View source for Ribble Steam Railway

{{Short description|Heritage railway and museum in Lancashire, England}}
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{{More citations needed|date=August 2016}}
{{Update|date=June 2021}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Heritage Railway |
|name           = Ribble Steam Railway
|image_name     = Preston Docks Swing Bridge - Linda (Princess).JPG
|caption        = ''Linda'' crossing the swing bridge
|locale         = [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]], [[Lancashire]], England
|terminus       = Riversway
|builtby        = [[North Union Railway]]
|originalgauge  = {{Track gauge|uksg|allk=on}}
|preservedgauge = {{Track gauge|uksg|allk=on}}
|operator       = Ribble Steam Railway
|linename       = [[Ribble Branch Line]]
|stations       = 1
|length         = {{convert|1+1/2|mi|km}}
|originalopen   = {{Start date and age|1882|df=yes}}
|closed         = 1990s
|stageyears     = Opened
|stage          = 2005
|routemap       = 
}}
[[File:Strand Road - end of the line for the Ribble Steam Railway.JPG|thumb|The Ribble Steam railway terminus at Strand Road]]
{{Ribble Steam Railway RDT}}
The '''Ribble Steam Railway''' is a standard gauge [[Heritage railway|preserved railway]] in [[Lancashire]], in the United Kingdom.  It was opened to the public on 17 September 2005, running along [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] Docks. The railway began by housing much of the collection from the previously closed Southport Railway Museum (Steamport), which was based in the old [[Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway]] engine shed at [[Southport]] (BR shed code 27C).

The railway lines around Preston Dock largely fell into disuse after the closure of the docks. A preservation group that was operating in [[Southport]] relocated to Preston in 1999 and started operations as the Ribble Steam Railway in 2005. Its operations base is at {{stnlnk|Preston Riverside}} but they run trains as far as Strand Road although there is no facility for locomotives to run round their train here.

The Riverside station is quite a way from [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] city centre, but proposals have been made for a [[Railway platform|platform]] to be constructed at Strand Road.<ref>[[The Railway Magazine]] issue 1294, February 2009</ref> This would be close to the Portway terminus of the [[Preston park and ride]] service, [[National Cycle Route 622|Guild Wheel]] walking trail and the [[River Ribble]].

==History==
The project was first started in 1973, a preservation centre opened in [[Southport]], on the former [[Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway]] steam shed at [[Southport Derby Road MPD|Derby Road]].{{Cn|date=February 2023}} However, the shed was becoming a costly burden to handle for the museum, so a relocation scheme was started.{{Cn|date=February 2023}} [[Riversway|Preston Docks]] was chosen as the new location for the museum. [[Riversway|Preston Docks]] has a large railway network, that used to serve the vast docks and quays. But when the docks closed, the railway was not used. The project finally closed the Southport Railway Museum in 1999.{{Cn|date=February 2023}}

The project's new site now could be re-developed with new large workshops, [[Riversway railway station|platforms]] and a museum. The first building to open was the workshop, in 2001.<ref>[http://www.ribblesteam.org.uk/ RSR history page]</ref> Locomotives could now go into the building, and more space could now be utilised. Next to the workshop, is the machine shop, built in 1978. At the other end of the workshop is the visitor centre, which contains the museum, cafe, shop and [[Riversway railway station|railway platform]]. The museum was finally completed in 2004. The collection of locomotives (61, one on loan from the National Railway Museum, one from the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust. 55 are currently on site.), is one of the largest collection of locomotives in the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>[[The Railway Magazine]] issue 1294, February 2009</ref>

==Operations==
The museum also operates passenger services to [[Strand Road Crossing]] and back, from its own station – [[Riversway railway station|Preston Riverside]]. The frequency of its trains is hourly, and are usually made up of two or more [[British Rail Mark 1|Mark 1]] coaches and a small steam engine or diesel engine.<ref>[http://www.visitlancashire.com/site/things-to-do/ribble-steam-railway-p20641 Visit Lancashire information on the train services]</ref>

==Future==
There have also been plans to extend the railway to the [[Ribble Link]] canal. The route would offer 1.5 miles extra to the line, although plans for this have not been finalised as major funding streams need to be found, in order to raise the huge amount of funds required for such a significant project.<ref>[[The Railway Magazine]] issue 1294, February 2009</ref>

==Strand Road Crossing==
[[File:Red Flag man - geograph.org.uk - 829477.jpg|thumb|265px|A train crossing Strand Road towards the docks in 1989]]
'''Strand Road Crossing''' ({{coord|53|45|21|N|2|43|3|W|type:railwaystation_region:GB_source:wikimapia|display=inline}}) is a level crossing in Preston, Lancashire. It is situated on a freight-only branch line from [[Preston railway station]] which is used by trains serving Preston Docks. The Ribble Steam Railway terminates adjacent to the level crossing and it is proposed that a station should be built on the site.
{{heritage rail start}}
{{rail line|previous={{stnlnk|Preston Riverside}}|route=Ribble Steam Railway|col=800000}}
{{rail end}}

===Freight traffic===
[[File:Preston Riverside - Ribble Rail 'Enterprise' (NS663).JPG|thumb|left|A Ribble Rail locomotive and bitumen tank wagons]]
The only regular freight traffic on the line was to deliver bitumen, transported using a consist of 15 tank wagons from [[Lindsey Oil Refinery]], [[Lincolnshire]] to [[TotalEnergies|Total's]] Preston facility, three times weekly. After crossing the road it was taken a short distance to a group of three railway tracks. The main line locomotive switches to a train of empty wagons while a small diesel locomotive takes the full train on to the Lanfina Siding which is adjacent to Lockside Road near [[Preston Riverside railway station|Preston Riverside station]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Bituemn Trail|url=https://ribblesteam.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/the-bitumen-trail/|website=Chuffs, Puffs and Whistles|date=23 December 2011 |access-date=20 October 2015}}</ref> The Lanfina sidings are located across the road (Chain Caul Way) from Total's Bitumen works at Lanfina house, where product was pumped from the tankers to the facility via an overhead gantry. This practice came to an end in January 2025, when deliveries switched to road transport. 
{{clearleft}}

==See also==
* [[Riversway]]
* [[Riversway railway station]]
* [[Strand Road Crossing]]
* [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]]
* [[List of transport museums]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Ribble Steam Railway}}
* {{official website|http://www.ribblesteam.org.uk/}}
* [http://www.prestondocks.co.uk/ribble_steam.html Information on the railway], Preston Docks 
* [http://davidandrew.fotopic.net/c702342.html Pictures of the railway]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [https://www.youtube.com/results?aq=8&search_query=ribble+steam+railway&search_type=&hl=en-GB&oq=ribble videos of the Ribble Steam Railway], YouTube
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XZsTaq2EEw Strand Road Crossing] - YouTube clips of train crossing

{{Heritage railways in England}}
{{City of Preston culture}}

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[[Category:Ribble Steam Railway| ]]
[[Category:Heritage railways in Lancashire]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Preston, Lancashire]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1882]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 2005]]
[[Category:Museums in Preston, Lancashire]]
[[Category:Transport in Preston, Lancashire]]
[[Category:Railway museums in England]]