Burneside Paper Mills Tramway
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The Burneside Tramway was initially an industrial railway a mile and a half long serving the James Cropper paper mills around Burneside in Westmorland.[1] It was build as a narrow gauge line, at a 3' 6" gauge, and later converted to standard gauge.
History
The tramway was built in 1879-80 as a 3ft 6inch gauge line to connect the paper mills run by James Cropper and Co in Burneside and Cowan Head. Wagons were hauled by horse power.
In 1924, the track was converted to standard gauge, and in the same year, the Motor Rail and Tram Car Company in Bedford provided an 0-4-0 Dorman Petrol locomotive called Rachel which was used to transfer wagons between the mill and Burneside railway station.[2] In 1951 Rachel was replaced by a diesel Rushton.[3]
The line to Cowan Head closed in 1965, with the section between Burneside Mill and Burneside railway station still operating until it closed in 1974.[4]
Rachel has survived and is preserved at the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway. The Rushton was named Flying Flea at Carnforth before moving south to Sir William McAlpine's Fawley Hill Railway.
References
- ↑ Joy, David: 'A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: The Lake Counties' (David and Charles, 1983) page 231 ISBN 9780946537020
- ↑ 'Rachel' - The Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway
- ↑ Burneside Paper Mill - Industrial History
- ↑ James Cropper PLC Annual Reports 2010
