every hour. They are often made up of two or more Mark 1 coaches. A small steam engine or a diesel engine pulls them.
Future Plans for the Railway
There have been plans to make the railway line longer. The idea is 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 yet final. They need a lot of money to make such a big project happen.
Strand Road Crossing Explained
Strand Road Crossing is a level crossing in Preston, Lancashire. A level crossing is where a railway track crosses a road. This crossing is on a railway line that is mostly used for freight trains. These trains serve Preston Docks. The Ribble Steam Railway ends right next to this crossing. There is a plan to build a station here in the future.
| Preceding station |  Heritage railways |
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preston Riverside | Ribble Steam Railway | Terminus | ||
Freight Trains at Strand Road
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Until January 2025, special freight trains used this line regularly. They delivered bitumen, a thick, black liquid used for roads. These trains had 15 tank wagons. They came from Lindsey Oil Refinery in Lincolnshire to a facility in Preston. This happened three times a week.
After crossing Strand Road, the train would go a short distance. The main locomotive would then switch to a train of empty wagons. A smaller diesel locomotive would take the full train to the Lanfina Siding. This siding is near Preston Riverside station. The bitumen was then pumped from the tankers to the facility. In January 2025, these deliveries stopped using trains and switched to road transport instead.
More to Explore
- Riversway
- Riversway railway station
- Strand Road Crossing
- Preston
- List of transport museums
