Elsecar Heritage Railway

Elsecar Heritage Railway
300px Peckett OQ Class no. 2150 "Mardy Monster" at the Elsecar Heritage Railway
Terminus	Elsecar- Rockingham station
Commercial operations
Name	Elsecar Heritage Railway
Built by	South Yorkshire Railway
Original gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Preserved operations
Owned by	Earl Fitzwilliam, Barnsley Council, Elsecar Railway Preservation Group, Elsecar Heritage Railway Ltd
Operated by	Elsecar Heritage Railway Ltd
Stations	One, at Elsecar (Rockingham station)
Length	1 mile (1.6 km)
Preserved gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Commercial history
Opened	1850
Closed	1984
Preservation history
1994	Reopened
Headquarters	Elsecar, Rockingham station

The Elsecar Heritage Railway (EHR) is located on the southern part of the former South Yorkshire Railway freight-only branch which ran from Elsecar Junction on its Mexborough to Barnsley Line. The line was built to serve Earl Fitzwilliam's collieries and ironworks, which he leased out to local ironmasters.

The Elsecar Heritage Railway operates an out and back tourist train ride on a 1 mile (1.6 km) section of the branch with using steam and diesel locomotives currently running between Rockingham station (at the back of the Elsecar Heritage Centre) and Hemingfield Basin. The railway is operated using a variety of different preserved rolling stock.

The EHR plans to eventually operate the line up into Cortonwood, with a new halt at Hemingfield.

On 16 May 2011, the permanent way materials for the level crossing arrived and a donation scheme had been set up for the remainder of the money needed. Funds raised through this scheme have since been used to purchase barriers and traffic signals for the crossing ready for installation. In August 2012, trial holes were dug to locate services under the road surface ready for the crossing installation to take place.

On 21 June of the same year, the ground was cleared and levelled for ballast and track alterations in anticipation for constructing the station at Hemingfield, currently the end of the line.

On 19 April 2013, the EHR installed the level-crossing on Tingle Bridge Lane, financed by a Director's loan, and began extending up into Cortonwood Colliery, as the next step of the Project. In November 2013 the EHR received a lottery grant of £50,000 to finance the provision of a Coal Mining Memorial Park at Cortonwood Colliery, a nationally important site, where the 1984/5 Miners Strike began. The project was completed in November 2014.

By June of 2014 the whole track had been laid up to Cortonwood, with minor levelling and ballasting remaining to become operational.

Motive power

Steam locomotives

The railway's collection of steam locomotives are used regularly for passenger services. This is the collection of steam locomotives.

Operational

• Sentinel Waggon Works 0-4-0VBT No. 6807 "Gervase".

Undergoing overhaul

• Peckett OQ Class 0-6-0ST No. 2150 "Mardy Monster".
• Sentinel Waggon Works 4wVBT No. 9599 "William".

Stored

• Sentinel 0-4-0VBT No. 7 built in 1947.
• Avonside 0-6-0ST No. 1917 "Earl Fitzwilliam" (formerly "Pitsford").*

Resident diesel locomotives

The railway's collection of diesel locomotives are sometimes used to operate passenger trains.

Operational

• Hunslet Engine Co. 0-6-0DH No. 6950 "Louise".
• Yorkshire Engine Company 0-6-0DE No. 2895 "Earl of Strafford".

Visiting diesel locomotives

None at present

Coaching stock

Coaching stock is painted in British Railways 'lined maroon' livery.

• BR Mk 1 TSO No. 3958. In service.
• BR Mk 1 TSO No. 4903. In service.
• BR Mk 1 BSK No. 35305. In service.
• BR Mk 1 SK No. 25562. In service.

Stations

• Cortonwood (Proposed)

Planned railway station (adjacent to retail park) currently being planned/proposed.

• Hemingfield -

Halt construction due to begin shortly

• Rockingham - Terminus

Serving the Elsecar Heritage Centre

External links

• Elsecar Railway Website