Kempton Steam Railway
| Hampton & Kempton Waterworks Railway | |
|---|---|
| Locale | London Borough of Hounslow |
| Coordinates | 51°25′33″N 0°24′18″W / 51.4259°N 0.405°WCoordinates: 51°25′33″N 0°24′18″W / 51.4259°N 0.405°W |
| Preserved operations | |
| Stations | 1 |
| Length | 0.18 miles |
| Preserved gauge | 2 ft (610 mm) |
| Commercial history | |
| 1914-1916 | Built as part of the waterworks infrastructure |
| Closed | 1945 |
| Preservation history | |
| 2013 | Reopened as passenger railway |
| Website | |
| http://www.hamptonkemptonrailway.org.uk/ | |
The Kempton Steam Railway is a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge steam railway that opened in 2013, giving rides to the public, based on a former industrial railway - there is only one other place in the London area giving rides on steam trains this large, London Museum of Water & Steam.
History
The original 2 ft (610 mm) gauge railway, known as the Metropolitan Water Board Railway, was built between 1914 and 1916 to carry coal from wharves on the River Thames to the pumping stations at Hampton and Kempton Park. At it's peak, the railway carried 760 tons of coal a week. In 1945 the line closed, the trackbed becoming a road for maintenance workers. In May 2003, the Metropolitan Water Board Railway Society was formed with the intention of re-opening the railway as a 2 ft (610 mm) gauge passenger carrying line between Hampton and the Kempton Great Engine House.
Progress, and Opening Dates
The railway provides passenger rides in a covered carriage that seats four abreast, and has proper accommodation for a wheelchair, with an access ramp. The first section of track is a loop, which operates on selected weekends outside of winter. The steam locomotive being used is "Darent", built in 1903 (formerly of Provan Gas Works, Glasgow). Two diesel locomotives have just been purchased and delivered from a mine in Indonesia; they are in working order, but subject to some further restoration, so all trains are currently steam-hauled. The site also features the only Ransomes & Rapier crane in Britain in working order.
Initially the project was loaned a suitable steam engine by London Museum of Water & Steam - enabling the Kempton Railway to open on schedule in May 2013. The London Museum of Water & Steam also has a 400-yard section of 2 ft (610 mm) gauge track, operating every weekend, which is the only other place in the London area where rides on steam trains of this size can be taken.
Fleet List
| Name | Other Number(s) |
Railway | Builder | Works Number |
Built | Wheel Arrangement |
Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darent | 3 | Provan Gas Works | Andrew Barclay | 984 | 1903 | 0-4-0ST | [1] | On long-term loan to the railway by its owner |
| Spelthorne | 52 | (Far East) | Hunslet | 9357 | 4wDH | [1] | ||
| 53 | (Far East) | Hunslet | 9338 | 4wDH | [1] | |||
| Hounslow | 51 | Science projects, Hammersmith | 2009 | 4wPH | [1] | |||
| (Celtic Football Club) | Motor Rail | 1928 | 4wPM rebuilt as 4wDM | [1] |
The Future
The planned second phase of the railway will involve the construction of a further three miles of track, leading from the existing loop towards the Upper Sunbury Road, Hampton. This track will pass a reservoir. The restored track would run across land owned by Thames Water. Their chief executive even attended the opening of this railway in 2013, along with Sir William McAlpine, 6th Baronet. On Monday 19th March 2018, the lease to extend the railway was signed at a ceremony attended by the CEO of Thames Water Steve Robertson, the Deputy Mayor Hounslow, Mayor of Spelthorne, Deputy Mayor of Richmond and members of the heritage railway. With the lease now signed, work would now focus on getting the planning application to extend the railway.