Gartell Light Railway
 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Templecombe |
| Locale | England |
| Dates of operation | 1990–Present |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 2 ft (610 mm) |
| Length | 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km) |
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The Gartell Light Railway is a privately run narrow gauge railway located at Yenston in the Blackmore Vale, south of Templecombe, in Somerset, England. It operates a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge railway running for 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km), partly along the track of the old Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway.[1] The railway has 4 stations – Common Lane, Pinesway Junction, Park Lane and Tower View.
The railway is controlled using a comprehensive signalling system operated from two signalboxes – Common lane and Pinesway Junction. Both signalboxes control a mix of semaphore and colour light signals with mechanically operated points.[2]
The railway is open to the public on selected dates through the year when it normally operates an intensive 3 train operation with departures from Common Lane station every 20 minutes through the day between 10:30 and 16:30.
Open days will cease by the end of October 2026. The final open day is scheduled for either 25 (Sunday)[3] or 26 (Monday)[4] October 2026.
The route of the GLR
- Park Lane
- Pinesway Junction
- Tower View
Locomotives
| Number | Name | Builder | Type | Date | Works number | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AMANDA | Gartell Light Railway | Bo-BoDH | 2000 | Ex Southend Pier Railway, rebuilt on the railway | |
| 2 | ANDREW | Baguley-Drewry | 4wDH | 1973 | 3699 | Acquired in 2007, Sold to Amberley Museum in 2025 |
| 5 | ALISON | Alan Keef | 4wDH | 1993 | 10[5] | |
| 6 | Mr. G | North Dorset Locomotive Works | 0-4-2T | 1998 | 698[5] | Newly built for the line, based on the design of W.G. Bagnall locomotive Polar Bear |
| 8 | Faith | North Dorset Locomotive Works | 0-4-2T | |||
| 9 | Jean | Alan White | 0-4-0T+T | 2008 | [6] |
Accidents and incidents
In April 2025 a volunteer worker was seriously injured when alighting from a moving train, a practice forbidden by the rule book.[7]
See also
References
- ↑ "Gartell Light Railway". Steam Heritage. Archived from the original on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
- ↑ "Gartell Light Railway". Steam Railway Lines. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
- ↑ "2026 Events". Gartell Light Railway. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
Sunday 25th October (including model railway exhibition)
- ↑ Gartell, John. "A sad farewell to the GLR from its owner John Gartell". Gartell Light Railway. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
...the time has come to announce that our Open Day on 26th October 2026 will be the last for the Gartell Light Railway.
- 1 2 Industrial Locomotives: including preserved and minor railway locomotives. Vol. 14EL. Melton Mowbray: Industrial Railway Society. 2007. ISBN 0-901906-39-5.
- ↑ Gartell Light Railway (2008). Official Guide 2008. Gartell Light Railway.
- ↑ "Person struck by train on Gartell Light Railway, Somerset, 17 April 2025". Rail Accident Investigation Branch. GOV.UK. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- Thomas, Cliff (2002). The Narrow Gauge in Britain & Ireland. Atlantic Publishers. ISBN 1-902827-05-8.
External links
