British industrial narrow-gauge railways are narrow-gauge railways in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man that were primarily built to serve one or more industries. Some offered passenger services for employees or workmen, but they did not run public passenger trains. They are categorized by the primary industry they served.
Quarrying and mining
Heavy industry
Engineering works
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotesGodwin and Sons Engineering (Manchester) Ltd.by 1979Shaw and Crompton, EnglandLocomotive-worked line.Painter Bros. Ltd.after 1979Hereford, EnglandLocomotive-worked line.William Ainscough and Sons Mossy Lea Roadby 1979Wrightington, EnglandLocomotive-worked line at this crane hire and general engineering company
Power generation
Power stations were some of the last regular users of industrial steam locomotives in the United Kingdom, although most of these were standard-gauge. However, several power generation facilities used narrow-gauge railways.
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotesCentral Electricity Generating Board Fawley Tunnelby 1979 Fawley, EnglandTwo mile long tunnel under Southampton Water worked by a single battery-electric locomotive.Central Electricity Generating Board Woodhead Tunnel1960s2016Woodhead, EnglandEx-British Railways tunnel under the Pennines used to carry high-voltage electricity supply cables. Narrow-gauge railway used for cable maintenance. Moved to the new Woodhead tunnel, completed in 2016. The narrow-gauge railway through the old tunnel is now disusedStourport Power Station?1989Stourport, EnglandInternal line.J.S. Fry and Sons railway?after 1967Somerdale, EnglandShort railway running parallel to a standard-gauge line. The narrow-gauge locomotives hauled standard-gauge coal wagons to the power station.
Refineries
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotesAnglo Gulf West Indies Petroleum Corporation Fawley Refinery19201957Fawley, EnglandExtensive diesel locomotive worked internal line at refinery
Steel works
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotesBritish Steel Corporation Aldwarke Works railwayafter 1979Rotherham, EnglandInternal steel works railway, with an entirely new line built in 1971British Steel Corporation Micklam worksafter 1987Lowca, EnglandUnderground railway serving the refractories.British Steel Corporation Shotton Steel Works railwaybefore 2013Connah's Quay, WalesInternal steel works railway, with an entirely new line built in 1971British Steel Corporation Stanton and Staveley Worksafter 1979Ilkeston, EnglandFoundry railway worked by battery-electric locomotivesClay Cross Ltd. Spun Pipe worksafter 1979Clay Cross, EnglandInternal locomotive-worked lineEbbw Vale Steel Iron and Coal Company railwayTalbot 2005Ebbw Vale, WalesInternal steel works railway using Ramsbottom locomotives similar to those at the Crewe Works RailwayFlather Bright Steels Ltd. Tinsley worksafter 1979Sheffield, EnglandInternal locomotive-worked lineGoldendale Iron WorksRobertson 1988, page 38after 1957Chatterley, EnglandHorse-hauled works tramway used to move pig iron.Guest Keen Baldwins Iron and Steel Company Ltd. Briton Ferry Steelworksafter 1956Glamorgan, WalesSteelworks line worked by steam locomotivesGurnos Tin Plate Works railwaybefore 1920Lower Cwmtwrch, WalesInternal steel works railwaySanders and Forsterafter 1979Stratford, London, EnglandDiesel locomotive worked line
Zinc smelting
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotesWelsh Crown Spelter Co. worksbefore 1904around 1905Trefriw, WalesInternal zinc works railway, supplied with one of Kerr Stuart's early locomotives
Construction industry
Contractor depots
Many construction contractors maintained depots that included narrow-gauge equipment in store and under repair. While some of these were temporary locations and often unrecorded, others were long term yards with extensive stock and facilities.
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotesArnold & Nathan Ltd. East Peckham depotafter 1979 and Paddock Wood, EnglandBattery electric locomotives for tunnellingAssociated Tunnelling Co. Ltd. Lowton St. Marys Depotafter 1979Warrington, EnglandBattery electric locomotives for tunnellingBaillie Contracting Co. Ltd. Coventry Depotsafter 1979 Coventry, EnglandC. Bryant & Sons Ltd. Doris Road Depotafter 1979Birmingham, EnglandCementation Mining Ltd. Bentley Worksafter 1979 and Doncaster, EnglandClugston Construction Scunthorpe depotafter 1979Scunthorpe, EnglandClydeside Constructional Co. Ltd. Bridge of Weir depotafter 1979Strathclyde, ScotlandJ.F. Donelan & Co. Ltd. Manchester depotafter 1979Manchester, EnglandFairclough Civil Engineering Swynerton depotafter 1979 and Swynnerton, EnglandExtensive stock depot, on occasions including over 100 battery electric locomotivesJ.J. Gallagher & Co. Ltd. Armour Close depotafter 1979Birmingham, EnglandJ.C. Gillespie Civil Engineering. Ltd. Green Lane depotafter 1979after 1987Timperley, EnglandTwo battery electric locomotives at depot (1987)M.J Gleesons (Contractors) Ltd. Mitcham depotafter 1979London, EnglandSam Henry & Partnersafter 1979unknown locationJ.H. Tractors Ltd. Tickhill Plant Hireafter 1979 and Doncaster, EnglandJohnston Constructionafter 1979 Surrey, EnglandKier Group Setchey depotafter 1979King's Lynn, EnglandT & A.M. Kilroe Ltd. Lomax Street depotafter 1979Radcliffe, EnglandLilley/Waddington Ltd. Harvey Road depotafter 1979 and Basildon, EnglandLilley/Waddington Ltd. Horwich depotafter 1979 and Manchester, EnglandLilley/Waddington Ltd. Haunchwood Colliery depotafter 1979 and Nuneaton, EnglandLilley/Waddington Ltd. Charles Street depotafter 1979 and Glasgow, ScotlandMacclesfield Corporation Engineers Department Storeafter 1987Macclesfield, England4wPM locomotive in storeMartin & Co. (Contractors) Ltd. Bristol Road South depotafter 1979Birmingham, EnglandSir Robert McAlpine & Sons Ltd. Kettering depotafter 1979Kettering, EnglandMiller Engineering & Construction Ltd. Sandiacre depotafter 1987 and Sandiacre, EnglandLocomotives at construction depotRaynesway Plant Ltd.after 1989Derby, EnglandThree out of use locomotives on site in 1989Tarmac Construction Peterborough depotafter 1987Peterborough, EnglandCollection of 4wBE locomotives used for constructionM & H Tunnel & Civil Engineering Co. Ltd. Green Lane depotafter 1979 and Thurcroft, EnglandWelham Plant Ltd. Barford Road depotafter 1987 and St. Neots, EnglandBattery electric locomotives at depot.
Tunnelling Many narrow-gauge lines were employed for short-term tunnelling contracts. Most of these are unrecorded, so this list represents only a few of the many such lines.
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotesBedminster Water Outfall contract19741975Bedminster, EnglandWater tunnel construction scheme in Bristol, using eleven diesel locomotivesCockermouth Sewer Contract?1988 ?Cockermouth, EnglandTemporary line to serve the renewal of the main sewer tunnel. Used battery electric locomotives.Eurotunnel contract19881992Dover, EnglandExtensive rack and adhesion railway used in the construction of the Channel Tunnel.Lochaber Narrow Gauge Railway19251977Fort William, Scotland long railway used in the construction of the long tunnel of the Lochaber hydroelectric scheme.Nuttall Dover Sewer contract19961998Dover, EnglandConstruction railway for a one-mile long interception sewer tunnel.Nuttall Portsmouth Sewer contract19982001Dover, EnglandConstruction railway for an 8 km long sewer tunnel.Nuttall Southampton Rail Tunnel contract19851987Southampton, EnglandDiesel locomotive worked temporary railway used to reline the standard-gauge railway tunnel out of Southampton Central stationSelby Road sewer tunnel contract19711972Leyton, EnglandContractor's railway for building a new sewer tunnel in north east London. Used battery electric locomotives.Weymouth and Portland Long Sea Outfall1983Wyke Regis, England3 km long sewage outfall tunnel built using battery electric locomotives
City construction
During the garden city construction boom, several new towns and cities were built using narrow-gauge railways
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotes Ashington Village TramwayRobertson, 1988, page 3718801930sAshington, EnglandTramway built to serve the mining village of Ashington. It provided coal and sewage service to houses and connected the local gas and electricity works.Carr Estate1945?1947?probably Acomb, EnglandWas used to construct parts of Carr Estate to the West of York. Track seen piled up at end of Woodlea Avenue 1946–7, track seen in Danebury Drive. Hand worked?Port Sunlight village railway19051914Port Sunlight, EnglandLocomotive worked construction railway for the expansion of Port Sunlight "garden village"Welwyn Garden City Light RailwayAfter WWI1936Welwyn Garden City, EnglandLocomotive worked construction railway used during the building of Welwyn Garden City. It connected the mainline with the Nabisco Shredded Wheat factory and brickworks around the site, as well as the Model Dairy.
Land reclamation and river maintenance
Temporary and semi-permanent narrow-gauge railways were often used during land reclamation schemes
NameOpenedClosedGaugeLocationNotesAnglian Water Authority Lincolnshire River Divisionafter 1979Southrey, EnglandLocomotive depot for river bank maintenance around LincolnshireAnglian Water Authority Norfolk & Suffolk River Divisionafter 1979Southrey, EnglandLocomotives used for flood protection and river bank maintenance.Middle Level Commissioners Ashbeach Road Plant Depotafter 1979March, EnglandLocomotive depot for river bank maintenance and land reclamation schemes in and around CambridgeshireNorth West Water Authority Mersey and Weaver River Unitafter 1979Great Sankey, EnglandLocomotive used for river bank maintenanceNorth West Water Authority Longdendale Headworksafter 1987Tintwistle, EnglandRobert Stannard's Railway1816after 1821Chat Moss, EnglandPortable hand-worked tramway used for the reclamation of Chat Moss.The Embankment Tramway1808about 1830Porthmadog, WalesHorse-drawn tramway used to construct the "Cob" for the Traeth Mawr land reclamation scheme. Later replaced by the Ffestiniog Railway.The North Sea Camp Railway1935after 1979Frieston, EnglandLocomotive worked land reclamation scheme in the Lincolnshire WashSevern Trent Water Authority Orston Road East Depotafter 1979West Bridgford, EnglandLocomotives used in river bank maintenanceYorkshire Water Authority River Ouse scheme1973Saltmarshe, EnglandTemporary riverbank line used for repairs to the River OuseYorkshire Water Authority Ricall Plant Depotafter 1979York, EnglandLocomotives used for river bank maintenance
Reservoir construction
Many reservoirs constructed before the Second World War employed narrow-gauge railways to move equipment and materials.