Wales West Light Railway
 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | 30°30′10″N 87°47′13″W / 30.50278°N 87.78694°W Silverhill, Alabama |
| Dates of operation | 2001–present |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 2 ft (610 mm) |
| Length | 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) |
| Other | |
| Website | Wales West Light Railway |
The Wales West Light Railway is a 1.6-kilometre (1 mi)[1] 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge tourist railway in Silverhill, Alabama owned by Ann and Ken Zadnichek.[1] It is built to simulate a Welsh narrow gauge railway.[1][2] The railway and associated RV park host over 30,000 visitors annually.[1]
Rolling stock
[edit]Locomotives
[edit]Dame Ann
[edit]
Dame Ann is an 11,700-pound[1] 0-4-2ST steam locomotive built by Exmoor Steam Railway[2] in Bratton Fleming, England.[1][2] Her steam trials were completed at the Launceston Steam Railway in Cornwall.[2] She was delivered to the Wales West Light Railway in 2004.[1][2] Dame Ann is based on the Penrhyn Port Class locomotive built by Hunslet Engine Company in the 19th century.[2] At the time of her construction, she was the first Port Class Hunslet engine built in 83 years.[1][2]
Gareth
[edit]
Gareth is a Simplex 40S[3] diesel locomotive built by British locomotive-building company Motor Rail in the mid 1960s.[2] The two thousand pound locomotive was purchased from Alan Keef Ltd for use in the construction of the Wales West Light Railway.[2] Gareth originally featured steam out-line body and had been used to pull a single car train in Scotland.[2] His new owners replaced the steam out-line body with a body modeled after the Simplex-type diesels produced by Alan Keef in the 1980s.[2]
Passenger cars
[edit]Passenger cars on the Wales West Light Railway are replicas based on plans dating to the 19th century.[2] They are built of wood over steel frames with wheels imported from England, and are equipped with modern air brakes.[2]
7.5-inch railway
[edit]Wales West Light Railway also operates a shorter 7.5" gauge miniature ridable railway.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h Struck, Taylor Peyton. "All aboard! Wales West Light Railway offers an Alabama twist on a British tradition". AL.com. Alabama Media Group. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Wales West Light Railway official website". Wales West Light Railway. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- ^ "Simplex Locomotives". Simplex 40S Locomotive. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
External links
[edit]
- Heritage railroads in Alabama
- Narrow gauge railroads in Alabama
- 2 ft gauge railways in the United States
- 7½ in gauge railways in the United States
- Transportation in Baldwin County, Alabama
- Museums in Baldwin County, Alabama
- Railroad museums in Alabama
- Railway lines opened in 2004
- Railway services introduced in 2004
- Tourist attractions in Baldwin County, Alabama
- Baldwin County, Alabama