The Lea Bailey Light Railway is a narrow-gauge heritage railway in the United Kingdom. It is built on the site of the Bailey Level Gold Mine.
An attempt was made in 2003 by the owners of Clearwell Caves to open the mine as a tourist attraction, but this was ultimately unsuccessful. In 2012, a small group from the Royal Forest of Dean Caving Club discovered the mine and a quantity of disused railway equipment and proposed to the owners that a volunteer-led project could start work on restoring the site. As of 2014, two locomotives and a number of wagons have been moved to Lea Bailey from storage at Clearwell Caves or the nearby Hawthorn Tunnel.
Part of the railway is laid on the trackbed of the disused Mitcheldean Road & Forest of Dean Junction Railway.
In 2013 the Lea Bailey Light Railway Society was formed; its members act as volunteers, undertaking all aspects of work on the site. A regular free newsletter is produced and sent out by e-mail.
Locomotives NameTypeBuilderWorks numberDate builtArrived at Lea BaileyNotes Motor Rail 21282 1964 September 1993 Supplied to brickworks at Kempston Hardwick, then purchased by Alan Keef and sold to the Meirion Mill Railway in 1975. Returned to Alan Keef in late 1976, was sold on a peatworks where it worked until 1989. Then went to Lea Bailey. compressed air locomotive Eimco 401–216 Ex-mining contractor in British Columbia. Re-gauged from gauge.
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References
External links
Website of the Lea Bailey Light Railway Lea Bailey Light Railway on Facebook