The Strawberry Line is a 0.75-mile (1.21 km) length of 7+1⁄2 in (190.5 mm) gauge railway inside Avon Valley Country Park (near Keynsham). It was Britain's only commercial ground-level 5 in (127 mm) railway until it became a 7.5inch gauge in 2020; it is now dual-gauge so the 5 in remains.[1][2] As a conventional ridable miniature railway it provides train rides for visitors to the park now included in the price of admission since it was taken over by the park in 2018. It now runs mainly one train, a large electric mock steam train although it also owns a small electric one, a traditional steam and a larger petrol train. Since the refurbishment it is driven by the team of park rangers.
| Strawberry Line | |
|---|---|
_loco.jpg) | |
| Overview | |
| Locale | Avon Valley Country Park, Keynsham, England |
| Coordinates | 51°25′02″N 2°28′30″W / 51.4171°N 2.4749°W |
| History | |
| Opened | 1999 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 0.75 mi (1.21 km) |
| Track gauge | 5 in (127 mm) |
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History
editThe railway was started at the Avon Valley Country Park in May 1999, with the first trains running on a 150 feet (46 m) demonstration track.[3] A trackbed was roughed out in June and the first services ran on the new 900 feet (270 m) track in August 1999. A 60 feet (18 m) tunnel was added in 2003. since the parks takeover in 2018 it was converted to a dual gauge 5 inch and 7.5inch. since the refurbishment, the tunnel is now no longer used on the circuit and is now used as a storage tunnel but there are talks of using the old 5inch track and doing tunnel runs for a small extra cost as well as running the free main track so that the railway can generate some independent income for upkeep and repairs to track and trains. [4]
The railway
editAn area is set aside for the coaling and preparation of steam locomotives, including a fire-dropping pit.
The whole railway was resignalled by 2006[5] with track circuits replacing the treadle-operated signalling system. The signalling recreates the prototypical railway operational scenario, with signals not clearing unless the section ahead, or the intersecting line, is clear.
References
edit- ^ "The Strawberry Line – Avon Valley Country Park". Garden Railways UK. Archived from the original on 23 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2011. – embedded video is inactive on archived page
- ^ Ride On Railways
- ^ "Visit to the Strawberry Line Miniature Railway, Avon Valley Country Park, Keynsham, Tuesday 6th July 2010". Weston super Mare Railway Society. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- ^ "Strawberry Line Miniature Railway - The Railway". 2010. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
- ^ "About us". Strawberry Line. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
External links
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