Whipsnade Zoo Railway

A family trip to Whipsnade Zoo allowed me the chance to see the railway there in action today. I saw something that the railway has part of it's origins in a Bowaters Paper Mill. Is this the same Bowaters Paper Mill as in The Sittingbourne & Kemsley? If so, what came from that line, just the locos or more?
Photos I took of the railway today can be seen at my fotopic site.

Regards,

Paul

 

The steam locos certainly came from the Sittingbourne and Kemsley and so I presume did some of the track but not 100% sure about that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Whipsnade_Railway

 

As well as the steam locos, the original carriages were based on Bowaters' bogie paper wagons - I have no idea if they are still in use.

 

Cliff Thomas' book on the Great Whipsnade Railway (formerly the Whipsnade & Umfolozi Railway) will tell you all you need to know - unlike the zoo's website, which last time I looked was singularly lacking in railway info.

Richard

 

The Locos are definatly from the Bowaters paper railway, although i believe one of them has had a brand new boiler put init. Also the coachs were bowaters wagons however like said above i also do not know whether they are still in service. ](*,)

 

Thanks for the info everyone.

Regards,

Paul

 

Paul, Excelsior was the third loco at Sittingbourne and was fitted with a new welded boiler in 2007. Superior was extensively overhauled by Bill Parker in 2006. Both locos work very hard and are operated by Zoo employees, who are very committed to the railway and who have been making considerable upgrades recently, including building a new running shed leen to next the the workshop, this last year, which leads directly to a servicing pit, which was previously just a stub siding. All the original carriages are still in use, though they have all now got vacuum brakes. Those of you on facebook, there is a group from which you can receive updates.

 

Isn't there a small gorup of volunteers, but you have to be invited?