Industrial Railways

The very first railways were built by British industry, and at their height private industrial railways could be found all over Britain, moving mined and quarried raw materials, finished goods and much else. This is their story.

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Since the dawn of the railways, away from the glamour of the main line express, thousands of miles of industrial railway moved raw materials and finished products. From sewage works to sugar factories, all manner of industries were served. These sometimes employed dozens of locomotives, or in other cases simply a horse or a petrol tractor.

The Beckton gas works in London ran a massive railway, complete with locomotive roundhouse and signals, while the ironstone industry of the East Midlands operated on the edge of fields. It can be said that one was never more than a mile or two from an industrial railway, though often its existence might not have been well known. A corncucopia of locomotives provided power, while a fantastic array of specialist wagons moved all manner of goods. A few industrial lines have survived as heritage attractions, and one is even a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

This book is part of the Britain’s Heritage series, which provides definitive introductions to the riches of Britain’s past, and is the perfect way to get acquainted with Industrial Railways in all their variety.