Steam Trains with links to the Rudyard Lake railways

RUDYARD LAKE STEAM RAILWAY & MORE TRAINS

STEAM ENGINES AND TRAINS

The first steam engines and trains reappeared on 27th June 1978 at Rudyard Lake. The steam locomotive of the first miniature railway on the site was a model of the Leek and Manifold Light Railway engine ER Calthrop. This returned to visit in 2004.

Rudyard Lake Locomotives

The first narrow gauge railway only lasted a couple of years and the track bed returned to its slumbers. Then in 1985 Peter Hanton of Congleton started to develop the current Rudyard Lake railway.

The first of the steam engines to run on the current railway was Ivanhoe which dates from 1937 and was built by H.C.S. Bullock

Diesel engine Kingsley ran many of the early trains and is seen here in 1987. Its now privately owned and lives in Cheshire and is named Belle

Photos by Jim Hawksworth

The first narrow gauge steam engine used was River Churnet and it was built by the Exmoor Steam Railway in Devon and was supplied new to Rudyard Lake. It is one of a batch of 4 similar engines. It became the main locomotive in use until its sister engine Merlin arrived in April 2001.

Steam Engine River Churnet runs round its train at Hunthouse Wood in July 2000

Peter Hanton who had built the railway and latterly suffered from poor health then sold it in October 2000 to the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway Ltd. This company was formed for the purpose by enthusiasts to develop the railway. The company has embarked on a programme of refurbishment and expansion adding new carriages and locomotives.

River Churnet with 2 new carriages at Hunthouse Wood in December 2001

THE RAILWAY DESCRIBED

The railway is a single line of 10.25 inch gauge track 1.5 miles long. The Station at Rudyard is the main starting point and the location of the Locomotive & Carriage Shed. The old full size North Staffordshire Railway platform can now be seen again behind the our station. It is being fully cleared to bring it into use as a picnic/ waiting area.

The Railway runs Northwards climbing slowly for about 700 yards before arriving at the busiest intermediate station at the Dam. A passing loop was here at one time and may be reinstated. The railway then runs through a cutting alongside the lake for a short distance before emerging just above the East side of the Lake. The railway runs along on the level for the remainder of the journey. There is a passing loop at Lakeside Station almost at the half way point. The remainder of the journey follows the lake shore before arriving at Hunthousewood Station. The station has a low platform, runround loop, turntable, siding and a locomotive shed which was dismantled in 2002.

Merlin returns to Rudyard in August 2001

Steam locomotive Merlin heads back to Rudyard from Lakeside in August 2001.

Merlin is the second locomotive of its type to run at Rudyard. Click here for more information

Other Associated Railways

Miniature

There are several 7.25 inch gauge locomotives available to the railway for use on special days. Some of these should appear in future on a special track. They run with a matching set of 3 model Talyllyn railway carriages.

Dolgoch and Edward Thomas are models of Talyllyn Locomotives

These Rio Grande switchers were built by Roanoke of Bratton Fleming in Devon and are seen on the private Myerscough and Brock Railway in Lancashire. No. 50 is resident on the M & B railway and No.51 destined for a commercial line on the Fylde Coast.

Full Size Locomotives

There are is a full size engines available should the number of passengers reach the level where full size trains are needed!

No.22 Defiant is on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway at Skipton

Thomas the Tank Engine shown here being repaired is one of our steam engines closest friends and may come and visit them in the future. It started life as the saddle tank engine shown above and has been completely rebuilt. It is normally kept at Embsay near Skipton. Click here to see more information Thomas

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION (click on the links below)