Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway
£12.99
Stock type: -
Stock reference: 28.002
£12.99
Stock type: -
Stock reference: 28.002
The L&MVLR serving delightful rural Staffordshire was anything but a conventional British narrow gauge railway. E R Calthrop was intent upon promoting narrow gauge railways to open up the Empire and applied his design principals to the L&MVR so that it could act as the proving ground for his concepts.
The locomotives and bogie goods wagons were relatively successful and formed the basis of designs later used in India. The bright yellow passenger carriages were very popular but were somewhat heavy, so limiting the amount of vehicles that could form the train.
Probably the most unusual feature for a British line was the sight of short lengths of standard gauge track at various locations along this narrow gauge railway. These were for parking standard gauge wagons which were carried to and from Waterhouses on top of specially constructed transporter wagons.
In 1923 when the railways were grouped together the L&MVR found itself part of the London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS), who attempted to develop traffic on the line before finally deciding upon its closure.
Today the line forms a footpath and cycleway through charming countryside between Waterhouses and the former terminus at Hulme End. Many visitors take torches with them when walking the line in order to light their way through the short tunnel which is part way along the former line.
By Keith Turner
Paperback. 235 x 165 mm. 96 pages
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