List of British heritage and private railways

This is a list of heritage, private and preserved railways throughout the United Kingdom, the Crown dependencies, and British Overseas Territories whether operational or closed, that are operated for charitable purposes or shareholder profit. Some also provide economic local transport. For rail museums, see List of British railway museums.

Many of the standard-gauge railways listed, including former branch lines and ex-mainline routes, were closed by British Railways under the Beeching Axe of the 1960s. Most have been restored and operate as heritage lines. A smaller number of lines were formerly industrial or colliery railways.

Many of these preserved railways are mentioned in national and international tour guides, and visits may form part of a school curriculum or feature in other studies, including civil engineering, mechanics, social, economic and political history, visual arts and drama.

This list also includes tramways. Nearly all tram services in Britain ended in the 1950s and early 1960s, leaving just Blackpool Corporation Tramways, although some big cities have since revived them in the late 20th century onwards.

This list includes those railways which has public open days and excludes those on private sites which are not advertised to the public.

Standard gauge

 * Colne Valley Railway, Castle Hedingham, Essex
 * Epping Ongar Railway, Ongar, Essex
 * Mid-Norfolk Railway, Dereham, Norfolk
 * Mid Suffolk Light Railway, Brockford, Suffolk
 * Nene Valley Railway, Wansford, Cambridgeshire
 * North Norfolk Railway, Sheringham, Norfolk

Railway centres and museums

 * Bressingham Steam and Gardens, Diss, Norfolk
 * East Anglian Railway Museum, Chappel & Wakes Colne Station, Essex
 * Mangapps Railway Museum, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex
 * Railworld Wildlife Haven, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
 * Whitwell & Reepham Railway, Reepham, Norfolk

Narrow gauge

 * Bressingham Steam and Gardens, Diss, Norfolk
 * Great Whipsnade Railway, Whipsnade Zoo, Bedfordshire
 * Leighton Buzzard Light Railway, Bedfordshire
 * Southend Pier Railway, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
 * Southwold Steamworks, Southwold, Suffolk
 * Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills, Essex
 * Yaxham Light Railway, Norfolk – private site

Miniature gauge

 * Audley End Railway, Essex
 * Bure Valley Railway, Aylsham, Norfolk
 * Bushey Miniature Railway, Bushey, Hertfordshire
 * East Herts Miniature Railway, Ware, Hertfordshire
 * Eaton Park Miniature Railway, Norwich, Norfolk
 * Fancott Miniature Railway, Bedfordshire
 * Rex Express, Paradise Wildlife Park, Hertfordshire
 * Great Woburn Railway, Woburn, Bedfordshire
 * Wells & Walsingham Light Railway, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk

Tramways

 * East Anglia Transport Museum, Lowestoft, Suffolk

Standard gauge



 * Battlefield Line, Shackerstone, Leicestershire
 * Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, Wirksworth, Derbyshire
 * Great Central Railway, Loughborough, Leicestershire
 * Great Central Railway (Nottingham), Ruddington, Nottinghamshire
 * Lincolnshire Wolds Railway, Ludborough, Lincolnshire
 * Midland Railway – Butterley, Derbyshire
 * Mountsorrel Railway, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
 * Northampton & Lamport Railway, Pitsford and Brampton, Northamptonshire
 * Northants Ironstone Railway, Hunsbury Hill, Northamptonshire
 * Peak Rail, Matlock, Derbyshire
 * Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway, Rushden, Northamptonshire

Railway centres and museums

 * Appleby Frodingham Railway, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire
 * Barrow Hill Roundhouse, Barrow Hill nr Chesterfield, Derbyshire
 * Nottingham Heritage Railway, Ruddington, Nottinghamshire
 * Rutland Railway Museum, Cottesmore, Rutland

Narrow gauge

 * Billing Aquadrome Miniature Railway, Great Billing, Northamptonshire
 * Crowle Peatland Railway, Crowle, North Lincolnshire
 * Derbyshire Dales Narrow Gauge Railway, Rowsley, Derbyshire
 * Golden Valley Light Railway, Butterley, Derbyshire
 * Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum, Irchester, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
 * Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway, Skegness, Lincolnshire
 * Narrow Gauge Railway, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
 * North Ings Farm Railway, Lincolnshire
 * Sherwood Forest Railway, Nottinghamshire
 * Steeple Grange Light Railway, Wirksworth, Derbyshire
 * Wicksteed Park Railway, Kettering, Northamptonshire

Miniature gauge

 * Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway, Lincolnshire
 * Mablethorpe Miniature Railway, Queens Park, Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire
 * Stapleford Miniature Railway, near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

Tramways

 * National Tramway Museum, Crich, Derbyshire

Standard gauge

 * Aln Valley Railway, Alnwick, Northumberland
 * Bowes Railway, Tyne and Wear
 * Derwent Valley Light Railway, Murton, North Yorkshire
 * East Lancashire Railway, Bury, Greater Manchester
 * Eden Valley Railway, Warcop, Cumbria
 * Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, Embsay, North Yorkshire
 * Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, Haworth, West Yorkshire
 * Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway, Haverthwaite, nr Staveley, Cumbria
 * Middleton Railway, Hunslet, West Yorkshire
 * North Tyneside Steam Railway, North Shields, Tyne and Wear
 * North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Pickering, North Yorkshire
 * Ribble Steam Railway, Preston, Lancashire
 * Stainmore Railway, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria
 * Tanfield Railway, Marley Hill, County Durham
 * Weardale Railway, Stanhope, County Durham
 * Wensleydale Railway, Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire
 * Yorkshire Wolds Railway, Sledmere–Fimber, East Yorkshire

Railway centres and museums

 * Beamish Museum & Railway Centre, County Durham
 * Carnforth Railway Centre, Carnforth, Lancashire - private site
 * Crewe Heritage Centre, Crewe, Cheshire
 * Head of Steam, Darlington, County Durham
 * Leeds Industrial Museum, Armley, West Yorkshire
 * Locomotion, Shildon, County Durham
 * National Railway Museum, York, North Yorkshire
 * South Yorkshire Transport Museum, Aldwarke, Rotherham, South Yorkshire
 * Stephenson Railway Museum, West Chirton, Tyne and Wear

Narrow gauge

 * Eaton Hall Railway, Cheshire – private site
 * Heatherslaw Light Railway, Northumberland
 * South Tynedale Railway between Alston, Cumbria and Slaggyford, Northumberland
 * Threlkeld Quarry Railway, Cumbria
 * West Lancashire Light Railway, Hesketh Bank, Lancashire
 * Woodhorn Narrow Gauge Railway, Ashington, Northumberland

Miniature gauge

 * All in one Miniature Railway, Knutsford nr Allostock, Cheshire
 * Blackpool Zoo Railway, Blackpool, Lancashire
 * Brookside Miniature Railway, Poynton, Cheshire
 * Dragon Miniature Railway, Marple, nr Stockport, Greater Manchester
 * High Legh Miniature Railway, High Legh, Cheshire
 * Whistlestop Valley, Clayton West, West Yorkshire
 * Knowsley Safari Park Railway, Knowsley, Merseyside
 * Halton Miniature Railway, Runcorn, Cheshire
 * Lakeside Miniature Railway, Pleasureland Southport, Merseyside
 * North Bay Railway, Scarborough, North Yorkshire
 * Pleasure Beach Express, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Lancashire
 * Pugneys Light Railway, Wakefield, West Yorkshire
 * Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, Cumbria
 * Wirral Model Engineering Society, Royden Park, Wirral, Merseyside
 * Saltburn Miniature Railway, Saltburn, North Yorkshire
 * South Park Miniature Railway, Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
 * Teesside Small Gauge Railway, Preston Park, Stockton-on-Tees
 * Walton Park Miniature Railway, Sale, Greater Manchester
 * Windmill Farm Railway, Bursough, Lancashire
 * Thorpe Light Railway, Whorlton, County Durham

Tramways

 * Beamish Museum, County Durham
 * Bradford Industrial Museum, Eccleshill, (nr Bradford), West Yorkshire
 * Heaton Park Tramway, Manchester, Greater Manchester
 * Shipley Glen Tramway, Shipley, West Yorkshire
 * Wirral Transport Museum and Heritage Tramway, Birkenhead, Merseyside

Standard gauge

 * Bluebell Railway, Sheffield Park, Sussex
 * Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, Chinnor, Oxfordshire / Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire
 * Cholsey & Wallingford Railway, Wallingford, Oxfordshire
 * East Kent Railway, Shepherdswell, Kent
 * Isle of Wight Steam Railway, Havenstreet, Isle of Wight
 * Kent & East Sussex Steam Railway, Tenterden, Kent
 * Lavender Line, Isfield, East Sussex
 * Rother Valley Railway, Robertsbridge, East Sussex (line extension under construction)
 * Spa Valley Railway, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
 * Watercress Line, New Alresford, Hampshire

Railway centres and museums

 * Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
 * Chatham Historic Dockyard Railway, Kent
 * Didcot Railway Centre, Didcot, Oxfordshire
 * London Transport Museum, Covent Garden, Central London
 * Southall Railway Centre, Southall, West London- private site

Narrow gauge

 * Amberley Museum Railway, Amberley, West Sussex
 * Great Bush Railway, Tinkers Park, Hadlow Down, East Sussex
 * Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway, near Sittingbourne, Kent
 * Exbury Gardens Railway, Beaulieu, Hampshire
 * Hayling Seaside Railway, Hayling Island, Hampshire
 * Hollycombe Steam Collection, near Liphook, Hampshire
 * Hythe Pier Ferry Railway, Hampshire
 * Old Kiln Light Railway, Rural Life Centre, Reeds Road, Tilford, Farnham, Surrey
 * Hampton & Kempton Waterworks Railway, Hanworth/Hampton, London.
 * London Museum of Water & Steam, Kew Bridge, Brentford, London
 * Mail Rail, short section of the former London Post Office Railway opened to public since 2017
 * Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, Kent
 * Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway, Kent
 * Volk's Electric Railway, Brighton, East Sussex

Miniature gauge

 * Bekonscot Light Railway, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
 * Blenheim Park Railway, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
 * Beech Hurst Park Miniature Railway, Haywards Heath, West Sussex
 * Crowborough Miniature Railway, Crowborough, East Sussex
 * Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway, Hampshire
 * Frimley Lodge Park Railway, Surrey
 * Great Cockcrow Railway, Chertsey, Surrey
 * Harlington Locomotive Society, Hayes, Middlesex
 * Hastings Miniature Railway, Hastings Seafront, East Sussex
 * Ickenham Miniature Railway, Ickenham, London
 * Jocks Lane Miniature Railway, Bracknell, Berkshire
 * Leatherhead Model Railway, Leatherhead, Surrey
 * Littlehampton Miniature Railway, Littlehampton, West Sussex
 * Malden District Society of Model Engineers, Thames Ditton, Surrey
 * Moors Valley Railway, near Ringwood, Hampshire
 * Pinewood Model Railway, Pinewood, Crowthorne
 * Reading Society of Model Engineers, Reading Berkshire
 * Royal Victoria Railway, Southampton, Hampshire
 * Ruislip Lido Railway, Ruislip, London
 * South Downs Light Railway, Pulborough, West Sussex
 * Swanley New Barn Railway, Swanley, Kent
 * Watford Miniature Railway, Cassiobury Park, Watford, Hertfordshire
 * Woking Miniature Railway, Knaphill, Surrey

Standard gauge

 * Avon Valley Railway, Bitton, South Gloucestershire
 * Bodmin & Wenford Railway, Bodmin, Cornwall
 * Dartmouth Steam Railway, Paignton, Devon
 * Dean Forest Railway, Norchard, Gloucestershire
 * East Somerset Railway, Cranmore, Somerset
 * Helston Railway, Prospidnick, Cornwall
 * Plym Valley Railway, Marsh Mills, Plympton, Devon
 * North Dorset Railway, Shillingstone, Dorset
 * Somerset & Dorset Railway, Midsomer Norton, Somerset
 * South Devon Railway, Buckfastleigh, Devon
 * Swanage Railway, Swanage, Dorset
 * Swindon & Cricklade Railway, Blunsdon, Wiltshire
 * Tarka Valley Railway, Great Torrington, Devon
 * West Somerset Railway, Minehead, Somerset

Railway centres and museums

 * Bideford Railway Heritage Centre, Bideford, Devon
 * Bristol Harbour Railway, Bristol
 * Steam – Museum of the Great Western Railway, Swindon, Wiltshire
 * Yeovil Railway Centre, Yeovil, Somerset

Narrow gauge

 * Bicton Woodland Railway, Devon
 * Devon Railway Centre, Bickleigh, Devon
 * Exmoor Steam Railway, Devon – private site
 * Gartell Light Railway, Templecombe, Somerset
 * Launceston Steam Railway, Launceston, Cornwall
 * Lea Bailey Light Railway. Gloucestershire / Herefordshire border
 * Lynbarn Railway, Devon
 * Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, Woody Bay, Devon
 * Morwellham Quay Open Air Museum, Devon
 * Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum, Somerset

Miniature gauge

 * Beer Heights Light Railway, Devon
 * Berkeley Light Railway, Gloucestershire
 * Exmouth Miniature Railway, Devon
 * Gorse Blossom Farm Railway, Devon
 * Lappa Valley Steam Railway, Cornwall
 * Longleat Railway, Wiltshire
 * Moors Valley Railway, Ashley Heath, Dorset
 * Perrygrove Railway, Coleford, Gloucestershire
 * Bickington Steam Railway, Trago Mills, Devon

Tramways

 * Seaton Tramway, Seaton, Devon

Standard gauge

 * Cambrian Heritage Railways, Oswestry and Llynclys, Shropshire
 * Chasewater Railway, Chasewater Country Park, Brownhills, Staffordshire
 * Churnet Valley Railway, Cheddleton, Staffordshire
 * Foxfield Railway, Blythe Bridge, Staffordshire
 * Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, Toddington, Gloucestershire and Broadway, Worcestershire
 * Severn Valley Railway, Bridgnorth, Shropshire and Kidderminster, Worcestershire
 * Telford Steam Railway, Horsehay, Shropshire

Railway centres and museums

 * Coleford Great Western Railway Museum, Coleford, Gloucestershire
 * Tyseley Railway Centre, Tyseley, Warwickshire
 * Winchcombe Railway Museum, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire

Narrow gauge

 * Amerton Railway, Staffordshire
 * Apedale Valley Light Railway, Chesterton, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire
 * Bromyard and Linton Light Railway, Bromyard, Herefordshire – private site
 * Moseley Railway Trust, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
 * North Gloucestershire Railway, Toddington, Gloucestershire
 * Perrygrove Railway, Gloucestershire
 * Rudyard Lake Steam Railway, Rudyard, Staffordshire
 * Statfold Barn Railway, Tamworth, Staffordshire

Miniature gauge

 * Broomy Hill Railway, Herefordshire
 * Downs Light Railway, Colwall, Worcestershire (also the oldest private miniature railway worldwide)
 * Echills Wood Railway, Kingsbury Waterpark, Warwickshire
 * Evesham Vale Light Railway, Evesham Country Park, Worcestershire
 * Weston Park Railway, Shropshire
 * Rainsbrook Valley Railway, Onley Lane, Warwickshire

Tramways

 * Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, West Midlands

East of England

 * Leiston Works Railway, Leiston, Suffolk (currently under construction)
 * Norfolk Orbital Railway, Holt, Norfolk
 * Southwold Railway, Blythburgh and Southwold, Suffolk
 * Wisbech and March Railway, Waldersea, Cambridgeshire

North of England

 * Poulton and Wyre Railway, Thornton–Cleveleys, Lancashire (under restoration)

South of England

 * North Somerset Railway, Radstock, Somerset
 * Tarka Valley Railway, Torrington, Devon
 * Vale of Berkeley Railway, Sharpness, Gloucestershire

Defunct
This is a list of former heritage railway attractions that are sadly defunct.
 * Ashford Steam Centre, Willesborough, Kent – closed in 1976.
 * Abbey Light Railway, Kirkstall, West Yorkshire – closed in 2012.
 * Brockham Railway Museum, Dorking, Surrey – closed 1982 (Stock moved to Amberley Museum Railway, West Sussex)
 * Bolebroke Castle Miniature Railway, East Sussex – closed 2012
 * Buxton Steam Centre, Derbyshire – closed in 1987, as Peak Rail moved to Darley Dale.
 * Cadeby Light Railway, Cadeby, Leicestershire – closed in 2005.
 * Chester Zoo monorail, Chester Zoo, Chester
 * Creekmoor Light Railway, Poole, Dorset – closed in 1973
 * Dinting Railway Centre, Derbyshire – closed in 1991, (Society moved to Ingrow (West) station on the KWVR, West Yorkshire.)
 * Dowty Railway Centre, Ashchurch, Gloucestershire – closed in the 1980s
 * Eastbourne Tramway, East Sussex – closed 1969, (moved to Seaton, Devon)
 * Electric Railway Museum, Warwickshire - closed in October 2017, (rolling stock relocated to other preserved railways across the UK).
 * Elsecar Heritage Railway, South Yorkshire - closed 2020.
 * Finmere railway station, Buckinghamshire (stock relocated after the land was developed for HS2).
 * Great Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society, Starbeck, North Yorkshire – closed in 1989 (Group moved to Murton, near York, to restore part of the former Derwent Valley Light Railway)
 * Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway, Humberston, Lincolnshire – closed 1985 - Rebuilt 2009 in Skegness.
 * Markeaton Park Light Railway, Rowsley, Derbyshire - closed in 2016, track lifted in 2017.
 * Marwell Wildlife Railway, Hampshire - closed in 2021 and track lifted by end of 2022.
 * Museum of British Transport, Clapham, South London – closed in 1973. Some exhibits moved first to Syon Park, West London and subsequently to Covent Garden to form London Transport Museum. Some exhibits moved to N.R.M. York.
 * North Downs Steam Railway, Dartford, Kent – closed in 1995 (society merged with Spa Valley Railway)
 * North Woolwich Old Station Museum, East London – closed in 2008
 * Queen Mary's Hospital Miniature Railway, Carshalton, South London - Closed in 1997
 * Ramsgate Tunnel Railway, Ramsgate, Kent – closed in 1965
 * Snibston Railway, Coalville, Leicestershire – closed on 31 July 2015 (as with the Discovery Museum, itself)
 * Southport Pier Tramway, Southport, Merseyside - closed 2015
 * Southport Railway Museum, Southport, Lancashire – closed in 1999 (Society moved to Preston Docks as the Ribble Steam Railway).
 * Stevington & Turvey Light Railway, Turvey, Bedfordshire – private site - closed in 2014.
 * Transperience, Low Moor, Bradford, Yorkshire – closed in 1997
 * Wells Harbour Railway, in Norfolk - closed in 2021
 * Westerham Valley Railway Association, Westerham, Kent – closed 1965 (merged with Kent and East Sussex Railway Preservation Society with a few items of stock transferred to KWVR.)

Northern Ireland
See List of heritage railways in Northern Ireland

Irish standard gauge

 * Downpatrick and County Down Railway, County Down

Railway centres and museums

 * Whitehead Railway Museum, Whitehead, County Antrim
 * Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra, County Down

Narrow gauge

 * Foyle Valley Railway, County Londonderry
 * Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway, County Antrim
 * Peatlands Park Railway, County Armagh

Defunct

 * Shane's Castle Railway, County Antrim – closed 1994 (stock moved to Giants Causeway and Bushmills Railway.)

Central Highlands

 * Keith & Dufftown Railway, Dufftown, Banffshire and Keith, Morayshire
 * Strathspey Railway, Aviemore, Highland

East Coast of Scotland

 * Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway, Bo'ness, Falkirk
 * Fife Heritage Railway, Leven, Fife
 * Caledonian Railway, Brechin, Angus
 * Royal Deeside Railway, Milton of Crathes, Aberdeenshire

South West Scotland

 * Scottish Industrial Railway Centre, Dunaskin - Waterside, East Ayrshire

Railway centres and museums

 * Museum of Scottish Railways, Bo'ness, Falkirk
 * Riverside Museum, Glasgow
 * Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire

Narrow gauge

 * Alford Valley Railway, Alford, Aberdeenshire
 * Almond Valley Light Railway, Livingston, West Lothian
 * Leadhills and Wanlockhead Railway, South Lanarkshire

Miniature railways

 * Craigtoun Miniature Railway, St Andrews, Fife
 * Ness Islands Railway, Inverness

Proposed

 * Waverley Route Heritage Association, Whitrope, Roxburghshire

Defunct

 * Isle of Mull Railway, Inner Hebrides – closed in 2011.
 * Kerr's Miniature Railway, Arbroath - closed in 2020.
 * Lochty Private Railway, Fife – closed in 1992.
 * Sanday Light Railway, Braeswick, Orkney – closed in 2006.

Standard gauge

 * Dolgarrog Railway, Conwy (under construction)
 * Bala & Ffestiniog Railway Heritage Trust, Maentwrog Road, Gwynedd (currently under restoration)

Narrow gauge

 * Glyn Valley Tramway, Chirk, Wrexham

Standard gauge

 * Garw Valley Railway, Pontycymer, Bridgend
 * Maerdy Heritage Railway, Maerdy, Rhondda Cynon Taf

Defunct

 * Butetown Historical Railway Society, Cardiff Bay – closed in 1997, moved to Barry Tourist Railway
 * Caerphilly Railway Society, Caerphilly Railway Works – closed 1996, moved to Gwili Railway
 * Gloddfa Ganol, Blaenau Ffestiniog - museum of narrow-gauge railways, closed in 1998, stock sold at auction
 * Swansea Vale Railway, Pentrechwyth – closed in 2009, (most of the track and rolling stock are now located on the Gwili Railway).
 * Penrhyn Quarry Railway, Bethesda, Gwynedd
 * Trawsfynydd and Blaenau Ffestiniog Railway, Closed and replaced by Bala & Ffestiniog Railway Heritage Trust

Derelict
See Rail transport in the Isle of Man.
 * Queen's Pier Tramway, Ramsey
 * Second Falcon Cliff lift, Douglas

Channel Islands

 * Alderney Railway, Alderney
 * Pallot Heritage Steam Museum, Jersey

Falkland Islands

 * Camber Railway, Stanley (defunct)