The Knebworth and Winter Green Railway was a narrow gauge railway built in the grounds of Knebworth House in 1972 as a tourist attraction.

The railway was built by Pleasurerail Ltd. a company set up to build and operate private tourist railways which included the Great Whipsnade Railway and also the line at Blenheim Palace. In 1971, they started construction on a railway in the grounds of Knebworth House near Stevenage. The initial line was an end-to-end layout running from the house to the adventure playground. In 1980, the track was extended to form a mile-long continuous loop.

During its existence, the line hosted a number of steam and diesel locomotives. The line continued to run until 1990 when it was lifted and the remaining stock transferred to other lines

Locomotives

These are the locomotives that stayed at Knebworth for extended periods. Not all ran there at the same time and the exact dates when they were present are not always known.

NameBuilderWorks No.BuiltTypeOperating periodNotesTriassicPeckett12701911on site 1979Now at the Bala Lake RailwaySezela No. 4Avonside17381915Arrived in 1972Now at the Leighton Buzzard Light RailwayNo. 1Hunslet14291922Arrived in 1972Now named Lady Joan and at the Bredgar and Wormshill Light RailwayLillaHunslet5541891Arrived in 1972Now on the Ffestiniog Railway.Sezela No. 2Hunslet17201915Now in the private collection of Nick Williams.Sao Domingos Orenstein & Koppel117841925on site 1979Static display only at Knebworth. Moved to South Tynedale Railway in 1980. Now restored to working order at the Great Bush RailwayPedemouraOrenstein & KoppelNow at the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway after spending many years at the Welsh Highland Heritage RailwayNo.3Motor Rail87171941On site 1987Dismantled and converted into a brake vanNo. 6 Horatio Ruston & Hornsby2179671942On site 1987Moved first to the Stoke Place Railway in Buckinghamshire, then to the Devon Railway Centre.No.4Motor Rail89951946On site 1987Dismantled and converted into a brake vanNo. 2 Motor Rail215131955On site 1987 No.5 Sir Tom Motor Rail40S2731966On site 1987Moved first to the Stoke Place Railway in Buckinghamshire, then to the Devon Railway Centre.

References

See also British narrow gauge railways