Ashover Light Railway

The Ashover Light Railway was closely associated with the Clay Cross Company. It was built to carry limestone, fluorspar, coal, merchandise and passengers to and from a standard gauge railhead at Clay Cross using redundant WW1 railway equipment. The 4 tramway coaches were the exception coming new in a beautiful livery from Gloucester Carriage and Wagon Works. It opened in 1925 and was thrashed as a railway until closure, although passenger services died as elswhere in the mid 1930s the goods side of the business lasted until 1950 when the loss of its railway ballast contract killed it off. There are recent moves to reopen part of the line, one of the coaches having been recovered for rebuilding. It forms the basis for a garden railway with sharp curves and steep gradients and the beautiful valley that it followed could be represented with some dwarf planting and a garden stream...

The Ashover Light Railway by K.P. Plant: Oakwood Press: 1965 - the original definitive work.

Industrial Narrow Gauge

Throughout the UK there have been numerous small railways of many gauges built to carry minerals, clay, metals, sewage, etc. on very local sites. The track was often temporary or of a very rudimentary nature and was moved around as required, for example in brickfields and sand pits. Many of these railways have gone unrecorded and only a few dedicated preservationists have kept them in the public eye, eg. The Amberley Museum and Heritage centre in Sussex. There are a number of photographic books published. Drawings are often harder to come by but a search of the model press indexes will find some.

Industrial Narrow Gauge Stock and Trackwork by Sidney Leleux, Plateway Press, 2004, ISBN 1 8719 8053 4

An excellent collection of photographs of stock and trackwork for a number of unsung lines. The photos of the track work in particular give a very good idea of the range and the standards applied, or not. It also shows some of the ready made standard items by several manufacturers. Lots of ideas for unusual rolling stock and rough and ready track.

Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway

The Leek and Manifold was a 2' 6" gauge railway from Waterhouses to Hulme End (in the middle of nowehere), superbly engineered and built through one of the most delightful valleys in England. It was amazingly able to develop a local traffic which ensured its survival for many years. Sadly, like many other railways it died from road competition in the 1930s and was turned into a footpath for walkers at that early date. Like the Lynton and Barnstaple it was built to 'mainline' standards with some very unique and modern rolling stock and carried many sightseers. It will be particularly remembered for its use of transporter wagons to carry standard gauge goods vehicles. It's likeness in India, the Barsi Light Railway was considerably longer, lasted much longer but had many similar features although transporter wagons were not a success there. There is amazingly a high quality short video on the Internet which can be downloaded.

The Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway by Robert Gratton: RCL Publications: ISBN 0 9538763 7 3: 2005

A superb and beautiful book and the definitive work on this subject. It contains everything that a modeller might want to create a LMVLR in miniature. It contains a detailed history of the line and a brief history of the Barsi Light railway. The drawings range from full size 'works' drawings to a range of modelling scales, including some of 16mm:1ft. The quality of the photographs and scans of documents are some of the best around.

Lynton & Barnstaple Railway

The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway has been shut longer than it has been open but is currently being revived. It is one of those rarer narrow gauge railways in Britain built to 'mainline' standards, overwhelmed with freight traffic in it's early days but always providing a superb passenger service to the end. It is a line that would never have been had it not been for a landowner who wanted to spoil the efforts of the GWR to reach the North Devon coast and by introducing a change of gauge, a longer journey via Barnstaple and a Lynton station out of and above the town, he succeeded. Still a lovely line that missed being preserved by about 15 years. There are many books about it of which these are some. There have been other drawings and details in the model press over the past 60 years. It no longer sleepeth...

The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway 1895-1935  L.T. Catchpole: Oakwood Press: ISBN0-85361-637-X 8th Ed. 2005

This is the latest edition of a book which has been around since 1936 but which is mostly text and photographs. The earlier editions had many drawings of locomotives and rolling stock in them produced by R.E.Tustin but which sadly contain many errors not the least of which are the couplers. However, there is a 3D drawing of the Norwegian coupler for those who wish to reproduce them and there are works drawings and a lovely 'The Engineer' magazine shaded and detailed sketch of 'Exe' as built.

The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Remembered by J.D.C.A. Prideaux: David & Charles: ISBN 0-7153-8958-0: 1989

First published in 1974 as the 'Lynton and Barnstaple Album'. A good photo album with a wide range of photos from which much detail can be extracted for both locos and rolling stock and some lovely atmospheric shots of some of the stations. Some very good early shots for those interested in the that period. The photos in the later edition are of a better quality.

Branch Line to Lynton by Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith: Middleton Press: ISBN 1-873793-04-9: 1992

Many detailed photos of railway and non-railway items together with OS maps of the earlier periods, inc. the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway. Some photos not seen elsewhere. 

The Lynton and Barnstaple Railwayby J.R.Yeomans: D. Bradford Barton: ISBN 0-85153-259-4: ????:

Another photo album, some seen elsewhere but a few unusual ones. Showing signalling and pointwork as well as some very sharp images of locomotives and rolling stock. Obtainable only secondhand. Some nice detail of parts of rolling stock usually hidden.

The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway by G.A. Brown, J.D.C.A. Prideaux, H.G. Radclffe: Atlantic: ISBN 0-906899-68-0:1964,1971, 1980, 1986

A really lovely book with high quality photos and some good drawings although still repeating the Tustin errors with regard to dimensions and accuracy, especially the couplers again. Beautifully laid out and presented by Barry Lane, an excellent graphic artist. Some good drawings of the buildings and stations with accurate dimension tables. Very useful detail drawings of the couplers and timbering of wagons and coaches. Good photos of locals in contemporary dress. Superb large builder's photo of 'Exe' inside front cover – lining and rivet detail amongst other things. There are earlier versions of this book with different photos but this edition is the one to have as it the most comprehensive.