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Gradient profiles of Heritage Railways - List in Post 1

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Jamessquared, Jul 24, 2013.

  1. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Following on from a discussion in the Bluebell thread got me thinking about gradient profiles of preserved lines ... and what I found was they are actually surprisingly difficult to find online!

    I've listed a few publicly available below from a quick Google search. Does anyone have any more, or more "official" versions than these? If so, feel free to post below, and I'll keep this list up-to-date as new ones emerge. Please consider copyright before scanning and uploading any images from physical publications; and remember that links to private forums, FaceBook etc won't necessarily be available to all.

    Bluebell Railway
    https://www.bluebell-railway.com/bluebell-railway-map/

    Bo’ness and Kinneil
    Courtesy @Glenmutchkin
    https://www.national-preservation.com/attachments/img_20180417_100901867_hdr-jpg.36095/

    Bowes Railway courtesy of @Robkitchuk
    No diagram - but a description: https://www.national-preservation.c...f-heritage-railways.95457/page-4#post-1321226

    Churnet Valley Railway - Cauldon Lowe Branch courtesy @lil Bear
    http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk/cauldon-lowe-branch
    "Not got one for the CVR line itself though it is fairly flat with the biggest gradient being 1in200 IIRC."

    Dartmouth Steam Railway
    http://ftp.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic.php?f=240&t=42783

    East Lancashire Railway (courtesy @rhf19)
    http://www.elrdiesel.info/documents/ELR-Gradient-Profile.pdf

    East Somerset Railway (courtesy @pwsw5054 )
    Ecclesbourne Valley Railway (Courtesy @martinr1)
    https://www.national-preservation.c...f-heritage-railways.95457/page-4#post-1560557

    Epping & Ongar Railway
    [​IMG]


    Foxfield Railway
    http://album.atomic-systems.com/showPic.php/22993/foxfield2.jpg

    Great Central Railway (courtesy @pmh_74)
    GWSR (courtesy @frazoulaswak)
    https://www.gwsr.com/planning_your_visit/finding_us/Map_of_the_Line.html

    Isle of Wight Steam Railway (courtesy @cav1975 )
    Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (courtesy @Sheff)
    http://www.lostrailwayswestyorkshire.co.uk/images/donations/Paul Holroyd/KWVR/kwvr 2/gradient profile.jpg

    Kent and East Sussex Railway (courtesy @Jack Enright)
    http://www.kesr-mic.org.uk/resources/Gradient+Profile.pdf

    Leighton Buzzard Railway (courtesy of @tony51)
    http://www.buzzrail.uk/your-visit/our-route/

    Llangollen Railway
    http://www.llangollen-railway.org.uk/tripupthelinepage1.html (Courtesy @RA & FC)

    Mid Hants Railway
    http://www.national-preservation.co...f-heritage-railways.95457/page-3#post-1280321 (Courtesy @LC2 )
    Edited: http://preservation.watercressline.co.uk/about/view/gradient-profile (courtesy @Hurricane)

    Nene Valley Railway
    No data

    North Norfolk Railway
    (courtesy @SteveA)

    North Yorkshire Moors Railway
    http://www.mikebarnard.co.uk/maps/grad_NYMR2.JPG

    Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway
    http://pbrly.co.uk/#/page?id=27 (Courtesy @mattuk1980)

    Severn Valley Railway
    https://www.svrwiki.com/mediawiki-1.28.2/images/7/78/SVR_Gradient_Profile.jpg (courtesy @Robin )

    Spa Valley Railway
    https://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/shopimages/SVR MAP 2012 - portrait - colour - DPP.pdf (Courtesy @Jonnie)

    Strathspey Railway
    [​IMG]


    Swanage Railway
    Courtesy @Mogul
    View attachment 32809
    A clearer view of the Swanage Railway profile all the way from Wareham, courtesy of @Mogul
    https://www.national-preservation.com/attachments/sr_map_gradientprofile-pdf.32810/

    Welsh Highland Railway (courtesy robpalmer)
    http://www.isengard.co.uk/images/JPEGS/Gradient profile.JPG
    http://web.bethere.co.uk/steven.harris/gradient/area.htm
    The second one has considerable detail if you click through the map to the individual sectional profiles.

    Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway (courtesy @Robin)
    A second version is included in this blog post, which is marginally different:

    https://fifteenflatout.wordpress.com/2019/09/29/loco-crew-familiarisation/

    Wensleydale Railway

    No data


    West Somerset Railway

    http://www.wsr.org.uk/r-gradients.htm (Courtesy @West Somerset Wizard)

    Tom
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 8, 2023
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  2. Islander

    Islander Member

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  3. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    I have one for the Swanage Railway from the tour booklet of the first mainline steam trip down the branch, but I do not know if it is subject to copyright. Past Rail Rail who ran the trip are no longer in business but i do not know where they go it from.
     
  4. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

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    Besides the Gradient Profile does any website list the Curve Radius along its line?
     
  5. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    The Isle of Wight profile does (and thanks to Islander for the profile, which I've added to my list in the first post). I've not seen any other railway that does that, but at the moment there aren't even many profiles out there!

    Surprised there isn't a publicly available profile for the MHR, especially as one of their main marketing pitches (for enthusiasts) is on the steepness of their gradients.

    Tom
     
  6. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Just looked at the SVR profile and noticed the climb out of Highley northbound marked as 1/100. Going back a long while but I clearly recall it being quoted as 1/50 so somebody got it wrong somewhere.
     
  7. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    On the Bluebell motive power thread, Kje7812 suggested parts of it were 1:88. 1:50 sounds improbable given the locos the SVR uses and the loads.

    http://www.national-preservation.com/threads/bluebell-motive-power.33437/page-40#post-614137

    Tom
     
  8. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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  9. robpalmer

    robpalmer New Member

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  10. SR-Simon

    SR-Simon New Member

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    There is a copy of the EOR gradient profile in our informative and comprehensive Guide Book, only £2.50 (with 40 odd colour pages and rare never before published photographs) available from EOR Ticket Offices and via mail order (cheque to EOR for £4 to inc P&P, c/o Ongar Station, Station Approach, Ongar).
    All profits from the sales of this and our useful walks booklet goes towards the upkeep and preservation of Essex's premier heritage railway :)
     
  11. 6136

    6136 Member

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    The gradient post says 1:100.
     
  12. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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  13. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    That settles it then. Will have to change my recording notes now.
     
  14. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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  15. Woodster21

    Woodster21 Member

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    I used to have one for the route from Ambergate Junction to Peak Forest - and then I lent it to someone. The book "Through Limestone Hills" has the gradient profile for the Peak Line
     
  16. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

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  17. W14

    W14 Member

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    I seem to remember that a few years back (which probably means about 20 years ago) the Railway Magazine did a series of pull-out supplements giving maps of most of the, then, major preserved lines and I'm sure they had gradient profiles as well. Now, did I pack them when I moved house and, if so, where are they now? Maybe someone should suggest to RM that they're due a reprint.


    ADDITION

    Found them - and in the first box into which I looked!

    It was called the Atlas of Heritage Railways and was published by the Railway Magazine in 11 parts between August 1998 to June 1999, so only 14-15 years old, not 20. It covered:

    Avon Valley Railway
    Bala Lake Railway
    Battlefield Line
    Bluebell Line (map to Kingscote, gradient profile to EG)
    Bodmin & Wenford Railway
    Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway
    Bowes Railway
    Brecon Mountain Railway
    Caledonian Railway (Brechin-Bridge of Dun)
    Chinnor & PR Railway
    Cholsey & Wallingford Railway
    Churnet Valley Railway (Leekbrook Junc-Kingsley & Froghall)
    Dean Forest Railway (Parkend-Lydney Junc)
    East Lancashire Railway (Heywood-Rawtenstall)
    East Kent Railway
    East Somerset Railway
    Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway
    Great Central Railway plus Ruddington
    Gwili Railway
    Isle of Man Steam Railway
    Isle of Wight Steam Railway
    Keighley & Worth Valley Railway
    Kent & East Sussex Railway (Bodiam-Tenterden)
    Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway
    Launceston Steam Railway
    Leighton Buzzard Railway
    Llangollen Railway
    Llanberis Lake Railway
    Mid-Hants Railway
    Mid-Norfolk Railway (Wymondham-County School)
    Middleton Railway
    Midland Railway Centre (Hammersmith-Riddings Junc)
    Nene Valley Railway
    North Norfolk Railway
    North Yorkshire Moors Railway
    Northampton & Lamport Railway
    North Tyneside Railway
    Paignton & Dartmouth Railway
    Peak Rail
    Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway
    Severn Valley Railway
    Spa Valley Railway
    Strathspey Railway (Aviemore-Broomhill)
    Swanage Railway
    Swansea Vale Railway
    Talyllyn Railway
    Tanfield Railway
    Vale of Rheidol Railway
    Welsh Highland Railway (Dinas-Caernarfon only)
    Welshpool & Llanfair Railway
    West Somerset Railway

    I cannot find a gradient profile for the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway, but the line fell at 1 in 50 towards Aspall (the recreated section).
     
  18. 45655

    45655 New Member

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  19. 45655

    45655 New Member

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    There certainly is a gradient profile for the MHR in the public domain. It's in Roger Hardingham's book on the Mid-Hants Line and no doubt elsewhere. I don't think it's on the current website, though. I'll see if I can get it posted.
     
  20. Pesmo

    Pesmo Member

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    Fascinating stuff. I had no idea that the steepest part of the Foxfield was 1:19 :eek::D

    Now a question. It would appear that very few of the profiles ever display an altitude which I would have thought was certainly worth having on the gradient chart. The surveyors when they mapped the line would have had this information, so why is it so rarely shown ? Is it just tradition or was there another reason ?
     

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