The Lea Bailey Light Railway is a

narrow-gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...

heritage railway in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. It is built on the site of the Bailey Level Gold Mine An attempt was made in 2003 by the owners of

Clearwell Caves Clearwell Caves, at Clearwell in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, is a natural cave system which has been extensively mined for iron ore. It now operates primarily as a mining museum. The caves are part of a Natural England de ...

to open the mine as a tourist attraction, but this was ultimately unsuccessful. In 2012, a small group from the Royal Forest of Dean Caving Club discovered the mine and a quantity of disused railway equipment and proposed to the owners that a volunteer-led project could start work on restoring the site. As of 2014, two locomotives and a number of wagons have been moved to Lea Bailey from storage at Clearwell Caves or the nearby Hawthorn Tunnel. Part of the railway is laid on the trackbed of the disused Mitcheldean Road & Forest of Dean Junction Railway. In 2013 the Lea Bailey Light Railway Society was formed; its members act as volunteers, undertaking all aspects of work on the site. A regular free newsletter is produced and sent out by e-mail.

Locomotives

Gallery

File:English Gold Mining, Forest of Dean, Glos. The Level Cutting.jpg, Postcard of the original Bailey Level gold mine File:Motor Rail 21282 at Lea Bailey.jpg, Motor Rail locomotive 21282 on the curve leading to the mine File:Eimco 12B rocker shovel at Lea Bailey Light Railway.jpg, EIMCO 12b

Rocker Shovel Loader A Rocker Shovel Loader, sometimes simply referred to as a Rocker Shovel or Mucker is a type of mechanical loader used in underground mining. A Rocker Shovel is usually powered by compressed air, or in some cases electricity. It is commonly moun ...

in the

passing loop A passing loop (UK usage) or passing siding (North America) (also called a crossing loop, crossing place, refuge loop or, colloquially, a hole) is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at or near a station, where trains or ...

File:The Lea Bailey Light Railway (geograph 4375651).jpg, General view of the passing loop, shed and siding

References

External links

Website of the Lea Bailey Light RailwayLea Bailey Light Railway on Facebook
{{Transport in Gloucestershire 2 ft gauge railways in England Rail transport in Gloucestershire Rail transport in Herefordshire