Hello All,

        While at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway at Wirksworth in
Derbyshire on Saturday there was some discussion as to which UK
preserved line has the steepest incline passed for passenger use.

        This arose as the Wirksworth line should see passenger service
commence on the 3rd. of September up into the former quarry area at
Ravenstor.  This section is mostly at 1 in 30 with, I gather, a short
bit at 1 in 27.  The plan is to use the 'Castle Donington' tank loco
propelling a DMU trailer car up to the new platform in the quarry.

        I know that the Foxfield line has a much steeper stretch but I
am unsure if that is passed for passengers.  

        Are there steeper lines in existence?  (Worked by adhesion stock
of course!)

        Thanks,

                Richard Buckby

                        Ambergate, Derbyshire
-- 
Richard Buckby

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 07:35:16 +0100, Richard Buckby
 wrote:


>
>Hello All,
>
>        While at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway at Wirksworth in
>Derbyshire on Saturday there was some discussion as to which UK
>preserved line has the steepest incline passed for passenger use.


 Not sure of the gradients but I guess  the top section of the North
York Moors Railway has the longest haul between two stations.
The Severn Valley Railway has a steep bit or two.

(I have always wanted to know how steep it is between Exeter St Davids
and Exeter Central..mainline)
Cheers RN

Robin Nicholson wrote:

>(I have always wanted to know how steep it is between Exeter St Davids
>and Exeter Central..mainline)


1:37

Neil Sunderland
-- 
Braunton, Devon
Please observe the Reply-To address.

NP: Squeeze - Up the Junction

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 06:35:16 UTC, Richard Buckby 
wrote:

: This section is mostly at 1 in 30 with, I gather, a short
: bit at 1 in 27. 

:         Are there steeper lines in existence?  (Worked by adhesion stock
: of course!)

Snaefell Mountain Railway, 1 in 12.

Ian

Foxfield wasn't passed as of last year, indeed it was impossible to
see the steep sections :o(
I visited on the strength of the piece done in 'Trainspotting' series
from sat tv. : a dissappointing visit the railway appears to be
heading backwards :o( Staff were more keen on arguing with each other
than attending to the queue of people waitng to spend money!
May have been a bad day for them, it was for us.


On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 07:35:16 +0100, Richard Buckby
 wrote:


>
>Hello All,
>
>        While at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway at Wirksworth in
>Derbyshire on Saturday there was some discussion as to which UK
>preserved line has the steepest incline passed for passenger use.
>
>        This arose as the Wirksworth line should see passenger service
>commence on the 3rd. of September up into the former quarry area at
>Ravenstor.  This section is mostly at 1 in 30 with, I gather, a short
>bit at 1 in 27.  The plan is to use the 'Castle Donington' tank loco
>propelling a DMU trailer car up to the new platform in the quarry.
>
>        I know that the Foxfield line has a much steeper stretch but I
>am unsure if that is passed for passengers.  
>
>        Are there steeper lines in existence?  (Worked by adhesion stock
>of course!)
>
>        Thanks,
>
>                Richard Buckby
>
>                        Ambergate, Derbyshire

"Ian Johnston"  wrote in message 
news:cCUlhtvFIYkV-pn2-dx0G8YHPMU3n@localhost...

> On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 06:35:16 UTC, Richard Buckby 
> wrote:
>
> : This section is mostly at 1 in 30 with, I gather, a short
> : bit at 1 in 27.
>
> :         Are there steeper lines in existence?  (Worked by adhesion stock
> : of course!)
>
> Snaefell Mountain Railway, 1 in 12.


Not quite conventional adhesion, of course, with a fell rail being used for 
braking.
-- 
David Biddulph

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 12:01:09 UTC, "David Biddulph" 
 wrote:

: "Ian Johnston"  wrote in message 
: news:cCUlhtvFIYkV-pn2-dx0G8YHPMU3n@localhost...
: > On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 06:35:16 UTC, Richard Buckby 
: > wrote:
: >
: > : This section is mostly at 1 in 30 with, I gather, a short
: > : bit at 1 in 27.
: >
: > :         Are there steeper lines in existence?  (Worked by adhesion stock
: > : of course!)
: >
: > Snaefell Mountain Railway, 1 in 12.
: 
: Not quite conventional adhesion, of course, with a fell rail being used for 
: braking.

Not since the trams were rebogied in - from memory - 1976. The fell 
rail has only been for show since then: they use rheostatic and 
conventional wheel braking nowadays.

Ian

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 07:35:16 +0100, Richard Buckby
 wrote:


>        Are there steeper lines in existence?  (Worked by adhesion stock
>of course!)
>

1 in 29 on the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway's Golfa bank, about
a mile.

In article , Peter Johnson
 wrote:


> On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 07:35:16 +0100, Richard Buckby
>  wrote:
> 
> >        Are there steeper lines in existence?  (Worked by adhesion stock
> >of course!)
> >
> 1 in 29 on the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway's Golfa bank, about
> a mile.


Just OOI how steep is the Boness and Kinneil?  I'm not suggesting it
might be a candidate, just that someone here might know.  :-)

Sam

"Richard Buckby"  wrote


>        Are there steeper lines in existence?  (Worked by adhesion stock
> of course!)


What abou the ski slopes on the East Lancs Railway's Heywood extension? 
Isn't this more than 1 in 20?

John.

In article <df1com$5a6$1@newsreaderg1.core.theplanet.net>, John Turner
<nospam@nospam.invalid> writes

>
>"Richard Buckby"  wrote
>
>>        Are there steeper lines in existence?  (Worked by adhesion stock
>> of course!)
>
>What abou the ski slopes on the East Lancs Railway's Heywood extension? 
>Isn't this more than 1 in 20?
>
>John. 
>
>

How steep is the K&ESR into Tenterden ?


-- 
Al

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 07:35:16 +0100, Richard Buckby
 wrote:


>
>Hello All,
>
>        While at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway at Wirksworth in
>Derbyshire on Saturday there was some discussion as to which UK
>preserved line has the steepest incline passed for passenger use.
>
>       
>
>        Are there steeper lines in existence?  (Worked by adhesion stock
>of course!)
>
>        Thanks,
>
>                Richard Buckby
>
>                        Ambergate, Derbyshire


Not a preserved line as such the private railway belonging to Sir
William McAlpine at his estate has a section which is 1 in 14.
I had the privilege to be invited to see and take a ride on it.
The late winters day was damp and and rail conditions greasy.
This meant that the train consisted of loco and brakevan only,normally
there is an open wagon as well.
Standing on the van platform as we descended  brake first down the
hill it felt a little like being on the lynton /lynmouth funicular.

There is short movie clip of this linel on the www somewhere but I
cannot recollect the URL at the moment. The keen should be able to
find it.

G.Harman

>What abou the ski slopes on the East Lancs Railway's Heywood extension?
>Isn't this more than 1 in 20?


Nowhere near. One side is graded at 1 in 41, the other side is 1 in 36.
The rest of the Heywood branch (towards Heywood) is 1 in 85. The
incline certainly gets the Class 20 working hard!

wrote


> Nowhere near. One side is graded at 1 in 41, the other side is 1 in 36.
> The rest of the Heywood branch (towards Heywood) is 1 in 85. The
> incline certainly gets the Class 20 working hard!


Thanks Trevor.

John.