Sanday Light Railway

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The Sanday Light Railway was a privately-owned minimum gauge railway on the island of Sanday, Orkney, Scotland.

The railway was of 7¼ in (184 mm) gauge, construction began in 2000 and the line closed at the end of 2006. It was the most northerly passenger carrying railway in the British Isles, and although it was primarily the owner's hobby it did achieve the status of a tourist attraction and local curiosity.

The railway sometimes ran one of its two steam locomotives, a 2-4-2 and a 2-4-0, but more often one of three petrol locomotives. The railway also owned a number of items of rolling stock, including a very rare Cromar White first-class carriage, of which only six were made [1].

Although trains had been operating occasionally in some form beforehand [2], the railway was officially opened to the public in August 2006 by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies [3] just a few months before the debacle of its closure associated with the owner being unable to keep his promise to hold Sir Peter's civil partnership ceremony there [4].

[edit] References

  1. ^ Julia Welstead. "Do the Locomotion with Charlie", The Scotsman, 4 March 2006. Retrieved on 2006-11-21. 
  2. ^ Sandra Towrie. "From Heat And Dust To Sanday Shores", Times Educational Supplement, 21 October 2005, p. 8. Retrieved on 2006-11-21. 
  3. ^ Mike Merritt. "Hell's Angel has one track mind", Daily Mail, 4 September 2006. Retrieved on 2006-11-21. 
  4. ^ David Lister (6 January 2007). Gay marriage of a royal master hits the buffers. The Times. Retrieved on 2007-01-28.

[edit] External links


Heritage railways of Scotland

Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway - Caledonian Railway at Brechin - Keith and Dufftown Railway - Leadhills and Wanlockhead Railway
Isle of Mull Railway - Royal Deeside Railway - Sanday Light Railway - Scottish Industrial Railway Centre - Strathspey Railway - Vale of Alford Railway
Heritage Railways: England - Scotland - Wales - Northern Ireland - Isle of Man - Channel Islands


Coordinates: 59.21957° N 2.69367° W

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