Alderney Railway

Vulcan Brewry 0-4-0 Diesel loco 'Elizabeth' ((C) Picture Courtesy of Sbrobinson)

The Alderney Railway is the only Standard Gauge passenger carrying Railway in the Channel Islands!

Route

The route is roughly 2 miles long which is nearly it’s original length.

Braye Road

Braye Road Station is the main Starting point on the line. As at both stations, there’s not a Platform here as such, there are raised steps leading up to the Train when it’s stationary.

There has recently been a new station building and waiting room built here too!

This is a Terminus station, as it is unsafe for the train to run any further, despite the track still being intact all the way to the end of the Breakwater.

Mannez Quarry

Mannez Quarry is the Railways Eastern Terminus. This is the Railways headquarters. Here is the railways Engine shed, Carriage Shed and workshop.

High Above Mannez Station is the German WWII Bunker, which is sometimes open to the public.

There is also a Miniature Railway here which runs for 400yrds in a loop, this operates every time the main railway does, weather permitting!

History

The Alderney Railway was constructed in the 1840s by the British Government to haul Stone from the Eastern end of the Island to build a Breakwater and Victorian Forts.

It opened in 1847 and is one of the oldest railways running in the British Isles.

The first ever official passengers were Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on the 8th of August 1854, their train was Horse drawn.

It carried on hauling quarry trains until the out break of World War 2.
After World War 2 the Line was re-laid, but did not open to the public until the mid 1970s.
It started off with a Wickham Trolley set. In 1982 a Bagnall 0-4-0ST named J.T.Daly was purchased from Chatham Dockyard along with two open Wagons which had two makeshift roofs to give some protection.
The Locomotive remained at the Alderney Railway until 1990, when it was decided to sell the loco because of it’s limited use and High maintenance cost, It now resides at the Pallot Steam Museum in Jersey!
Before J.T.Daly left in 1990, Vulcan Drewry 0-4-0 Diesel Locomotive Elizabeth arrived in 1985 and is still the main motive power of the Alderney Railway.

In 1987 the railway received two 1938 ex London underground Tube coaches from the North Downs Railway.

Sadly in 2000, it was found the Coaches had succumbed to Corrosion from the Sea Air. They were sent back to England and scrapped.
In 2001 the Old Tube cars were replaced by new ones, dating back to 1959. These have Aluminium Bodies, so shouldn‘t suffer from the Sea Air.

FUTURE PALNS

The Railway has recently completed a new extension to the Engine shed! This will house the Railways L-U Tube coaches.

There’s also been a new Station building/Waiting Room constructed at Braye Road!

Line Length: 2 miles/400yrds

Opeating Dates: Selected Dates through the Year, see website for more details http://www.alderneyrailway.com/timetable.htm

Website: http://www.alderneyrailway.com

Operational Locomotives:

Vulcan Drewry 0-4-0 Diesel loco Elizabeth
Ruston Hornsby 0-4-0 Diesel loco Molly 2 (Now operational!)
Wickham Trolley and trailers

Miniature locos:

Roanoke 0-4-0 petrol loco Alec Tucker

Track Plan of Braye Road Station:

Station Building, which houses a gift shop

Track plan of Braye Road Station (Click to Enlarge)
Low Platform
High level Boarding, alighting Platform
Line to Mannez Quarry Station
Braye Road
Disused line to the Breakwater