Tourist and Enthusiast Railways

South East

Locomotives Stepney and Newport
approaching Ashey on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway
(Photo © 2001 Tony Pearce)

Amberley Chalk Pits Railway

Amberley, near Arundel. Part of the Amberley Working Museum. Amberley to Cragside, about ½ mile (0.8 km). 2 ft (610 mm) gauge. Steam and diesel hauled.

Bluebell Railway

Sheffield Park (near Uckfield) to Kingscote (near East Grinstead): 8½ miles (13.9 km). Proposed extension to East Grinstead, a further 2 miles (3.2 km). Possible future branch line from Horsted Keynes to Ardingly, 2¼ miles (3.6 km). Standard gauge. Steam hauled. Dining trains operate at certain times.

Bredgar & Wormshill Railway

Bredgar, near Sittingbourne. A private railway open to the public typically one Sunday each month during the summer and autumn. Warren Wood to Stony Shaw, about 600 yards (560 m). 2 ft (610 mm) gauge. Usually steam hauled.

Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway

Chinnor to Thame Junction (near Princes Risborough): 3½ miles (5.6 km). Proposed service into Princes Risborough over national network lines. Proposed extension from Chinnor to Aston Rowant, a further 2½ miles (4 km). Standard gauge. Steam and diesel hauled.

Cholsey & Wallingford Railway

Wallingford to Cholsey. 2½ miles (4 km). Standard gauge. Usually diesel hauled with occasional visiting steam locomotives.

The Dockyard Railway

at the Historic Dockyard, Chatham. Standard gauge. Passengers ride in open freight wagons hauled by steam or diesel locomotives. Operates typically one or two weekends each month.

East Kent Railway

Shepherds Well (near the South Eastern Trains station) to Eythorne: 1½ miles (2.5 km). Standard gauge. Diesel hauled or diesel railcars. A steam locomotive is in the course of restoration.

Eastleigh Lakeside Railway

Lakeside Park, near Southampton Airport. 10¼ / 7¼ in (260 / 184 mm) dual gauge miniature railway a little over ¾ mile (1.3 km) in length. Steam hauled.

Exbury Steam Railway

in Exbury Gardens, near Southampton. 12¼ (311 mm) gauge railway about 1¼ miles (2 km) in length. Steam hauled.

Folkestone

Leas Cliff: cliff railway with a rise of 100 feet (30 m). (No website located at present)

Great Cockcrow Railway

Lyne (near Chertsey). 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge miniature railway with lines totalling over 1 mile (1.8 km) in length. Steam Hauled.

Hastings

Two cliff railways, East Cliff and West Cliff. East Cliff is the higher of the two, with a rise of 208 feet (63 m), and has the distinction of being the steepest cliff railway in the UK, with a gradient of 1 in 1.28 (78%). At the time of writing (May 2008) the East Cliff railway was temporarily closed for repairs. (No website located at present)

Hayling Seaside Railway

Hayling Island. Beachlands to Eastoke Corner: a little over 1 mile (1.8 km). 2 ft (610 mm) gauge. Diesel hauled, although one locomotive has a steam locomotive outline.

Hollycombe Steam Collection

Liphook. Narrow gauge railway about 1½ miles (2.4 km) in length. Usually steam hauled. The line is laid to 2 ft (610 mm) gauge, although the steam locomotives used were built to 600 mm gauge. There is also a 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge miniature railway, about 400 yards (365 m) in length; and a short standard gauge railway, although the latter is currently not in use pending repairs to the locomotive.

Hythe Pier Railway

Hythe Promenade to Pier Head, about 640 yards (585 m). 2 ft (610 mm) gauge, electric hauled. Advertised as “the oldest pier railway in the world.” Operates in connection with the Hythe Ferry to Southampton (No website located at present, although the Ferry website does contain some information)

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Isle of Wight, Smallbrook Junction (connecting with South West Trains) to Wootton: 4¾ miles (7.6 km). Standard gauge. Steam hauled.

Kent & East Sussex Railway

Tenterden to Bodiam (near Robertsbridge): 10 miles (16 km). Standard gauge. Steam hauled. Dining trains operate at certain times.

Lavender Line

Isfield (near Uckfield) to Dingley Dell: ¾ mile (1.2 km). Standard gauge. Usually steam hauled. A diesel railcar is in the course of preservation.

Malden & District Society of Model Engineers

Thames Ditton. Society site open to the public typically one day each month during the summer. Two miniature railways: a 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge line about 550 yards (503 m) in length, and a 3½ in (89 mm) gauge line about 500 yards (457 m) in length. Steam and diesel hauled.

Marwells Wonderful Railway

15 in (381 mm) gauge railway in the Marwell Zoological Park near Winchester. Diesel hauled, steam outline locomotive (Website includes little information relating to railway)

Mizens Railway

Woking. 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge miniature railway with two circuits totalling nearly 1 mile (1.5 km) in length.

Moors Valley Railway

Although this line has a Hampshire postal address, it is actually located in Dorset. Please see Tourist and Enthusiast Railways - South West

Old Kiln Light Railway

at the Rural Life Centre, Tilford (near Farnham). Old Kiln to Waverley End, about 350 yards (320 m). 2 ft (610 mm) gauge. Steam and diesel hauled.

Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway

Hythe to Dungeness (Romney Marsh): 13½ miles (21.7 km). 15 in (381 mm) gauge. Steam and diesel hauled.

Royal Victoria Railway

Royal Victoria Country Park, Netley (near Southampton): 10¼ in (260 mm) gauge miniature railway with nearly 2½ miles (4 km) of track. Steam and diesel hauled.

Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway

Viaduct station, Sittingbourne to Kemsley Down: 1½ miles (2.6 km). The railway originally served an adjacent paper mill. 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge. Steam hauled

Spa Valley Railway

West station, Tunbridge Wells to Groombridge: 3 miles (4.8 km). Proposed extension to Eridge, a further 2 miles (3.2km). Eridge station is also served by Southern trains. Standard gauge. Steam and diesel hauled.

Swanley New Barn Railway

Swanley Park, Swanley: 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge miniature railway a little over ½ mile (0.9 km) in length. Steam and diesel hauled.

Volk's Railway

Brighton. Pioneering electric railway still operating after over 100 years along 1 mile (1.6 km) of seafront. 2ft 8½in (825mm) gauge.

Watercress Line

Alton to Alresford: 10 miles (16 km). Standard gauge. Steam and diesel hauled. Dining trains operate at certain times.

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© 2000-2008 Glyn Williams