In railway terminology, track gauge indicates the distance between the inside edges of the running rails. Standard gauge is defined as , and narrow gauge as any gauge less than that distance.
In Britain, standard gauge is used for all main line routes and the majority of urban light rail. Narrow gauge railways were constructed mainly where there was a need for tighter curves, smaller structure gauges, and lighter rails, as they could be less costly to build, equip and operate than standard gauge railways (particularly in mountainous or difficult terrain).
Narrow gauge railways in Britain used various gauges. was relatively uncommon; in his book Railway Adventure, L. T. C. Rolt states that apart from the Talyllyn, the only public railways to use the gauge were the Corris and Campbeltown and Machrihanish railways. However there were several private railways, including mine and quarry railways, which used the gauge.
List of 2 ft 3 in gauge railways This list, whilst incomplete, details all railways that are believed to have used gauge at some point during their existence.
United Kingdom NameOpenedClosedLengthLocationNotesCampbeltown and Machrihanish Light Railway18771932 Mull of Kintyre, ScotlandRemote line serving coal mines and passengers on the Kintyre peninsula.Caphouse Colliery1988presentNational Coal Mining Museum, WakefieldDemonstration funicular railway.Corris Railway (original)18591948 Machynlleth, WalesBuilt to carry slate from the Corris district. Closed after flooding of the Afon Dyfi.Corris Railway (preserved)2002presentCorris, WalesRuns from to with new build steam locomotives based on two of the original locomotives.Galltymoelfre TramwayAbergynolwyn, WalesA horse-drawn tramway that connected Bryn Eglwys quarry to the Talyllyn Railway via an incline at each end.Glasgow Royal Infirmary RailwayGlasgow, ScotlandRailway underground in the basement of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Operated by a battery-electric locomotive, and carried laundry. Closed following an accident in 1920, but sections of rail are still visible in the basement.Glyn Valley TramwayUnder constructionpresentunknownChirkPart of the former tramway is being rebuilt as a 2' 3" gauge line at Chirk in North Wales.Hendra China Stone Quarry1860safter 1967UnknownNanpean, EnglandInternal quarry tramway system with cable hauled inclines.Huncoat CollieryUnknown1968?Colliery closed 1968. UnknownHuncoat, EnglandNational Coal Board mine railway. One diesel was sold to the Talyllyn Railway, and runs as No. 9 Alf.Lord quarryUnknownUnknownBlaenau FfestiniogThere is evidence that Lord quarry (later part of the Votty & Bowydd quarry complex) and other North Wales slate quarries used 2 ft 3 in gauge tramways in the 1820s.Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway18971899Talybont, WalesShort-lived line serving the lead mines around Hafan.Ratgoed Tramway18641952Aberllefenni, WalesA horse-drawn tramway connected to the Corris Railway.Quarry Close China Stone Works18631973UnknownNanpean, EnglandA network of lines connecting several quarries to the GWR branch line from Drinnick Mill.Talyllyn Railway1865presentTywyn, WalesBuilt to carry slate from Bryn Eglwys quarry to the coast.Upper Corris Tramway18591927Corris, WalesA horse-drawn tramway connected to the Corris Railway.York Gasworks Company19151959York, EnglandElectrified railway, operated by a locomotive built by Dick, Kerr & Co.
United States NameOpenedClosedLengthLocationNotesJazwieck’s Golfette and Trainland19551994unknownEverett, WashingtonAttraction at a mall, built using ex-mining equipment.
Similar gauges A number of gauge railways existed in Latvia, the Netherlands and Romania, as well as on several Cuban sugar cane railways.
Other British railways of similar, but not identical, gauge were: Snailbeach District Railways, gauge Welbeck Colliery, Nottinghamshire, gauge, which closed in 2010. Glyn Valley Tramway, gauge
See also British narrow-gauge railways
Notes
References