Narrow Gauge Railways. Part-One.

Easy to Manage.

It was during World-War 1 (1914-18) that the British army discovered that the Narrow Gauge rail system was easy to manage over a conventional railway. This meant that if the lines where bombed, they could quickly be replaced.

It has traditionally been the quarry that narrow gauge is most suited for, but by the 1960's in the UK this was coming to an end. Most of the types of engines used had small weights of between 4-15 tonnes. Narrow gauge railways were designed for mountain workings and they take narrow corners also.

Wales was I suppose the home of these engines and trains, but today narrow gauge engines still work the Board na Mona bog lands across Ireland and also the Preypet marches of southern Belarus and the northern Ukraine.

IOW Railways.

Isle of wight railways.

Over the years the Isle of Wight  has become the retirement home for London Underground (LUL) ex-tube cars, as they are re-classified. 

Currently they have had a repaint job to fit the Jurassic Park theme, but are they really pulling in the tourist crowds? 

Many people believe that perhaps the re-introduction of steam trains would be a big money spinner, as they are on the Isle of Man, Welsh Mountain's and many other places across the UK. 

Or is it a fitting re-use for these underground cars to be kept going here as they are?