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Fifteen-inch–gauge Railway
Fifteen-inch–gauge railways were pioneered by Sir Arthur Heywood, 3rd Baronet, Sir Arthur Percival Heywood who was interested in what he termed a ''minimum-gauge railway'' for use as estate railways or to be easy to lay on, for instance, a battlefield. In 1874, he described the principle behind it as used for his Duffield Bank Railway, distinguishing it from a ''narrow-gauge'' railway. Having previously built a small railway of gauge, he settled on gauge as the minimum that he felt was practical. Railways See also *Bassett-Lowke * British narrow-gauge railways#Public railways, British narrow-gauge railways *Heritage railway * List of British heritage and private railways *List of track gauges *Minimum-gauge railway#Installations, Minimum-gauge railway References {{Rail tracks 15 in gauge railways, Minimum-gauge railways ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Difflin Lake Railway
Oakfield Demesne is a house, grounds and townland in County Donegal, Ireland, originally built in 1739 for the Dean of Raphoe. Since 1996 it has been owned by Sir Gerry Robinson (who died in 2021) and his wife, Lady Heather Robinson. The demesne includes the 100-acre Oakfield Park gardens, open to the public which includes the narrow-gauge railway Difflin Lake Railway. History The house that is central to the estate was originally built by the Church of Ireland for the Deanery of Raphoe in 1739. It ceased to be used as a deanery after being sold to Captain Thomas Butler Stoney of the Donegal Militia in 1869. Former occupants included Captain Stoney. The Irish Republican Army were known to have occupied the house in the 1920s. The Patterson family, known for their music, were owners during the twentieth century. After purchasing the estate the Robinsons engaged the architect Tony Wright to transform the overgrown estate into parklands, gardens and lakes to restore the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blakesley Hall (Northamptonshire)
Blakesley Hall was a 13th-century manor house situated near the village of Blakesley in Northamptonshire, England. It was demolished in 1957-58. History The Hall dated from the reign of King Henry III and at one time was given by Henry VIII to his daughter, Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth I of England). The Hall was once a possession of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem. It was owned by the Hibbit family for over forty years between 1823 and 1867. The owner William Hibbit (c1770–1840) inherited the titles lord of the manor and 'patron of the living'. During this period the Hibbit's were responsible for many alterations to both the Hall and the grounds. These included construction of a hospital wing and extensive landscaping of the gardens. The stable block was a focal meeting point for the Blakesley Hunt during their residence. The family connections with Blakesley extended to the local church St Mary The Virgin, where they were celebrated patrons (a plaque is on dis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blakesley Miniature Railway
The Blakesley Miniature Railway was an gauge railway from Blakesley railway station to Blakesley Hall in Blakesley in West Northamptonshire, which operated from 1903 to 1946. Location The 15-inch (381 mm) railroad was less than half a mile (800 m) long and ran from Blakesley Railway Station on the standard gauge East & West Junction Railway to the power plant and cowsheds at the back end of the property. It served primarily for the transport of coke, but was also occasionally used for transporting passengers from and to the nearby station. History The track was laid in 1903 by Charles William Bartholomew (1850–1919) on his estate at Blakesley Hall. He was a wealthy civil engineer and landowner, major shareholder of the Great Central Railway and the East & West Junction Railway (E&WJR), self-proclaimed squire of the communities of Blakesley and Woodend. It was inaugurated in 1903 with a Cagney steam locomotive. In the following year, 1904, another Cagney steam l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blackpool Zoo
Blackpool Zoo is a zoo, owned by Parques Reunidos and located in the sea-side resort of Blackpool, Lancashire, England. It cares for over 1,000 animals from all over the world. History The Blackpool Zoo opened in 1972 on a site which had previously been the Stanley Park Aerodrome. 2005 saw the opening of the 'Dinosaur Safari', a walkthrough exhibition featuring models of 32 life-size dinosaurs around a trail. "Amazonia" opened in 2006. This is a walk-through enclosure of South American animals and birds including squirrel monkeys. Giraffes were re-introduced to the zoo in 2008, after an absence of fourteen years, and over £0.5m was invested in the new giraffe house and pens. In summer 2009, penguins were to be added to the list of animals at the zoo, with the arrival of twenty Magellanic penguins from two Spanish conservation centres. A£1m sealion pool was opened in May 2010 along with the addition of a male sealion from Spain. 2011 saw the opening of a new Children's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bellevue Park Railway
The Bellevue Park Railway, which closed in 1950, operated in Bellevue, Belfast. History Bellevue Park was a popular recreational facility between the two world wars, providing gardens, ponds, amusements, refreshments, a zoo, and a gauge miniature railway for the entertainment of visitors. The Bellevue Park Railway, which received a new locomotive and carriages in 1933 from Blackpool, closed in 1950. The locomotive, a German-built tender engine named 'Jean', was sold for scrap, but having been rescued by Sir William McAlpine eventually returned to its original railway, the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ..., under its original name, 'The Bug'. References {{15 inch gauge railways 15 in gauge railways in Northern Irela ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alton Towers
Alton Towers Resort ( ) (often shortened to Alton Towers) is a theme park and resort complex in Staffordshire, England, near the village of Alton, Staffordshire, Alton. The park is operated by Merlin Entertainments, Merlin Entertainments Group and incorporates a theme park, water park, Miniature golf, mini golf and Hotel, hotel complex. Originally a private estate of the Earl of Shrewsbury, Earls of Shrewsbury, Alton Towers' grounds were opened to the public in 1860 to raise funds. In the 1970s, a few rides were added and some of the themed areas were developed. Inspired by Disneyland, it was transformed into a theme park in 1980 with the installation of its first roller coaster and several new rides. The park has many attractions such as Congo River Rapids (Alton Towers), Congo River Rapids, Nemesis Reborn, The Smiler and Wicker Man (roller coaster), Wicker Man. It operates a total of ten roller coasters and offers a range of accommodation and lodging options alongside the theme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Driving Creek Railway
The Driving Creek Railway is a narrow gauge bush and mountain railway on the outskirts of the provincial town of Coromandel on the northwestern coast of the Coromandel Peninsula on New Zealand's North Island. The railway leads up the mountain to a viewing platform building high above the surrounding Coromandel west coast country. History The original line was built by the potter Barry Brickell on his 22-hectare property, which he had acquired in 1961, aiming to start a pottery collective. He started construction of the 15-inch gauge rail line in 1975, originally mainly using it to transport clay and pine wood fuel to his kiln. In 1975, Brickell purchased a larger block of land, and began working on what would become the Driving Creek Railway and Potteries. The new line would be of gauge instead of gauge, and would serve the same purpose as the original, to bring clay and firewood down from the slopes above the potteries. It would also be used to help re-plant the hillsi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Izu, Shizuoka
is a Cities of Japan, city located in central Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 30,678 in 13,390 households, and a population density of 84 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Geography Izu is located in the north-central portion of the Izu Peninsula, and includes most of the Mount Amagi, Amagi Mountains. The region is hilly and some 80% of the city area is covered by forest. The Kano River runs through the city, which has a short coastline to the west on Suruga Bay of the Pacific Ocean. The area is part of the Izu-Tobu volcanic region, and is therefore subject to frequent earthquakes, and the city also has numerous hot springs as a result. Warmed by the Kuroshio Current, the area enjoys a warm maritime climate with hot, humid summers and mild, cool winters. Surrounding municipalities *Shizuoka Prefecture **Higashiizu, Shizuoka, Higashiizu **Itō, Shizuoka, Itō **Izunokuni, Shizuoka, Izunokuni **Kawazu, Shizuo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shuzenji Romney Railway
The Shuzenji Romney Railway (ロムニー鉄道, ''Romney Railway'') is a 1.2 km, gauge ridable miniature railway located in Niji-no-Sato (Rainbow Park) in Izu, Shizuoka, on the Izu Peninsula in Japan. It is Japan's first 15-inch gauge railway. It is based on the English Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway on the English Channel coast in Kent, which opened in 1927. The railway operates using a mixture of steam and diesel locomotives and enclosed saloon carriages. Its primary two steam engines were built by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway in Cumbria, England, and are based on that line's 1976 ''Northern Rock'' 2-6-2 steam locomotive. Its No. 2 locomotive ''Ernest W. Twining'' was acquired from the Fairbourne Railway in Wales when that line converted to gauge. There is also a small 15-inch gauge railway museum. Locomotives File:Nijinosato 20121104 British Village C.jpg, Facade of Romney station File:Nijinosato 20121104 British Village B.jpg, Romney station and Britis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
