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This section contains updates on narrow gauge sites (industrial/commercial, not preserved) still operating, or news regarding closures confirmed from recent vists or the railway press. Please feel free to contribute to these pages and ensure a broad cross section of railways and countries are featured. Click on the thumbnail pictures to see a larger picture. The most recent reports will be at the top |
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ENGLAND: July 2018
Honister Slate Works, Cumbria (Gauge 2ft) It is reported in the Narrow Gauge News that the Honister Slate Mine is to cease using its internal railway to transport materials. In future it will be by front end loader and dumper trucks. Considering some of the clearances in the galleries that the railway runs along, either these road vehicles will be very small, or some of the galleries will need increasing in size to accommodate such vehicles. No timescales for this change was given in the report.  The above photo shows the battery loco undergound at Honister in 1995. |
AUSTRIA: July 2018
Murtalbahn (Gauge 760mm)  (Above) In 2015 one of the SLB BoBo locos arrives in Unzmarkt with a train of empty tanker wagons. |
From a visit back in May 2018, it has been confirmed that freight still continues to be carried on the Murtalbahn, and if anything has increased recently. A report in the Narrow Gauge News observed that the tanker movements, running from Unzmarkt to Murau a couple of times per week, were still in operation, but also timber trains were back in service. This time the timber is said to be sourced from the Ukraine, loaded at Unzmarkt and transported all the way to Tamsweg. (Posted 18.08.2018 Source: Narrow Gauge News) |
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BALTIC STATES: January 2018
Michael Sands has sent in details regarding the current situation with peat railways across the Baltic States. The information below is the result of many visits between 2014 to 2016. The links shown below are from the Finnish railway forum "vaunut.org". ESTONIA The details for Estonia should represent all the railways currently operating, but if anyone has recent knowledge of any other sites, please let us know. Nurme, 600mm gauge In Nurme there is a relatively new 600mm gauge railway that opened in 1998. the gauge of 600mm is unusual in the Baltic states and the reason for the gauge is that the company ASB Greenworld imported used locos and wagons of 600mm gauge from Germany. The workers there stated that there are two functional Schöma locos available for use and one Schöma that they is for spares only. It appeared to be a relatively busy operation with around 5-6 loaded trains per day. LINK: Nurme Peat Railway  One of the Schöma locos returning on the 12/09/2016 Puhja 750mm gauge The peat railway in Puhja has a gauge of 750mm and is operated by the Sangla company. The trackwork and general infrastructure appeared to be in quite poor condition. The railway is around 8km long. Only a couple of locos were observed here (TU6A) but it is likely that more exist but were out on the moors. The locomotives were the TU6A type but had been rebuilt with engines and bodywork from Scania and Volvo trucks. LINK: Puhja Peat Railway  One of the 'converted' locos at Puhja taken on 12/09/2016 |
LATVIA The list for Latvia may not be complete. There are sites which have not yet been visited and so the current status is unclear. It is also likely that railways may exist that are not curently unknown. Zilaiskalns, 750mm gauge LINK: Zilaiskalns Peat Railway  The peat works here is owned by Klasmann-Deilmann. The loco shed seen on the 16/09/2016. Brivzemnieki , 750mm gauge LINK: Brivzemnieki Peat Railway  Just two locos were seen operatiing on thi railway when visited on the 16/09/2016 Misas Kudra, 750mm gauge LINK: Misas Kudra Peat Railway Peat is now transported by road from the moor to the peatworks, but the railway is still used in the moors. Vane, 750mm gauge LINK: Vane Peat Railway Lielsalas, 750mm gauge LINK: Lielsalas Peat Railway Aizpute, 750mm gauge LINK: Aizpute Peat Railway Ploce, 600mm gauge LINK: Ploce Peat Railway |
LITHUANIA The list for Lithuania is not complete. There are sites which have not yet been visited and so the current status is unclear. It is also likely that railways currently exist that are not known about. Traksedziai, 750mm gauge LINK: Traksedziai  The peat works here is owned by Klasmann-Deilmann. Photo taken on the 14/09/2016. Jankunai, 750mm gauge LINK: Jankunai Peat Railway Rekyva Durpes, 750mm gauge LINK: Rekyva Durpes Radviliskis, 750mm gauge LINK: Radviliskis Railway Tytuvenu Durpes, 750mm gauge LINK: Tytuvenu Durpes Ezerelis Durpes, 750mm gauge LINK: Ezerelis Durpes Igliauka, 750mm gauge LINK: Igliauka Tvaskuciai, 750mm gauge LINK: Tvaskuciai (Posted 01.01.2018 Source: Robert Sand) |
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