Alderney Railway
| Alderney Railway | |
|
Bailiwick of Guernsey | |
|---|---|
 Elizabeth and old London Underground cars | |
| Location: | 49°43’5"N, 2°12’0"W |
| No. of stations: | 2 |
| Track: | 2 miles |
| Information | |
| Website: | alderneyrailway.com |
The Alderney Railway on Alderney is the only railway in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, and the only working railway in the Channel Islands: the one other railway on the islands is a standard gauge railway at the Pallot Heritage Steam Museum on Jersey, which provides no actual transport link, only pleasure rides.
The Alderney Railway opened in 1847 to supply the fortifications of the island, but today runs as a heritage railway, on a track of about two miles, mostly following a coastal route, from Braye Road to Mannez Quarry and Lighthouse.
The railway is run by volunteers and usually operates during summer weekends and bank holidays.
There are but two stations on the line:
- Mannez Quarry
- Braye Road
History
War Office and Admiralty
The railway was built by the British Government in the 1840s and opened in 1847. Its original purpose was to carry stone from the eastern end of the island to build the breakwater and the Victorian era forts. Later the running of the line was assumed by the Admiralty.
There were three Royal visits by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to Alderney. On the first on 8 August 1854, the Royal couple rode on the railway, a horse drawn tender.
The line ran a variety of locomotives over the years.
Channel Islands Granite Co Ltd
The Channel Islands Granite Co Ltd took the railway over in 1923, together with locomotives No.1 and No.2. No.1 was returned to England and replaced by Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST Nitro.
German occupation
During the German occupation of 1940-1945 the island was evacuated of its residents. The Germans lifted part of the standard gauge line and replaced it with a metre gauge line, worked by two Feldbahn 0-4-0 diesel locomotives.
Two locomotives, No.2 and Nitro, were commandeered by the Germans and are believed to have been shipped to Cherbourg in 1943 or 1944.
Post-War Restoration
After the War, the line was restored to standard gauge in 1947-1949 and the following stock was used:
- Sentinel 4wVBT Molly, in service from 1947, withdrawn 1958. May have been converted to a mobile sand-blaster, which was still extant in 1980.[1]
- Cowans Sheldon steam crane
- Ruston & Hornsby 0-4-0 diesel Molly II
Alderney Railway Co Ltd
In 1980, the railway was taken over by a volunteer company, the Alderney Railway Co Ltd, which continues to run the line. They operated from 1982 a Bagnall 0-4-0ST J.T. Daly, in service 1982, which was later shipped to the Pallot Heritage Steam Museum on Jersey.
Rolling stock
The current stock on the line consists of:
- Former London Underground 1959 Tube Stock cars nos. 1044 and 1045;[2]
- A Vulcan Drewry 0-4-0 diesel locomotive no. D100 Elizabeth;
- A Ruston & Hornsby 0-4-0 diesel Molly II; and
- Six Wickham rail cars.
Molly II is in the course of acquisition, after which it will be fitted with a modified coupler system, so she can haul the London Underground stock.
References
- ↑ (Photo) Sentinel 4wVBT converted to a mobile sand-blaster (1980)
- ↑ 'Enthusiasts visit Alderney Railway': The Railway Magazine, October 2008 (page 80) [Volume 154, issue 1,290 ISSN0033-8923
- Railways of the Channel Islands, A Pictorial Survey compiled by C Judge, published by The Oakwood Press 1992, ISBN 0-85361-432-6
Outside links
- Alderney Railway
- A fan's website
- Photographs of Channel Islands railways (including Alderney)
- Rail 608 December 31st 2008 magazine pages 68-69 feature on the Alderney Railway
- The Alderney Breakwater by M. Swift a detailed account in THE INDUSTRIAL RAILWAY RECORD No. 52 - pages 170-173 FEBRUARY 1974 issue