The Sherwood Forest Railway (SFR) is a gauge light railway running through the old site of the Sherwood Forest Farm Park in
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The trad ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. The railway acquired its first two steam locomotives in 1998, began construction of permanent way in 1999, and opened to passengers in 2000.
The railway runs along the '
flood
A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrol ...
dykes' of the early nineteenth-century irrigation system built by the Duke of Portland.
[See details of th]
water meadows here
.
The railway is still operated by its original two steam locomotives, 'Smokey Joe' and 'Pet'. The line has a light electric locomotive named 'Anne' used principally on works trains, and a light track inspection/works rail truck, 'Lottie Lister'.
Also on site is the diesel locomotive, 'Pioneer', built in the 1940s, bought from
Brocklands Adventure Park and is currently undergoing restoration and only in use on special events. Also a diesel-hydraulic locomotive has been acquired to help out. A further steam locomotive, working name 'Doodlebug', is currently under construction away from the line.
The rolling stock consists of four works trucks and twelve passenger coaches, one from the Exmoor railway, three former
Longleat Railway coaches coming from various sites, and a three-car enclosed articulated set, rebuilt on site from the remains of three minirail coaches and five semi-enclosed former
Bush Mill Railway coaches from
Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway
The Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway is a minimum-gauge railway that primarily serves holidaymakers in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England. It operates from near the Cleethorpes Leisure Centre, running to the mouth of the Buck Beck.
...
. On site is the remains of the last former Longleat Railway coaches, being donated from the
Lappa Valley Steam Railway
The Lappa Valley Railway is a minimum gauge railway located near Newquay in Cornwall. The railway functions as a tourist attraction, running from Benny Halt () to East Wheal Rose (), where there is a leisure area with two miniature railways. ...
.
Facilities available alongside the railway include picnic areas, an adventure playground, a dedicated under-fives play area and refreshments.
References
External links
Official websit
here
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Miniature railways in the United Kingdom
15 in gauge railways in England