A heritage railway or heritage railroad (U.S. usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) in the history of rail transport .
129-619: The Bluebell Railway is an 11 mi (17.7 km) heritage line in West Sussex in England . It is managed by the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society. It uses steam trains which operate between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead , with intermediate stations at Horsted Keynes and Kingscote . It is the first preserved standard gauge steam-operated passenger railway in the world to operate
258-406: A crossing upon which the tower rests, a south transept , a north chapel, an arcaded north aisle and the remains of a south chapel and north transept. There are arches to each of the four sides of the crossing. The church is built of locally hewn sandstone laid in large, rough blocks with wide joints. The stone has been weathered to a dark brown colour in places. A Saxon doorway, reset in
387-474: A central tower and tall, sharp spire which forms a landmark for miles around despite the church standing in a dip. The four arms of the cross were formed by the nave , the chancel and a north and south transept . The chancel had an apse and a narrow chancel arch. In about 1220 (the Early English Gothic architectural period) many changes were made. The apse was removed and the chancel
516-440: A commercial service, using a two-car DMU . The plans came to nothing: the society failed to buy the whole line, and most local residents were not interested. The committee then recommended that the stretch of track between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes could be run as a tourist attraction, with vintage locomotives and stock operated by unpaid volunteer staff. As BR still ran an electrified line from Horsted Keynes to Ardingly,
645-470: A double-track line, it was electrified in the 1930s, with 2-NOL units used for the Seaford -Horsted Keynes service. The line between Horsted Keynes and Ardingly was operated as single-track in its final years, with 2-BIL/Class 401 and 2-HAL/Class 402 units. The second track was left in place and used for carriage storage, most notably the new Kent Coast electric stock prior to its introduction and later
774-437: A four-train service daily; smaller railways may run daily throughout the summer with only one steam locomotive. The Great Central Railway , the only preserved British main line with a double track, can operate over 50 trains on a busy timetable day. After the privatisation of main-line railways, the line between not-for-profit heritage railways and for-profit branch lines may be blurred. The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
903-463: A junction at Horsted Keynes to Ardingly and Haywards Heath on the LB&;SCR main line. The 1877 and 1878 acts included a clause that: This imposed a legal requirement to provide a service, and the only way to remove this obligation was to pass another act. Designed under instructions from LB&SCR Chief Engineer Frederick Banister , the line was constructed to take double track. However, only
1032-499: A line west towards Brighton, a line south to Newhaven and Seaford, and a line east to Eastbourne, Hastings and Ashford. Originally the Bluebell Line was the straightest and quickest route from Lewes to London. The Bluebell Railway ran directly south from Sheffield Park to Culver Junction (at Culver Farm just south of Barcombe Mills ), with intermediate stations at Newick and Chailey and Barcombe . At Culver Junction it joined
1161-401: A list which in 2022 reached 26 railway lines. According to article 1, law 128/2017 has as its purpose: "the protection and valorisation of railway sections of particular cultural, landscape and tourist value, which include railway routes, stations and related works of art and appurtenances, and of the historic and tourist rolling stock authorized to travel along them, as well as the regulation of
1290-656: A major exception being the Furka Steam Railway , the longest unelectrified line in the country and one of the highest rail crossings in Europe . Many railway companies, especially mountain railways , provide services with well-preserved historic trains for tourists, for instance the Rigi Railways , the oldest rack railway in Europe, and the Pilatus Railway , the steepest in the world. Two railways,
1419-479: A museum and interpretation area; create new facilities for locomotive crews; create a rainwater catchment system from the roof of the carriage building, which is then processed and used to fill the steam engines' boilers; restore the railway's historic platform buildings. The Bluebell Railway is twinned with the Museumstoomtram Hoorn – Medemblik , which links Hoorn and Medemblik , North Holland ,
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#17327940656481548-428: A narrow-gauge railway, parks were free of redevelopment. Child volunteers and socialist fiscal policy enabled the existence of many of these railways. Children's railways which still carry traffic have often retained their original infrastructure and rolling stock, including vintage steam locomotives; some have acquired heritage vehicles from other railways. Examples of children's railways with steam locomotives include
1677-728: A non-polluting fuel. The Villa Elisa Historic Train (operated by Ferroclub Central Entrerriano) runs steam trains between the cities of Villa Elisa and Caseros in Entre Ríos Province , covering 36 km (22 mi) in 120 minutes. The world's second preserved railway, and the first outside the United Kingdom, was Australia's Puffing Billy Railway . This railway operates on 15 miles (24 km) of track, with much of its original rolling stock built as early as 1898. Just about over half of Australia's heritage lines are operated by narrow gauge tank engines, much like
1806-416: A one-off donation of £50,000 towards the reconnection. On 7 March 2013, the last section of track was formally joined using a white fishplate, with the honour of tightening the four bolts being given to Barbara Watkins, a long-standing Bluebell Railway volunteer. The extension to East Grinstead was officially opened on Saturday 23 March, with a two-week opening festival starting that day. Originally built as
1935-637: A part of the city's new transit system. Another such line, called The Silver Line , operates in San Diego . St Giles%27 Church, Horsted Keynes St Giles' Church is an Anglican church in the village of Horsted Keynes in Mid Sussex , one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex . Serving an extensive rural parish in the Sussex Weald , it stands at
2064-481: A pointed arch made up of ten voussoirs . The nave mostly retains its original appearance, except for the insertion of later windows in the Perpendicular Gothic style. The north wall was taken out in 1885 when the aisle was built; in its place a three- bay arcade was inserted, of which the easternmost bay reused 14th-century fabric. A piscina whose upper part is of ancient origin was placed in
2193-505: A public launch event, BBC news reader Nicholas Owen —a local resident and society volunteer—started removal of the actual waste on 25 November 2008. Initially rubbish was removed from the site by lorry, but, due to the substantial volume and cost of about £45/tonne, in 2009 a trial removal of spoil by rail was carried out by DB Schenker Rail (UK) . At £25,000 per train and now undertaken by GB Railfreight , this practice continued periodically as funds became available. However, an increase in
2322-471: A public service. The society ran its first train on 7 August 1960, less than three years after the line from East Grinstead to Lewes had been closed by British Railways . On 23 March 2013, the Bluebell Railway started to run through to its new East Grinstead terminus station. At East Grinstead there is a connection to the national rail network, the first connection of the Bluebell Railway to
2451-454: A raincoat covered with blood on the engine. Another coat was found near two bodies in the middle of the tracks. The ganger who found them told the inquest the couple must have been walking with their backs to the train. "There was a very heavy squall at the time and the couple would probably have not heard a thing," he said. The coroner said Ronald and Winifred were trespassing and no blame could be attached to any railway worker. Little more than
2580-516: A section of a modern light rail system. Heritage streetcar systems operating in Little Rock, Arkansas ; Memphis, Tennessee ; Dallas, Texas ; New Orleans, Louisiana ; Boston, Massachusetts ( MBTA Mattapan Trolley ) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ( SEPTA route 15 ); and Tampa, Florida , are among the larger examples. A heritage line operates in Charlotte, North Carolina , and will become
2709-472: A substantial number of passengers was when Lord Sheffield entertained the Australian cricket team, with a match between them and Lord Sheffield's own team. On 31 July 1943, newlyweds Ronald Knapp and Winifred Standing were killed when they were pulled under a train from Lewes to East Grinstead. The couple walked along the railway on a dark rainy night. When the train got to Horsted Keynes, the guard found
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#17327940656482838-691: A victim of Beeching) was the Middleton Railway ; the second, and the first to carry passengers, was the Bluebell Railway . Not-for-profit heritage railways differ in their quantity of service and some lines see traffic only on summer weekends. The more successful, such as the Severn Valley Railway and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway , may have up to five or six steam locomotives and operate
2967-580: A vintage pit railway and offer mantrip rides into the mine. The Metro 1 (officially the Millennium Underground Railway or M1), built from 1894 to 1896, is the oldest line of the Budapest Metro system and the second-oldest underground railway in the world. The M1 underwent major reconstruction during the 1980s and 1990s, and Line 1 now serves eight original stations whose original appearance has been preserved. In 2002,
3096-464: A week after they were married, the couple's funeral was at St Giles' Church, Horsted Keynes , where they are buried together in a grave marked by a War Graves Commission headstone. In 1954, long before the Beeching Axe , the branch line committee of British Railways proposed closing the line from East Grinstead to Culver Junction near Lewes . This was challenged by local residents, but closure
3225-442: Is a narrow-gauge railway in central Slovakia , established in the first decade of the 20th century and operating primarily as a freight railway for the local logging industry. From the late 1920s to the early 1960s, it also offered passenger transport between the villages of Hronec and Čierny Balog. The railway became Czechoslovakia 's most extensive forest railway network. After its closure in 1982, it received heritage status and
3354-533: Is a cross-border joint Swiss-Italian heritage area. Trains operating on the Bernina line include the Bernina Express . In July 2023, Ferrovie dello Stato established a new company, the "FS Treni Turistici Italiani" (English: FS Italian Tourist Trains), with the mission "to propose an offer of railway services expressly designed and calibrated for quality, sustainable tourism and attentive to rediscovering
3483-678: Is a stretch of rebuilt narrow-gauge railway on the bank of the old Kovjoki– Nykarleby line. The Buckower Kleinbahn [ de ] is a 4.9-kilometre (3.0 mi) spur line of the Prussian Eastern Railway , located in the Märkische Schweiz Nature Park in Brandenburg . It was originally constructed in 1897 as a narrow-gauge railway , with a gauge of 750 mm ( 2 ft 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ), connecting Buckow to
3612-531: Is an ancient parish in the centre of Sussex, covering about 5,000 acres (2,020 ha) of heavily forested, mostly rural land which forms part of the Weald . Nearly 480 acres (194 ha) was originally part of the ancient Forest of Anderida, and the soil consists of Hastings Sand and clay with several prominent sandstone ridges. The village stands on one of these. At the time of the Domesday survey in 1086,
3741-506: Is an example of a commercial line run as a heritage operation and to provide local transportation, and the Severn Valley Railway has operated a few goods trains commercially. A number of heritage railway lines are regularly used by commercial freight operators. Since the Bluebell Railway reopened to traffic in 1960, the definition of private standard gauge railways in the United Kingdom as preserved railways has evolved as
3870-554: Is applied (art. 2, paragraph 1). At the same time, the law identified a first list of 18 tourist railways, considered to be of particular value (art. 2, paragraph 2). The list is periodically updated by decree of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport , in agreement with the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Culture , also taking into account the reports in the State-Regions Conference,
3999-541: Is in the crossing , and they also designed a second window in the north wall of the chancel in about 1908. The west window of the nave has Kempe glass from 1905 depicting the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple , and his firm Kempe & Co. installed stained glass in the north aisle in 1910 and 1925 and in the nave in 1919 and 1926. Later windows include Morris & Co. and Wippell & Co. designs of 1950, both in
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4128-500: Is of red brick and was extended in 1950 before it was sold by the Congregational church. During the incumbency of Rev. Frederick H.D. Smythe (1900–1909), two new buildings were provided for the benefit of parishioners. When he became rector, there was a building near the church that was divided into two parts, used for church business and as a working men's club respectively. After the latter stopped using it, Smythe opened
4257-716: Is one of the highest railways in the world . The line has 29 bridges, 21 tunnels, 13 viaducts, two spirals and two zigzags , and its highest point is 4,220 metres (13,850 ft) above sea level. In the Misiones Province , more precisely in the Iguazú National Park, is the Ecological Train of the Forest. With a speed below 20 km per hour to avoid interfering with wildlife and the formations are propelled to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG),
4386-697: The Albula Railway and the Bernina Railway , have been designated as a World Heritage Site , although they are essentially operated with modern rolling stock. Due to the availability of hydroelectric resources in the Alps, the Swiss network was electrified earlier than in the rest of Europe. Some of the most emblematic pre-World War II electric locomotives and trains are the Crocodile , notably used on
4515-663: The Chemin de fer à vapeur des Trois Vallées and PFT operates the Chemin de Fer du Bocq . Heritage streetcar lines: Museums with operational heritage streetcar lines: On the Finnish state-owned rail network , the section between Olli and Porvoo is a dedicated museum line. In southern Finland , it is the only line with many structural details abandoned by the rest of the network which regularly carries passenger traffic. Wooden sleepers , gravel ballast and low rail weight with no overhead catenary make it uniquely historical. Along
4644-1257: The Dresden Park Railway in Germany; the Gyermekvasút in Budapest ; the Park Railway Maltanka in Poznań ; the Košice Children's Railway in Slovakia, and the 7 + 1 ⁄ 4 in ( 184 mm ) gauge steam railway on the grounds of St Nicholas' School in Merstham , Surrey , which the children help operate with assistance from the East Surrey 16mm Group and other volunteers. Creating passages for trains up steep hills and through mountain regions offers many obstacles which call for technical solutions. Steep grade railway technologies and extensive tunneling may be employed. The use of narrow gauge allows tighter curves in
4773-672: The Gotthard Railway , and the Red Arrow . Both are occasionally operated by SBB Historic . Switzerland also comprehends a large number of funiculars, several still working with the original carriages, such as the Giessbachbahn . In Britain, heritage railways are often railway lines which were run as commercial railways but were no longer needed (or closed down) and were taken over or re-opened by volunteers or non-profit organisations. The large number of heritage railways in
4902-646: The Kangra Valley Railway are preserved narrow gauge railways under consideration for UNESCO status. Some scenic routes have been preserved as heritage railways. Here normal services have stopped, only tourist heritage trains are operated. Examples of these are the Patalpani–Kalakund Heritage Train and the Rajasthan Valley Queen Heritage train which runs from Marwar Junction to Khamlighat . In Italy
5031-597: The Lewes and East Grinstead Railway ( L&EGR ). The line was sponsored by local landowners, including the Earl of Sheffield . A year later another act enabled the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway Company (LB&SCR), chaired by Samuel Laing , to acquire and operate the line. The line had six stations, but only Barcombe was within walking distance of a village. Chailey parish had two stations, one at Sheffield Park and
5160-523: The Macmillan publishing house . His son Maurice Crawford MacMillan and Maurice's wife Helen (née Tarleton Belles) are buried in the churchyard in graves overlooked by an "impressive runic Cross, a replica of the MacMillan Cross at Kilmory Knap , Argyllshire ". Maurice and Helen's son was Harold Macmillan , Prime Minister of the United Kingdom between 1957 and 1963; when he died in 1986 he
5289-462: The Müncheberg (Mark) station . This line was electrified and changed to standard gauge in 1930. It has operated as a heritage railway since 2002. The Mountain railways of India are the railway lines that were built in the mountainous regions of India . The term mainly includes the narrow-gauge and metre-gauge railways in these regions but may also include some broad-gauge railways. Of
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5418-660: The Netherlands . 51°01′58″N 0°02′48″W / 51.0329°N 0.0467°W / 51.0329; -0.0467 Heritage railway The British Office of Rail and Road defines heritage railways as follows: ...'lines of local interest', museum railways or tourist railways that have retained or assumed the character and appearance and operating practices of railways of former times. Several lines that operate in isolation provide genuine transport facilities, providing community links. Most lines constitute tourist or educational attractions in their own right. Much of
5547-827: The Train of the End of the World to the Tierra del Fuego National Park is considered the world's southernmost functioning railway. Heritage railway operations started in 1994, after restoration of the old 500 mm ( 19 + 3 ⁄ 4 in ) (narrow-gauge) steam railway . In Salta Province in northeastern Argentina, the Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds) runs along 220 km (140 mi) of 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 + 3 ⁄ 8 in ) metre gauge track in what
5676-760: The USSR during the Soviet era . Many were called "Pioneer railways", after the youth organisation of that name . The first children's railway opened in Moscow in 1932 and, at the breakup of the USSR, 52 children's railways existed in the country. Although the fall of communist governments has led to the closure of some, preserved children's railways are still functioning in post-Soviet states and Eastern European countries . Many children's railways were built on parkland in urban areas. Unlike many industrial areas typically served by
5805-546: The canton of Graubünden , Switzerland , with the town of Tirano , in the Province of Sondrio , Italy , via the Bernina Pass . Reaching a height of 2,253 metres (7,392 ft) above sea level, it is the third highest railway crossing in Europe . It also ranks as the highest adhesion railway of the continent, and – with inclines of up to 7% – as one of the steepest adhesion railways in
5934-403: The 14th century of its north transept and its original rounded west arch. The tower started to lean, and its tall spire accentuated the problem. Buttresses were added in four places, and iron ties were inserted later to bring the tower back towards the vertical. The spire is known to have been in place by 1667, when lightning struck it and dislodged 3,000 shingles . Victorian restoration
6063-525: The 1858 Wealden Line (part of which is now restored as the nearby Heritage Lavender Line ), thereby gaining access to Lewes. The section from East Grinstead to Culver Junction was closed in 1958, and the Lewes to Uckfield line in 1969 by British Rail. Bluebell supporters and committee members have expressed interest in re-building the line south by three more stations to Lewes. However, a substantial number of large civil engineering obstacles and intrusions onto
6192-425: The 96,000 cubic metres (3,400,000 cu ft) of waste within the 500-metre-long (1,600 ft) cutting were not toxic. The excavated clay -cap covering the landfill site was taken south by rail, to fill the site of a removed viaduct and embankment on the old Ardingly spur. In January 2008 agreement was given to start clearing foliage on the section of the tip between Imberhorne Lane and Hill Place bridges. In
6321-534: The Broadhurst manor in Horsted Keynes parish. The demolition of the chapel revealed the outline of a wide blocked pointed arch on the south wall, which is still clearly visible. Later work included reconstructing the porch at the southwest corner—dated to the late 17th century—and reinforcing the tower and the west walls of the nave, necessitated by the subsidence of the tower caused by the removal in
6450-649: The Mountain railways of India, the Darjeeling Himalayan , Nilgiri Mountain and Kalka–Shimla Railways have been collectively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . To meet World Heritage criteria, the sites must retain some of their traditional infrastructure and culture. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is also the only rack and pinion railway in India. The Matheran Hill Railway , along with
6579-843: The Old Patagonian Express) was declared a National Historic Monument by the Government of Argentina in 1999. Trains on the Patagonian 750 mm ( 2 ft 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) narrow-gauge railway use steam locomotives. The 402-kilometre-long (250 mi) railway runs through the foothills of the Andes between Esquel and El Maitén in Chubut Province and Ingeniero Jacobacci in Río Negro Province . In southern Argentina,
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#17327940656486708-493: The Rape of Pevensey, the names Grethorsted or Horsted Magna were occasionally used for ecclesiastical purposes. The name that entered regular use, though, was Horsted de Cahaignes —later simplified to Horsted Keynes —in honour of Lord of the Manor and principal landowner Sir William de Cahaignes, an associate of Robert de Mortain who also held much land in Cahaignes in Normandy . Many Sussex churches stand on high ground overlooking their village, but at Horsted Keynes
6837-400: The Secretaries of State for the Environment and Transport giving planning permission and a Light Railway Order for an extension to East Grinstead in 1985. The Bluebell Railway Preservation Society completed the extension from Horsted Keynes to Kingscote in April 1994, re-laying track through Sharpthorne Tunnel, which at 731 yards or 668 metres is the longest on a UK heritage railway. At
6966-406: The UK is due in part to the closure of many minor lines during the 1960s' Beeching cuts , and they were relatively easy to revive. There are between 100 and 150 heritage railways in the United Kingdom. A typical British heritage railway will use steam locomotives and original rolling stock to create a period atmosphere, although some are concentrating on diesel and electric traction to re-create
7095-515: The United States as tourist, historic, or scenic railroads. Most are remnants of original railroads, and some are reconstructed after having been scrapped. Some heritage railways preserve entire railroads in their original state using original structures, track, and motive power. Examples of heritage railroads in the US by preservation type: Other operations, such as the Valley Railroad or Hocking Valley Scenic Railway operate on historic track and utilize historic equipment, but are not reflective of
7224-426: The Wyat(t)s, Lightmakers and Piggot(t)s. Most date from between the 17th and 19th centuries. Examples include white marble tablets by the north and east walls of the chancel (the latter is topped with an urn); two grey marble tablets by the south wall—one with an inscribed shield decoration, the other supported on columns with decorative capitals and bearing a shield with a coat of arms ; an engraved marble slab near
7353-452: The arrival of a commemorative LB&SCR A1X class No.55 Stepney -hauled steam train. The entourage then travelled towards Sheffield Park. From its inception, the society had always planned to work northwards towards East Grinstead, where the line would connect with the national network. BR donated Imberhorne Viaduct to the railway in 1992, but the purchase of the final pieces of the by then privately owned track bed north to East Grinstead
7482-400: The building out, extended it and turned it into a parish room for church activities. It is held in trust by the Diocese of Chichester . Later in the 20th century, electricity and heating were installed and the building was enlarged further. Smythe also built a new room for the Church Lads Brigade in 1908. Called the "Young Men's Room", it was erected at a cost of £42 and was again placed in
7611-466: The chancel arch; one embedded in the south transept floor; and a series of blue and white marble stones by the vestry. Many have lengthy commemorative inscriptions. A rare "heart shrine"—a memorial to a parishioner who died abroad (usually during the Crusades ) but whose heart was returned and buried in the church—is in the chancel. It measures 27 inches (69 cm) and is placed in an alcove 34 inches (86 cm) long and 30 inches (76 cm) above
7740-434: The church was built in a deep dip to the north. This is because the original church on the site—a small wattle and daub structure, later succeeded by a wooden church built from the oak trees prevalent in the Forest of Anderida (a pattern repeated at many villages in the Sussex Weald )—occupied a pre-Christian site of pagan worship. St Giles' Church "may be one of the best examples of re-use of an old religious site" which
7869-402: The crossing, the round-headed east- and south-facing arches, each 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) high to the imposts , 10 feet (120 in) high to the top of the arch and 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) wide, are from the original Norman building and are supported on four square piers each 4 feet (48 in) thick. The pointed west arch was inserted in the 14th century, and
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#17327940656487998-406: The demolished south chapel to the wall outside the chancel. The parish war memorial, a copy of Muiredach's High Cross at the ruined monastery of Monasterboice , Ireland, was put up in 1920 and commemorates 33 soldiers who died in World War I . Names from World War II have also been added. Also found in the churchyard are some wood and stone "dead boards", an early type of grave marker that
8127-414: The early 14th century, by which time English Gothic architecture had moved into its Decorated Gothic phase. A new wider chancel arch was installed between the crossing and the chancel, a side chapel was added on the north side, new windows were added in the nave, and the original rounded west arch of the crossing (into the nave) was replaced by a new pointed arch. The side chapel probably replaced
8256-442: The early 1970s, its surviving lines and branches have been (or are being) restored. The railway is owned and operated by the Museum of Kysuce, with a 3.8-kilometre (2.4 mi) line open to tourists for sightseeing. Switzerland has a very dense rail network , both standard and narrow gauge. The overwhelming majority of railways, built between the mid-19th and early 20th century , are still in regular operation today and electrified,
8385-433: The extensive range of memorials and fittings in the building and its large churchyard. The village got its name from the de Cahaignes family, one of whose ancestors is apparently commemorated by the rare 13th-century "heart shrine" in the chancel . Another family with more recent connections to the parish is the Macmillan publishing dynasty, the most famous of whose sons—former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan —is buried in
8514-533: The family plot. Various changes have been made to the Norman church, mostly in the 13th and 14th centuries, and some Victorian restoration was undertaken. Nevertheless, the building still retains its original cruciform shape and its central tower topped by a landmark broach spire . The church continues to play an active part in parish life, maintaining links to the local school and holding regular services. English Heritage has listed it at Grade I for its architectural and historical importance. Horsted Keynes
8643-432: The floor. It was designed in about 1270 and may commemorate Richard de Cahaignes or one of his family. A study in 1846 described the effigy as being "of a fine grained oolite or sandstone " and taking the form of a cross-legged knight wearing 13th-century armour (painted rather than carved on to the stone, and now invisible) and holding a sword but no shield. The lower parts of the knight's arms have broken away, but
8772-477: The former trackbed make this a difficult project to envisage the completion of. For execution, the project would require: The remaining undeveloped line from Lewes to Sheffield Park has been safeguarded as a bridleway and footpath. The various stations have been restored to show different periods of the railway's life: The Bluebell Railway preserved a number of steam locomotives before the cessation of steam service on British mainline railways in 1968. Today it has
8901-399: The hamlet of Freshfield, opened for worship on 15 November 1897 after a dedication ceremony by the Archdeacon of Lewes. It was built during that year through the efforts of Rev. C.R. Heald, who served St Giles' Church at the time. A local man donated the land, but building and fitting out the chapel cost £140 (£20,100 in 2024 pounds)). A Sunday school was held in the building, and by 1939 it
9030-451: The hands would have been clasped in prayer. One writer on the subject of effigies has stated that it is "one of the most curious and interesting monumental effigies in Sussex, if not in England". The font is simple and unadorned, octagonal in shape and dates from about 1500. The church also has a brass cross made in Florence in 1550 and restored in 1907. During its restoration it was inscribed l.c.f. a.m.d.g. k.b.m. , referring to
9159-421: The height to the imposts is 7 feet 10 inches (2.39 m). The imposts are thin (about 5 inches (13 cm) across), are made up of two stones and have been partly renewed—perhaps to support the weight of the tower when it was added. The jambs of the chancel arch are supported on plinths that project only slightly. Tall slabs, up to 21 inches (53 cm) high, make up the jambs, which then support
9288-437: The heritage railway institute is recognized and protected by law no. 128 of 9 August 2017, which has as its objective the protection and valorisation of disused, suspended or abolished railway lines, of particular cultural, landscape and tourist value, including both railway routes and stations and the related works of art and appurtenances, on which, upon proposal of the regions to which they belong, tourism-type traffic management
9417-456: The initials of the donors and the Latin phrase "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam" (Glory to God in the highest). The pulpit , its screen and the lectern were donated to the church at various times; several saints were carved on the pulpit by a member of the local Wyatt family. The church organ dates from 1904, reused some equipment from its predecessor and cost £310. The churchyard is surrounded by
9546-408: The landfill tax was announced in 2008, and this was due to take effect from April 2012. It would increase the cost of removal from £25/tonne to £90/tonne. So the society formed an appeal to complete the removal of the landfill waste by the end of March 2012. With the receiving site changed to Appleford , Oxfordshire and thanks to the "tenner for the tip" appeal, the cash target was met and the rubbish
9675-731: The largest collection - over 30 - of steam locomotives in the UK after the National Railway Museum (NRM). The society also has a collection of almost 150 carriages and wagons, most of them pre-war. A project is under way to recreate a long-lost type of locomotive ( LB&SCR H2 class Atlantic ) from a few surviving parts. In April 2008, the Heritage Lottery Fund provided a £2.8M grant towards new buildings next to Sheffield Park , to provide weatherproof shelter for up to 17 carriages. The funds were also used to: create
9804-494: The latter depend on enthusiastic volunteers for upkeep and operations to supplement revenue from traffic and visitors. Still other heritage railways offer a viable public-transit option, and can maintain operations with revenue from regular riders or government subsidies. Children's railways are extracurricular educational institutions where children and teenagers learn about railway work; they are often functional, passenger-carrying narrow-gauge rail lines. The railways developed in
9933-514: The line north of Horsted Keynes, the Bluebell Line was severed from the BR system. In 1974 the society purchased the freehold of the demolished West Hoathly station , allowing the first steps to be taken towards an extension northwards towards East Grinstead station . It then purchased the freehold of the site of Kingscote station in January 1985. These efforts culminated in a public inquiry , with
10062-672: The line was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . In the Deák Ferenc Square concourse's Millennium Underground Museum, many other artifacts of the metro's early history may be seen. The first heritage railway to be rescued and run entirely by volunteers was the Talyllyn Railway in Wales . This narrow-gauge line, taken over by a group of enthusiasts in 1950, was the beginning of the preservation movement worldwide. La Trochita (officially Viejo Expreso Patagónico,
10191-496: The line with Network Rail at Copyhold Junction, to allow access to the London to Brighton Main Line . Stations could either be located at Copyhold or Haywards Heath. There is a proposal that the line could be restored as third rail electrified, allowing operation of the society's electric stock. While the 218-yard (199 m) Lywood Tunnel remains in good condition, there are two major areas of work that would be required to re-open
10320-718: The line, the Hinthaara railway station and the Porvoo railway station area are included in the National Board of Antiquities' inventory of cultural environments of national significance in Finland. Also on the list is scenery in the Porvoonjoki Valley, through which the line passes. The Jokioinen Museum Railway is a stretch of preserved narrow-gauge railway between Humppila and Jokioinen . Nykarleby Järnväg
10449-471: The line, these being the replacement of a short girder-bridge span bridge and the 117-yard (107 m) Sheriff Mill Viaduct, which was demolished in 1969. The removed clay-cap from Imberhorne cutting has been deposited on the banks of the former Sherriff Mill viaduct to allow later bridging of the gap. Also in 2013, the former Tewkesbury and Malvern Railway bridge that crossed over the M50 motorway were donated to
10578-539: The line, with trains stopping at stations mentioned in the acts. British Railways took the case to the House of Commons in 1957, resulting in a public inquiry. British Railways were censured, but later the Transport Commission persuaded Parliament to repeal the special section of the act. By this means the line was finally closed on 17 March 1958. On 15 March 1959 a group that included the future president of
10707-650: The narrow gauge lines of the United Kingdom. The Höllental Railway is a 4.9-kilometre-long (3.0 mi), 760 mm ( 2 ft 5 + 15 ⁄ 16 in ) narrow-gauge ( Bosnian gauge ) railway, operating in Lower Austria . It runs on summer weekends, connecting Reichenau an der Rax to the nearby Höllental . Flanders , Belgium's northern Dutch-speaking region, has the Dendermonde–Puurs Steam Railway ; whereas Wallonia , with its strong history of 19th century heavy industries, has
10836-606: The national network in 50 years, since the Horsted Keynes – Haywards Heath line closed in 1963. Today the railway is managed and run largely by volunteers. Having preserved a number of steam locomotives even before steam stopped running on British mainline railways in 1968, today it has over 30 steam locomotives, the 2nd largest collection in the UK after the National Railway Museum . The Bluebell also has almost 150 carriages and wagons, most of them pre-1939. In 1877 an act of Parliament authorised construction of
10965-611: The new north aisle in 1885, is the oldest surviving part of the church. Less elaborate than the Saxon entrance at nearby St Mary Magdalene's Church , Bolney , it is round-arched with narrow voussoirs and has jambs made of five large, roughly cut stones on each side (inside) and six more cleanly hewn and regular stones (outside). The entrance is 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) high and 3 feet 1 inch (0.94 m) wide. The voussoirs are each about 5 inches (13 cm) wide, and there are nine inside and seven outside. In
11094-466: The north aisle, and a 1956 design by the Barton, Kinder and Alderson firm in the north wall of the chancel. The three bells date from the 17th century and are set in a 7-foot (2.1 m) bell-cage contemporary with the spire. They are inscribed as follows: Inside and outside the church are a wide range of memorial tablets, slabs and stones commemorating members of locally important families such as
11223-575: The north arch is a much later restoration in the Norman style. The tower was not part of the original church: it was built over the crossing later. It is topped with a tall, slim, sharply pointed broach spire with an octagonal base and a covering of shingles . The chancel was rebuilt in the 13th century in the Early English Gothic style. At its west end is a 14th-century Decorated Gothic chancel arch. This measures 11 feet 10 inches (3.61 m) by 7 feet 2 inches (2.18 m);
11352-410: The north chapel, apparently instead of an earlier scheme (announced in 1840) to rebuild the demolished north transept. The old king post roof had been installed in 1714. Changes inside included the removal of old box pews and a wooden gallery at the west end, which had latterly been used by church musicians. The work cost £2,300. The Saxon doorway, which was once believed to be a " Devil's door ",
11481-518: The north end of Sharpthorne Tunnel, the line passes through the site of the former West Hoathly railway station. It was demolished in 1967, but remains of the platforms and goods dock are still visible. 2010 marked the Bluebell's 50th anniversary of running trains. To mark the event, the railway held a gala over 6–8 August 2010 with all available home engines and two visitor engines. Some of the society's founder members gathered at Horsted Keynes to mark
11610-437: The north end of its village on the site of an ancient pagan place of worship . The present building succeeds the original wattle and daub church, its wooden successor and a Saxon stone building—although the Norman architects who erected the cruciform structure in the 12th century preserved parts of the Saxon fabric. Long established local families have been important in the life of the church for centuries, as indicated by
11739-448: The number of projects and their length, operating days and function have changed. The situation is further muddied by large variations in ownership-company structure, rolling stock and other assets. Unlike community railways , tourist railways in the UK are vertically integrated (although those operating mainly as charities separate their charitable and non-charitable activities for accounting purposes). Heritage railways are known in
11868-479: The old north transept, which was removed "for some reason unknown"; its roofline can still be traced. All of this work apparently took place between 1320 and 1330. One contemporary feature that has now disappeared was a chantry chapel dedicated to Marie de Bradehurst. It was built alongside the chancel and was latterly used as a schoolroom until it was removed in the Victorian era . The dedication relates to
11997-510: The old wooden building. After the Norman conquest , many Sussex churches were rebuilt in Norman style , although Saxon fabric was sometimes retained, and this happened at Horsted Keynes. One doorway and the foot of the tower survive from the Saxon era; the doorway has been repositioned in the north aisle. In place of the Saxon building, the Normans constructed a large cruciform church with
12126-474: The operations carried out by the original railroad they operate on. Hence, they do not fit into the Heritage Railway category, but rather Tourist Railway/Amusement. Heritage streetcar lines are operating in over 20 U.S. cities, and are in planning or construction stages in others. Several new heritage streetcar lines have been opened since the 1970s; some are stand-alone lines while others make use of
12255-460: The other at Newick and Chailey . It was customary for a rural line supported by a company or individuals to have stations close to the residences of its sponsors. Thus Sheffield Park station was built for the Earl of Sheffield, and Newick and Chailey for Newick Park and Reedens, the homes of two other sponsors. The other stations were at Kingscote , West Hoathly and Horsted Keynes . A branch ran from
12384-580: The parish of Horstede was in the Hundred of Ristone and the Rape of Pevensey . Sir William de Cahaignes held all the land in the parish, and a Saxon noblewoman called Wulfgifa was the tenant of most of it. The name, derived from the Old English for "place where horses are kept", was later recorded as Orsteda (in 1121) and Horsestud (1190). To distinguish it from another parish called Horsted in
12513-754: The past in operation. Due to a lack of modern technology or the desire for historical accuracy, railway operations can be handled with traditional practices such as the use of tokens . Heritage infrastructure and operations often require the assignment of roles, based on historical occupations, to the railway staff. Some, or all, staff and volunteers, including Station masters and signalmen , sometimes wearing period-appropriate attire, can be seen on some heritage railways. Most heritage railways use heritage rolling stock, although modern rail vehicles can be used to showcase railway scenes with historical-line infrastructure. While some heritage railways are profitable tourist attractions , many are not-for-profit entities; some of
12642-582: The period before 1752, when the Gregorian calendar was introduced. The new year started on 25 March rather than 1 January, so Henry Piggott lived for about nine weeks. The large parish has several hamlets , and in the late 19th and early 20th century there were two chapels of ease serving outlying areas. Both were linked to St Giles' Church, and neither survive. Freshfield Mission Church, located at 51°00′48″N 0°01′51″W / 51.0132°N 0.0309°W / 51.0132; -0.0309 in
12771-544: The possession of the Diocese. Children of the parish were originally educated in the chantry chapel of Marie de Bradehurst, which was part of the church. When this was demolished in about 1850, lessons moved to the south transept until the present St Giles' School was built in 1884. It was initially described as a "Church of England (Non-Provided) Elementary School", and was provided by the Lightmaker family—therefore it
12900-446: The post-steam era. Many run seasonally on partial routes, unconnected to a larger network (or railway), and charge high fares in comparison with transit services; as a result, they focus on the tourist and leisure markets. During the 1990s and 2000s, however, some heritage railways aimed to provide local transportation and extend their running seasons to carry commercial passenger traffic. The first standard-gauge line to be preserved (not
13029-520: The railway for eventual installation in the replacement bridge. By the late Victorian era, Lewes station was the convergence point of three lines from the East Sussex coast and three lines to the north all of which reached London via Croydon . Today, Lewes has a line to the north which joins the Brighton main Line at Burgess Hill and from there on to Gatwick Airport, East Croydon and London,
13158-473: The remains of a pre-Christian fosse and vallum about 120 yards (110 m) in diameter. This area also incorporates some surrounding buildings such as St Giles' School: the churchyard does not cover the whole extent of the pagan site. It was extended in 1925, and in 1937 nearly 250 ancient gravestones were re-erected by the incumbent rector. Many of the gravestones date from the 17th and 18th centuries, including two gigantic stone slabs that were moved from
13287-493: The riches of the Italian territory. Tourism that can experience the train journey as an integral moment of the holiday, an element of quality in the overall tourist experience". There are three service areas proposed: Rail transport played a major role in the history of New Zealand and several rail enthusiast societies and heritage railways have been formed to preserve New Zealand's rich rail history. The Čierny Hron Railway
13416-688: The rolling stock and other equipment used on these systems is original and is of historic value in its own right. Many systems aim to replicate both the look and operating practices of historic former railways companies. Heritage railway lines have historic rail infrastructure which has been substituted (or made obsolete) in modern rail systems. Historical installations, such as hand-operated points , water cranes , and rails fastened with hand-hammered rail spikes , are characteristic features of heritage lines. Unlike tourist railways, which primarily carry tourists and have modern installations and vehicles, heritage-line infrastructure creates views and soundscapes of
13545-425: The section between East Grinstead and Horsted Keynes (and thence to Haywards Heath via Ardingly) was laid as such; south of the junction at Horsted Keynes the line was single track with passing loops at stations. The line was opened in 1882. Goods traffic on the line consisted of local produce; milk: farm products and coal, and timber to and from Albert Turner & Son, a sawmill. The only time Sheffield Park received
13674-466: The society leased a stretch of track from BR just south of this. In 1960, the interim line was opened, running from Sheffield Park to Bluebell Halt, 100 yards (91 m) south of Horsted Keynes . In 1962, the society extended services to Horsted Keynes. Also in 1962, a halt was opened at Holywell (Waterworks). However, this was closed the following year. BR withdrew passenger services from Horsted Keynes to Haywards Heath in 1963; and with complete closure of
13803-579: The society, Bernard Holden , met in Ardingly and formed the Lewes and East Grinstead Railway Preservation Society . The society elected John Leroy as the first chairman, and £940 was raised in donations to start the society. On a vote at the meeting, the society changed its name to the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society . The society's initial aim was to reopen the whole line from East Grinstead to Culver Junction as
13932-594: The south wall during the early 20th-century incumbency of Rev. Frederick H.D. Smythe, who discovered it in the tower. The church has late 19th- and early 20th-century stained glass . The oldest window is in the north wall of the chancel, designed by the Jones & Willis firm in about 1892. Charles Eamer Kempe designed the east window of the chancel in 1895; it depicts the Crucifixion of Jesus . Another Jones & Willis window, dating from 1895 and depicting Faith,
14061-468: The steam-hauled stock that it replaced. After the line's closure in 1963, the trackbed was purchased in its entirety by a member of the local gentry. In the 1990s the society bought the abandoned trackbed west between Horsted Keynes and Ardingly from his estate. This included up to the Hanson Aggregates depot built on the former Ardingly railway station site. The society plans to reconnect
14190-441: The structure on its new site was £85 (£4,900 in 2024 pounds)). A Sunday school used the building, and some religious services were held. The Martindale Centre, named after Louisa Martindale , is used as the church office and parish hall. It was built in 1907 as a Congregational chapel. Martindale moved to Horsted Keynes in 1903 and founded the chapel as a testament to her belief in the right of women to preach. The building
14319-453: The sunrise at the summer solstice. Although the timber church would have existed at the time of the Domesday survey in 1086, it was not recorded in it; only the village was. The absence of church records from the survey was common, though, as its main purpose was to record landholdings for taxation purposes. By this time, a stone-built Saxon church would have been in place; Ralph de Cahaignes possibly ordered its construction to replace
14448-498: The track, and offers a smaller structure gauge and tunnel size. At high altitudes, construction and logistical difficulties, limited urban development and demand for transport and special rolling-stock requirements have left many mountain railways unmodernized. The engineering feats of past railway builders and views of pristine mountain scenes have made many railways in mountainous areas profitable tourist attractions. Pit railways have been in operation in underground mines all over
14577-552: The use of ferrocycles". Below is the list of railway lines recognized as tourist railways by Italian legislation. b) pursuant to the Ministerial Decree of 30 March 2022: The Bernina railway line is a single-track 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 + 3 ⁄ 8 in ) metre gauge railway line forming part of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB). It links the spa resort of St. Moritz , in
14706-433: The world. Small rail vehicles transport ore, waste rock, and workers through narrow tunnels. Sometimes trains were the sole mode of transport in the passages between the work sites and the mine entrance. The railway's loading gauge often dictated the cross-section of passages to be dug. At many mining sites, pit railways have been abandoned due to mine closure or adoption of new transportation equipment. Some show mines have
14835-634: The world. The elevation difference on the section between the Bernina Pass and Tirano is 1,824 m (5,984 ft), allowing passengers to view glaciers along the line. On 7 July 2008, the Bernina line and the Albula railway line , which also forms part of the RhB, were recorded in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites , under the name Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes . The whole site
14964-489: Was again a common practice in Sussex: the present building, like its wooden and wattle and daub predecessors, stands within a stone circle which can still be seen in places, and which probably contained a pagan temple. This may also explain its unusual orientation, northeast–southwest rather than the conventional east–west: the original pre-Christian structures on the site would have been aligned in this way so they would face
15093-505: Was agreed in February 1955 for 15 June 1955, although the line closed on 29 May due to a rail strike. An acrimonious battle between British Railways and the users of the Bluebell Line then ensued, and lasted three years. Shortly after closure, Margery Bessemer of Chailey discovered in the 1877 and 1878 acts the clause relating to the "Statutory Line", and demanded British Railways reinstate services. On 7 August 1956 British Railways reopened
15222-416: Was also buried here, alongside his son Maurice junior who had predeceased him. Also buried in the churchyard is Henry Piggott, a member of the locally prominent Piggot(t) family. His "seemingly very odd memorial" by the southwest corner of the chancel states that he was born on 30 December 1715 and died on 7 March 1715. The gravestone is an example of the use of Old Style ( Julian calendar ) dates in
15351-502: Was also known as the Lightmaker School. As of 2013 , it was known as St Giles' Church of England Primary School and is a voluntary aided school . Pupils attend an assembly in the church every Friday morning. St Giles' Church was listed at Grade I by English Heritage on 28 October 1957. Such buildings are defined as being of "exceptional interest" and greater than national importance. As of February 2001 , it
15480-424: Was also one of about 20 churches in the area covered by the diocese at which the ancient Law of Sanctuary applied. St Giles' Church stands on a northeast–southwest alignment. Its nave is 18° north of east and the chancel 13°; this skewed construction recalls the leftward tilting of Christ's head on the cross . In its present form, it is roughly cruciform and consists of a nave and shorter chancel separated by
15609-501: Was carried out at the church, as at many ancient churches in Sussex. Spencer Slingsby Stallwood , a Reading -based architect, was commissioned to carry out his only work at a Sussex church at St Giles' in 1885, in association with his colleague Joseph Morris . The work may have continued until 1888, and involved the construction of a north aisle and arcade, the replacement of the 18th-century king post roof, and some improvements to
15738-403: Was completely rebuilt with a square end and a longer floorplan. Lancet windows were installed, including a large triple window in the new east end. The south transept was also reconstructed and given lancets. The old transept must have been smaller and lower, more like a porch, because the low original 12th-century arches leading to the crossing were retained. More changes took place in
15867-482: Was easier to produce than a headstone . They consist of a wooden board supported on two small stones. Moreover, this churchyard contain two burials in the incident of World War II. Many members of the Michelborne family of Broadhurst Manor are buried in the churchyard. Another family who lived locally, at Birch Grove House in the northeast of the parish, were the descendants of Daniel MacMillan , founder of
15996-529: Was inserted in the new north aisle during this work. More restoration was carried out between 1959 and 1960 or 1961 by Brighton architect John Leopold Denman 's firm Denman & Son; his work revealed traces of an old Norman window in the nave. For many years the church was a peculier of the Archbishop of Canterbury rather than being held by the Bishop of Chichester , head of the local diocese . It
16125-440: Was one of 16 Grade I listed buildings, and 1,028 listed buildings of all grades, in the district of Mid Sussex. The ecclesiastical parish of Horsted Keynes covers a mostly rural area of Mid Sussex, much longer from north to south than it is wide. Part of the northern boundary runs along Top Road between West Hoathly and Sharpthorne . To the east, it follows the West Sussex / East Sussex county boundary from near Wych Cross to
16254-418: Was only completed in 2003, allowing physical civil engineering activity to be undertaken from that year. A major problem was the former landfill site in the 30-foot-deep (9.1 m) cutting just south of Imberhorne Viaduct. It had been filled with domestic waste by East Grinstead Town Council in the 1960s and 1970s, but tests undertaken by contractors working for both the society and the borough council found
16383-466: Was removed by rail in time. In autumn 2008 work started on site clearance at East Grinstead for construction of the new station about 100 yards (91 m) south of the national rail station. At the railway's 50th anniversary celebration weekend in 2010, East Sussex resident Dame Vera Lynn launched a £3.8 million appeal; the greater part of this amount would be put towards reconnecting the line to East Grinstead. Mid Sussex District Council responded with
16512-526: Was restored during the following decade. Since 1992, it has been one of Slovakia's official heritage railways and is a key regional tourist attraction. The Historical Logging Switchback Railway in Vychylovka is a heritage railway in north-central Slovakia, originally built to serve the logging industry in the Orava and Kysuce regions. Despite a closure and dissasembly of most of its original network during
16641-583: Was still "used for occasional services". The 1965 Ordnance Survey map indicates that it was latterly called St John the Baptist's Chapel. Cinder Hill Mission Church served the hamlet of Cinder Hill north of Horsted Keynes village. The building, no more than a hut, was moved to its new location in 1919; previously it had been used as a Soldiers' Church at an unspecified location on the English Channel coast. The cost of buying, moving and installing
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