Royal Victoria Railway
Encyclopedia
The Royal Victoria Railway runs for around 1 miles (1.6 km) through Royal Victoria Country Park
in Netley
, Hampshire
, England
, with views of Southampton Water
. The line is built to the popular gauge of and runs every weekend throughout the year and all school holidays.
Easter trains run Easter Sunday and Monday.
Teddy Bears runs in July every year.
Treasure Hunt trains are in August.
In October, children and adults can board the spooky halloween train after dark... if they dare. These trains do not include drinks, sweets or colouring pictures.
November is when the royal Victoria country park has its annual fire works, and trains run before and after. These trains do not include drinks, sweets or colouring pictures and do not need pre booking.
December, and easily the most popular is the Santa trains. These include sherry and mince pies, as well as the usual sweets, drinks and of course a present from santa.
For more details please visit http://www.royalvictoriarailway.co.uk/RVR/special_events_2006.html
, that lead up to the yard and hence the engine shed, and runs along a straight parallel with Southampton water. The view from here is obscured by gorse hedges. At the end of the straight is another point, put in place for the new extension being built. The Train will always curve left here and run inland. On the right can be seen the area for specials, such as teddy bears picnic and treasure hunt and on the left, a new double track
section. Here, the train passes over the site of a yet to be built diamond crossing
where one track will cross over and then over a point which allows the other track to join the mainline. This double track leads back to the yard and the site of a new terminus station through the carriage shed. The line curves right at this point and begins to descend entering a closely wooded section. At the bottom of the hill is where the train stops for the specials. The line enters a cutting, and curves around an 'S' bend, emerging onto an embankment with panoramic views of Southampton Water and the Chapel, last remnant of the once huge military hospital. At the bottom of this embankment is a short section of hedge, which gives way to Chapel Road Station. This is the start for all special events and some other trains but is normally closed. There is now a new ticket office in place at the end of the platform replacing the old one which was very tired. Upon leaving the level chapel road station, the line begins to climb crossing the first level crossing and running between the gorse bank and the car park on an embankment. There is a 'S' bend through a patch of small trees before the line emerges to run below the playground and past the tea rooms on the former hospital branch trackbed. The line curves inland again and crosses a second crossing just opposite the recently refurbished Cedar Tea Rooms. Here the line begins to climb more steeply and, if you are lucky enough to be on a steam engine you can here the engine working hard to climb the steep grade as it enters some woodland and another cutting. At the deepest point of the cutting the line, curves sharply. This is the sharpest curve on the whole line and will need realigning before the planned tunnel can be built. Curving right, out of the sharp bend and through another 'S', the line runs straight, climbing alongside the sensory garden and emerges from the woods across another level crossing and left past the playground. The view here is easily the best on the line but, does not last long before the line re-enters the gorse bank. Across the last level crossing, down a short straight brings us to Picadilly and the end of our journey.
Royal Victoria Country Park
The Royal Victoria Country Park is a country park in Netley, Hampshire, England, by the shores of Southampton Water. It comprises of mature woodland and grassy parkland, as well as a small shingle beach....
in Netley
Netley
Netley, sometimes called Netley Abbey, is a village on the south coast of Hampshire, England, situated on the east side of the city of Southampton...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, with views of Southampton Water
Southampton Water
Southampton Water is a tidal estuary north of the Solent and the Isle of Wight in England. The city of Southampton lies at its most northerly point. Along its salt marsh-fringed western shores lie the New Forest villages of Hythe and "the waterside", Dibden Bay, and the Esso oil refinery at Fawley...
. The line is built to the popular gauge of and runs every weekend throughout the year and all school holidays.
Steam
- Trevithick - An 0-6-20-6-2Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-2 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
steam locomotiveSteam locomotiveA steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
built for the age of steam in Cornwall by Roger Marsh. - Isambard Kingdom Brunel - A 2-6-02-6-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Mogul...
tender locomotiveTender locomotiveA tender or coal-car is a special rail vehicle hauled by a steam locomotive containing the locomotive's fuel and water. Steam locomotives consume large quantities of water compared to the quantity of fuel, so tenders are necessary to keep the locomotive running over long distances. A locomotive...
built by David Curwen also for the age of steam in Cornwall. - Basil the Brigadier - A 2-6-0 + 0-6-2 articulated locomotiveArticulated locomotiveArticulated locomotive usually means a steam locomotive with one or more engine units which can move independent of the main frame. This is done to allow a longer locomotive to negotiate tighter curves...
, built by Kitsons of Leeds in 1938 for the famous Surrey Border and Camberley Railway. The engine was converted from a scale locomotive to a narrow gaugeNarrow gaugeA narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
outline while at the Shillingstone light RailwayLight railwayLight railway refers to a railway built at lower costs and to lower standards than typical "heavy rail". This usually means the railway uses lighter weight track, and is more steeply graded and tightly curved to avoid civil engineering costs...
. The locomotive was re-imported from Belgium where it had been in a private collection. - Lynton - A 2-4-42-4-4In Whyte notation, a 2-4-4 is a steam locomotive with two unpowered leading wheels followed by four powered driving wheels and four unpowered trailing wheels.-Equivalent classifications:Other equivalent classifications are:...
tank locomotiveTank locomotiveA tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. It will most likely also have some kind of bunker to hold the fuel. There are several different types of tank locomotive dependent upon...
built as gauge by narrow gauge limited in 1984. - Royal Scot Built in 1938 by Bassett-LowkeBassett-LowkeBassett-Lowke was a toy company in Northampton, England, founded by Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke in 1898 or 1899, that specialized in model railways, boats and ships, and construction sets...
, and the only Royal Scot that was made by them. She worked at Hastings Miniature RailwayHastings Miniature RailwayThe Hastings Miniature Railway is a gauge miniature railway located on the seafront at Hastings, a seaside resort, town, and ancient cinque port, in East Sussex, England. Opened in 1948, it remains a popular tourist attraction to the present day...
and Oakhill Manor Railway before being exported to the USA. She was re-imported in 2002. - Royal Scot Built by Dove of Nottingham she worked at various locations including Cleethorpes on the original gauge railway, before being shipped to Canada and then the USA. She was re-imported in 2002.
Diesel
- Maurice the Major The first engine on the railway, built by P.Bowers and E.Laugnly in 1994/5. It is powered by a 3 cylinder Kubota diesel engine.
- D1001 Western Independence Built by David Curwen in 1964 for a railway at Margate Pier. She was originally powered by a 4 litre Perkins diesel engine. This was replaced, by a 3 cylinder Kubota engine and hydraulic drive.
- D1002 Western Explorer Designed by David Curwen, this engine was built in 1965 for the Brooklands Miniature Railway at Brooklands Park in Worthing. Upon change of ownership the engine went to Joe Nemeth to be restored for use on his Berkley Light Railway. When this line changed hands, this engine was bought by the RVR in a part restored condition. The restoration is continuing.
- D1011 Western Thunderer Built by David Curwen in 1964 for the Audley End railway. This engine was driven by the famous racing driver Stirling MossStirling MossSir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
to open the line.
Ex-Locomotives
- Ivor An 0-4-00-4-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-0 represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven...
saddle tank, owned by a private individual and no longer based on the RVR. - Sir Walter Gower Built by Walter Gower, the engine ran on the Orchard Farm Railway in Yorkshire. RVR bought the engine, and it was never used, being sold soon after.
- Claude The Colonel Built by P.Bowers during 1999/2000, it is a steam outline Bo-BoBo-BoA Bo-Bo or Bo′Bo′ is a locomotive with two independent four-wheeled bogies with all axles powered by individual traction motors...
with a 3 cylinder Kubota, and hydraulic system. - Arctic Prince A Mardyke Hymec locomotive, owned by a private individual and no longer based on the RVR.
- St Albans Comet, previously named Western Courier ran at Basildon miniature railway. The locomotive was bought by a private individual and based at the RVR for a short time before returning to Basildon on loan.
Visiting Locomotives
- Belle Built by David Curwen and owned by a private individual, this engine visited for the renaming of Basil The Brigadeer, with which it once ran at Shillingstone.
- Alice An 0-4-0 saddle tank locomotive with a tender based on a Bagnall.
Special events
Various special events run throughout the year. These must all be pre booked. All include a train ride and time with the staff who dress up for the occasion. Children also receive sweets, drink and a colouring picture.Easter trains run Easter Sunday and Monday.
Teddy Bears runs in July every year.
Treasure Hunt trains are in August.
In October, children and adults can board the spooky halloween train after dark... if they dare. These trains do not include drinks, sweets or colouring pictures.
November is when the royal Victoria country park has its annual fire works, and trains run before and after. These trains do not include drinks, sweets or colouring pictures and do not need pre booking.
December, and easily the most popular is the Santa trains. These include sherry and mince pies, as well as the usual sweets, drinks and of course a present from santa.
For more details please visit http://www.royalvictoriarailway.co.uk/RVR/special_events_2006.html
The Line
The ride normally starts at Picadilly, named after the park road junction just opposite. Tickets are bought from the engine shed, opposite a well laid out yard, which is in fact the area for a new station building. The carriage shed is also here. Upon leaving the station, which is set into the hillside the line curves, crosses a set of pointsRailroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
, that lead up to the yard and hence the engine shed, and runs along a straight parallel with Southampton water. The view from here is obscured by gorse hedges. At the end of the straight is another point, put in place for the new extension being built. The Train will always curve left here and run inland. On the right can be seen the area for specials, such as teddy bears picnic and treasure hunt and on the left, a new double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
section. Here, the train passes over the site of a yet to be built diamond crossing
Level junction
In U.S. railroad practice, a level junction is a railway junction that has a track configuration in which merging or crossing railroad lines provide track connections with each other that require trains to cross over in front of opposing traffic at grade In U.S. railroad practice, a level junction...
where one track will cross over and then over a point which allows the other track to join the mainline. This double track leads back to the yard and the site of a new terminus station through the carriage shed. The line curves right at this point and begins to descend entering a closely wooded section. At the bottom of the hill is where the train stops for the specials. The line enters a cutting, and curves around an 'S' bend, emerging onto an embankment with panoramic views of Southampton Water and the Chapel, last remnant of the once huge military hospital. At the bottom of this embankment is a short section of hedge, which gives way to Chapel Road Station. This is the start for all special events and some other trains but is normally closed. There is now a new ticket office in place at the end of the platform replacing the old one which was very tired. Upon leaving the level chapel road station, the line begins to climb crossing the first level crossing and running between the gorse bank and the car park on an embankment. There is a 'S' bend through a patch of small trees before the line emerges to run below the playground and past the tea rooms on the former hospital branch trackbed. The line curves inland again and crosses a second crossing just opposite the recently refurbished Cedar Tea Rooms. Here the line begins to climb more steeply and, if you are lucky enough to be on a steam engine you can here the engine working hard to climb the steep grade as it enters some woodland and another cutting. At the deepest point of the cutting the line, curves sharply. This is the sharpest curve on the whole line and will need realigning before the planned tunnel can be built. Curving right, out of the sharp bend and through another 'S', the line runs straight, climbing alongside the sensory garden and emerges from the woods across another level crossing and left past the playground. The view here is easily the best on the line but, does not last long before the line re-enters the gorse bank. Across the last level crossing, down a short straight brings us to Picadilly and the end of our journey.