Lappa Valley Steam Railway

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

The Lappa Valley Railway is a Script error: No such module "Track gauge".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". minimum-gauge railway located near Newquay in Cornwall. The railway functions as a tourist attraction, running from Benny Halt (Script error: No such module "Coordinates".) to East Wheal Rose (Script error: No such module "Coordinates".), where there is a leisure area with two miniature railways.

History

Treffry's Tramway

In 1843, Joseph Treffry suggested building a tramway between Par and Newquay, with a branch line to the East Wheal Rose silver lead mine, which at the time was entering its most prosperous period. Treffry spent six years trying to overcome public opposition to the tramway and was forced to modify his intended route. The Treffry Tramways were eventually built from Newquay to St. Dennis with the branch line to East Wheal Rose, and the first load of ore left East Wheal Rose on 26 February 1849 in horse-drawn tubs. 1874 saw the Treffry's network of tramways taken over by the Cornwall Minerals Railway, who introduced steam locomotives to the line.

Great Western Railway

File:Lappa valley steam railway 2.JPG
Script error: No such module "Track gauge".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". gauge train at East Wheal Rose

The Great Western Railway took over the Cornish Minerals Railway in 1896, and incorporated the East Wheal Rose branch into a new railway from Newquay to Chacewater via. Perranporth. This new railway was opened in 1905, and enabled passengers to reach the market town of Truro much quicker than they had before. The Newquay to Chacewater branch line also proved popular for holidaymakers. The railway closed on 4 February 1963 under the Beeching cuts.

Lappa Valley Steam Railway

The Lappa Valley Steam Railway was established by Eric Booth in the 1970s. The trackbed was cleared of the thick undergrowth that had grown since the closure of the railway in 1963, and Script error: No such module "Track gauge".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". gauge track was laid for Script error: No such module "convert". between Benny Halt and East Wheal Rose. A brand new steam locomotive Zebedee was built for the line by Severn Lamb, arriving in early 1974 with 4 locally-built carriages. The railway opened to the public on 16 June 1974. A large boating lake was dug at East Wheal Rose in 1975 to drain the area, and the whole East Wheal Rose area landscaped. More locomotives arrived from Longleat in 1976, with more carriages also being built at the time. In the 1970s a Template:RailGauge gauge railway was laid around a smaller boating lake, whilst a third railway, of Script error: No such module "Track gauge".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". gauge, running a further Script error: No such module "convert". along the old trackbed was opened in May 1995.

In 2014 a new owner acquired the railway and made various improvements. A new visitor attraction called the 'Engine Shed' opened in 2021.

The route of Lappa Valley

East Wheal Rose

At East Wheal Rose, the Script error: No such module "Track gauge".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". gauge Newlyn Branch Line and Script error: No such module "Track gauge".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". gauge Woodland Railway depart from the top station on the Newlyn Branch Line, where there is another children's play area.

There are two lakes, the biggest being the boating lake, the second smaller lake being the wildlife lake, a crazy golf course and many children's play areas. Also there are a gift shop and licensed café, and a brick path maze depicting the first steam locomotive built by Richard Trevithick, along with many walks through the valley.

Stocklist

Number Name Gauge Type Builder Built Origin Notes
1 Zebedee Template:RailGauge 0-6-4Template:Whyte suffix Severn Lamb 1974 Built for Lappa Valley
File:A miniature train at Lappa Valley Steam Railway (geograph 2544593).jpg
Rebuilt from 0-6-2Template:Whyte suffix in 1990.
2 Muffin Template:RailGauge 0-6-0Template:Whyte suffix Berwyn Engineering 1967 Longleat House
File:Muffin at East Wheal Rose Station on 23rd May 2015.jpg
Arrived in 1976
3 Ruby Template:RailGauge 0-4-2Template:Whyte suffix Exmoor Steam Railway 1997 Formerly named Dennis, built for Brocklands Adventure Park Arrived July 2015
4 Ellie Template:RailGauge 0-4-2Template:Whyte suffix Exmoor Steam Railway 2006 Originally built for a private line, was regauged from 12 1/4 inch gauge
File:Elliecover.jpg
Ellie seen during the winter of 2021
Arrived August 2017
50 City of Truro Template:RailGauge B-B DH Alan Keef Ltd 2023 Built for Lappa Valley [1]

[2]

City of Derby Template:RailGauge BR Class 23 'Baby Deltic' Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway 2003 Markeaton Park Light Railway Arrived September 2016
Arthur Template:RailGauge 0-4-0DM RA Lister and Company 1952 Worked at Longleat for a number of years Works Number 20698
Duke of Cornwall Template:RailGauge 4w-4wPH Severn Lamb 1981 Carlyon Bay, St Austell
Eric Template:RailGauge 0-6-0Template:Whyte suffix Alan Keef 2008 Built for Lappa Valley Named after the founder of Lappa Valley
The Duke Template:RailGauge 0-6-0Template:Whyte suffix Alan Keef 2014 Built for the Wells Harbour Railway Arrived in 2021
Howard Template:RailGauge 0-6-0Template:Whyte suffix Alan Keef 2005 Built for the Wells Harbour Railway
File:Poole Park Railway "Howard" locomotive - September 2023 - 02.jpg
Arrived in 2021. Steam Outline.
Template:RailGauge 4-4wPH Mardyke 1980 HST
Template:RailGauge 4w+4wPH Mardyke 1982 Model of Advanced Passenger Train

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

  1. Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  2. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

External links

Script error: No such module "Portal". Template:Sister project

Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:15 inch gauge railways