This is a list of heritage, private and preserved railways throughout the United Kingdom and the Channel Islands whether operational or former, for charitable purposes or shareholder profit. Some also provide a local economic transport purpose. For rail museums, see List of British railway museums.
Many of the standard gauge railways listed (thus including former branch lines and ex-mainline routes) were closed by British Railways (later shortened to British Rail) under the Beeching Axe of the 1960s. Others later or earlier closed. All ceased their public financing with up-to-date rolling stock and often avoided electrification and electronic signals to be restored and operated as heritage lines. A smaller number of lines were formerly both industrial and colliery railways.
Many of these preserved railways and railway centres such as stations, engineering workshops and collections of old locomotives are mentioned in national and international tour guides, and visits may form part of a school curriculum and centres of other studies including in civil engineering, mechanics, social, economic and political history, visual arts and drama.
Standard Gauge
Avon Valley Railway, Bitton, Gloucestershire
Bodmin & Wenford Railway, Bodmin, Cornwall
Bristol Harbour Railway, Bristol
Dartmoor Railway, Okehampton, Devon
Dartmouth Steam Railway, Paignton, Devon
Dean Forest Railway, Norchard, Gloucestershire
East Somerset Railway, Cranmore, Somerset
Helston Railway, Prospidnick, Cornwall
Plym Valley Railway, Marsh Mills, Devon
Somerset & Dorset Railway, Midsomer Norton, Somerset
South Devon Railway, Buckfastleigh, Devon
Swanage Railway, Swanage, Dorset
Swindon & Cricklade Railway, Blunsdon, Wiltshire
West Somerset Railway, Minehead, Somerset
Railway Centres and Museums
Bideford Railway Heritage Centre, Devon
Shillingstone Railway Project, Shillingstone, Dorset
STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway, Swindon, Wiltshire
Yeovil Railway Centre, Yeovil, Somerset
Bicton Woodland Railway, Devon
Devon Railway Centre, Bickleigh, Devon
Exmoor Steam Railway, Devon - private site
Gartell Light Railway, Templecombe, Somerset
Launceston Steam Railway, Launceston, Cornwall
Lea Bailey Light Railway. Gloucestershire / Herefordshire border
Lynbarn Railway, Devon
Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, Woody Bay, Devon
Morwellham Quay Open Air Museum, Devon
Beer Heights Light Railway, Devon
Berkeley Light Railway, Gloucestershire
Gorse Blossom Farm Railway, Devon
Lappa Valley Steam Railway, Cornwall
Moors Valley Railway, Ashley Heath, Dorset
Perrygrove Railway, Coleford, Gloucestershire
Porterswick Junction Light Railway, Cornwall
Seaton Tramway, Seaton, Devon
Standard Gauge
Colne Valley Railway, Castle Hedingham, Essex
Epping Ongar Railway, Ongar, Essex
Lincolnshire Wolds Railway, Ludborough, Lincolnshire
Mid-Norfolk Railway, Dereham, Norfolk
Nene Valley Railway, Wansford, Cambridgeshire
North Norfolk Railway, Sheringham, Norfolk
Railway Centres and Museums
Appleby Frodingham Railway, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire
Bressingham Steam and Gardens, Diss, Norfolk
East Anglian Railway Museum, Chappel & Wakes Colne Station, Essex
Mangapps Railway Museum, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex
Mid Suffolk Light Railway, Brockford, Suffolk
Railworld, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Whitwell & Reepham Railway, Reepham, Norfolk
Bressingham Steam and Gardens,Diss, Norfolk
Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway, Lincolnshire
Great Whipsnade Railway, ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, Bedfordshire
Leighton Buzzard Light Railway, Bedfordshire
North Ings Farm Railway, Lincolnshire
Southend Pier Railway, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
Stevington & Turvey Light Railway, Turvey, Bedfordshire - private site
Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills, Essex
Yaxham Light Railway, Norfolk - private site
Audley End Railway, Essex
Bure Valley Railway, Aylsham, Norfolk
East Herts Miniature Railway, Ware, Hertfordshire
Eaton Park Miniature Railway, Norwich, Norfolk
Fancott Miniature Railway, Bedfordshire
Museum of Power, Langford, Essex
Watford Miniature Railway, Cassiobury Park, Watford, Hertfordshire
Wells & Walsingham Light Railway, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk
Wells Harbour Railway, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk
East Anglia Transport Museum, Lowestoft, Suffolk
Standard Gauge
Battlefield Line, Shackerstone, Leicestershire
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, Wirksworth, Derbyshire
Great Central Railway, Loughborough, Leicestershire
Great Central Railway (Nottingham), Ruddington, Nottinghamshire
Midland Railway, Butterley, Derbyshire
Northampton & Lamport Railway, Pitsford and Brampton, Northamptonshire
Northants Ironstone Railway, Hunsbury Hill, Northamptonshire
Peak Rail, Matlock, Derbyshire
Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway, Rushden, Northamptonshire
Rutland Railway, Cottesmore, Rutland
Railway Centres and Museums
Barrow Hill Railway Centre, Barrow Hill nr Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre, Ruddington, Nottinghamshire
Rushden Transport Museum, Northamptonshire
Derbyshire Dales Narrow Gauge Railway, Rowsley, Derbyshire
Golden Valley Light Railway, Butterley, Derbyshire
Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum, Irchester, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
Steeple Grange Light Railway, Wirksworth, Derbyshire
Markeaton Park Light Railway, Derby, Derbyshire
Stapleford Miniature Railway, near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
Wicksteed Park Railway, Kettering, Northamptonshire
Crich Tramway Village and Museum, Crich, Derbyshire
Standard Gauge
Aln Valley Railway, Alnwick, Northumberland
Bowes Railway, Tyne and Wear
Derwent Valley Light Railway, Murton, North Yorkshire
East Lancashire Railway, Bury, Greater Manchester
Eden Valley Railway, Warcop, Cumbria
Elsecar Heritage Railway, South Yorkshire
Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, Embsay, North Yorkshire
Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, Haworth, West Yorkshire
Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway, Haverthwaite, nr Staveley, Cumbria
Middleton Railway, Hunslet, West Yorkshire
North Tyneside Steam Railway, North Shields, Tyne and Wear
North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Pickering, North Yorkshire
Ribble Steam Railway, Preston, Lancashire
Stainmore Railway, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria
Tanfield Railway, Marley Hill, County Durham
Weardale Railway, Stanhope, County Durham
Wensleydale Railway, Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire
Yorkshire Wolds Railway Restoration Project, Sledmere–Fimber, East Yorkshire (still under construction)
Railway Centres and Museums
Astley Green Colliery Museum, Lancashire
Beamish Museum & Railway Centre, County Durham
Carnforth Railway Centre, Carnforth, Lancashire
Crewe Heritage Centre, Crewe, Cheshire
Darlington Railway Centre and Museum, Darlington, County Durham
Haig Colliery Mining Museum, Cumbria
Leeds Industrial Museum, Armley, West Yorkshire
Locomotion, Shildon, County Durham
Monkwearmouth Station Museum, Sunderland
Stephenson Railway Museum, West Chirton, Tyne and Wear
National Railway Museum, York, North Yorkshire
Eaton Hall Railway, Cheshire - private site
Heatherslaw Light Railway, Northumberland
South Tynedale Railway between Alston, Cumbria and Lintley, Northumberland
West Lancashire Light Railway, Lancashire
Woodhorn Narrow Gauge Railway, Ashington, Northumberland
Threlkeld Quarry and Mining Museum ,Cumbria
All in one Miniature Railway, Knutsford, Allostock, Cheshire
Brookside Miniature Railway, Poynton, Cheshire
Dragon Miniature Railway, Marple, Greater Manchester
High Legh Miniature Railway, High Legh, Cheshire
Kirklees Light Railway, Clayton West, West Yorkshire
Lakeside Miniature Railway, Southport, Merseyside
North Bay Railway, Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, Cumbria
Saltburn Miniature Railway, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire
South Park Miniature Railway, Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
Walton Park Miniature Railway, Sale, Greater Manchester
Woodhorn Narrow Gauge Railway, Ashington, Northumberland
Windmill Farm Railway, Lancashire
Beamish Museum, County Durham
Bradford Industrial Museum, Eccleshill, (nr Bradford), West Yorkshire
Heaton Park Tramway, Manchester, Greater Manchester
Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society, Birkenhead, Merseyside
Shipley Glen Tramway, Shipley, West Yorkshire
South Yorkshire Transport Museum, Aldwarke, Rotherham, South Yorkshire
Southport Pier Tramway, Southport, Merseyside
Wirral Tramway & Transport Museum, Wirral, Merseyside
Standard Gauge
Bluebell Railway, Sheffield Park, Sussex
Chatham Historic Dockyard Railway, Kent
Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, Chinnor, Oxfordshire
Cholsey & Wallingford Railway, Wallingford, Oxfordshire
East Kent Railway, Shepherdswell, Kent
Fawley Hill Railway, Buckinghamshire
Isle of Wight Steam Railway, Havenstreet, Isle of Wight
Kent & East Sussex Steam Railway, Tenterden, Kent
Lavender Line, Isfield, East Sussex
Mid Hants Railway, The Watercress Line, New Alresford, Hampshire
Rother Valley Railway, Robertsbridge, East Sussex (land purchases in progress)
Spa Valley Railway, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Railway Centres and Museums
Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton Road, Buckinghamshire
Didcot Railway Centre, Didcot, Oxfordshire
Finmere railway station, Buckinghamshire (private site)
London Transport Museum, Covent Garden, Central London
London Transport Museum Depot, Acton, West London
Southall Railway Centre, Southall, West London
Amberley Museum Railway, Amberley, West Sussex
Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway,near Sittingbourne, Kent
Exbury Gardens Railway, Beaulieu, Hampshire
Hayling Seaside Railway, Hayling Island, Hampshire
Hollycombe Steam Collection, near Liphook, Hampshire
Hythe Pier Ferry Railway, Hampshire
Hampton & Kempton Waterworks Railway, Hanworth/Hampton, London.
Kew Bridge Steam Museum, Brentford, London
London Post Office Railway - Proposed
Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, Kent
Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway, Kent
Volk's Electric Railway, Brighton, East Sussex
Bekonscot Light Railway, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
Blenheim Park Railway, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway, Hampshire
Frimley Lodge Park Railway, Surrey
Great Cockcrow Railway, Chertsey, Surrey
Ickenham Miniature Railway, Ickenham, London
Malden District Society of Model Engineers, Thames Ditton, Surrey
Moors Valley Railway, near Ringwood, Hampshire
Royal Victoria Country Park, Southampton, Hampshire
Ruislip Lido Railway, Ruislip, London
South Downs Light Railway, Pulborough, West Sussex
Woking Miniature Railway, Knaphill, Surrey
Standard Gauge
Cambrian Heritage Railways, Oswestry and Llynclys, Shropshire
Chasewater Railway, Staffordshire
Churnet Valley Railway, Cheddleton, Staffordshire
Foxfield Light Railway, Blythe Bridge, Staffordshire
Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, Toddington, Gloucestershire and Broadway, Worcestershire
Kingfisher Line. Titley, Herefordshire - private site
Rowden Mill & Fencote Railway, Herefordshire - private site
Severn Valley Railway, Bridgnorth, Shropshire
Telford Steam Railway, Horsehay, Shropshire
Railway Centres and Museums
Coleford Great Western Railway Museum, Coleford, Gloucestershire
Electric Railway Museum, Warwickshire
Tyseley Railway Centre, Tyseley, Warwickshire
Winchcombe Railway Museum, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire
Amerton Railway, Staffordshire
Apedale Valley Light Railway Chesterton, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire
Bromyard and Linton Light Railway, Bromyard, Herefordshire - private site
Moseley Railway Trust, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
North Gloucestershire Railway, Toddington, Gloucestershire
Perrygrove Railway, Gloucestershire
Rudyard Lake Steam Railway, Rudyard, Staffordshire
Statfold Barn Railway, Tamworth, Staffordshire - private site
Broomy Hill Railway, Herefordshire
Downs Railway Colwall, Ledbury, Herefordshire
Echills Wood Railway, Kingsbury Waterpark, Warwickshire
Weston Park Railway, Shropshire
Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, West Midlands
Tramway operation in Britain ceased almost entirely in the 1950s. Once Glasgow had disposed of its lines, the sole survivor was the Blackpool Corporation Tramways, although considerably reduced in size. In the late 20th century there was a tramway revival, notably in Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, the West Midlands and Croydon.
East of England
Leiston Works Railway, Leiston, Suffolk (currently under construction)
Southwold Railway, Southwold, Suffolk (Proposed)
Wisbech and March Railway, Waldersea, Cambridgeshire (Proposed)
North of England
Poulton and Wyre Railway, Thornton–Cleveleys, Lancashire (currently under restoration)
South and West of England
Combe Rail, Mortehoe-Woolacombe, Devon (Proposed)
Remembrance Line, Folkestone, Kent (Proposed)
North Somerset Railway, Radstock, Somerset (Proposed)
Shillingstone Railway Project, Shillingstone, Dorset (Currently under construction)
Tarka Valley Railway, Torrington, Devon (Display museum at former station house, public house only)
Vale of Berkeley Railway, Sharpness, Gloucestershire (Proposed)
Ashford Steam Centre, Willesborough, Kent - closed in 1976.
Abbey Light Railway, Kirkstall, West Yorkshire - closed in 2012.
Brockham Museum Trust, Dorking, Surrey - closed 1982 (Stock moved to Amberley Museum Railway, West Sussex)
Bolebroke Castle Miniature Railway, East Sussex - closed 2012
Buxton Steam Centre, Derbyshire - closed in 1987, as Peak Rail moved to Darley Dale.
Cadeby Light Railway, Cadeby, Leicestershire - closed in 2005.
Creekmoor Light Railway, Poole, Dorset - closed in 1973
Dinting Railway Centre, Derbyshire - closed in 1991, (Society moved to Ingrow (West) station on the KWVR, West Yorkshire.)
Dowty Railway Centre, Ashchurch, Gloucestershire - closed in the 1980s
Eastbourne Tramway, East Sussex - closed 1969, (moved to Seaton, Devon)
Great Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society, Starbeck, North Yorkshire - closed in 1989 (Group moved to Murton, near York, to restore part of the former Derwent Valley Light Railway)
Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway, Humberston, Lincolnshire - closed 1985- Rebuilt 2009 in Skegness.
Museum of British Transport, Clapham, South London - closed in 1973 Some exhibits moved first to Syon Park, West London and subsequently to Covent Garden to form London Transport Museum. Some exhibits moved to N.R.M. York
North Downs Steam Railway, Dartford, Kent - closed in 1995 (society merged with Spa Valley Railway)
North Woolwich Old Station Museum, East London - closed in 2008
Ramsgate Tunnel Railway, Ramsgate, Kent - closed in 1965
Snibston Railway, Coalville, Leicestershire. - closed on 31 July 2015 (as with the Discovery Museum, itself)
Swansea Vale Railway, Pentrechwyth, Swansea. - closed on 2009
Southport Railway Museum, Southport, Lancashire - closed in 1999, (Society moved to Preston Docks as Ribble Steam Railway).
Westerham Valley Railway Association, Westerham, Kent - closed 1965 (merged with Kent and East Sussex Railway Preservation Society with a few items of stock transferred to KWVR.)
Northern Ireland
See List of heritage railways in Northern Ireland
Standard gauge
Downpatrick and County Down Railway, County Down
Railway Centres and Museums
Railway Preservation Society of Ireland, Whitehead, County Antrim
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra
Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway, County Antrim
Peatlands Park Railway, County Armagh
Shanes Castle Railway, County Antrim - closed 1994 (stock moved to Giants Causeway and Bushmills Railway
Central Highlands
Keith & Dufftown Railway, Dufftown, Banffshire and Keith, Morayshire
Strathspey Railway, Aviemore, Highland
East Coast of Scotland
Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway, Bo'ness, Falkirk
Fife Heritage Railway, Leven, Fife
Caledonian Railway, Brechin, Angus
Royal Deeside Railway, Milton of Crathes, Aberdeenshire
Waverley Route Heritage Association, Whitrope, Roxburghshire
Railway centres and museums
Glasgow Museum of Transport
Invergarry & Fort Augustus Railway Museum
Scottish Industrial Railway Centre, Ayrshire
Scotland's Military Railway, Lathalmond, Fife
Alford Valley Railway, Alford, Aberdeenshire
Leadhills and Wanlockhead Railway, South Lanarkshire
Kerr's Miniature Railway, Arbroath
Ness Islands Railway, Inverness
Summerlee Heritage Park, Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire
TBA
Isle of Mull Railway, Inner Hebrides - closed in 2011.
Lochty Private Railway, Fife - closed in 1992.
Sanday Light Railway, Braeswick, Orkney - closed in 2006.
Standard Gauge
Llangollen Railway, Llangollen, Denbighshire
Railway centres and museums
Conwy Valley Railway Museum Bettws-y-coed, Conwy
Narrow Gauge Railway Museum Tywyn, Gwynedd
Penrhyn Castle Railway Museum, Bangor, Gwynedd
Bala Lake Railway, Llanuwchllyn, Gwynedd
Ffestiniog Railway, Porthmadog to Bleanau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd
Llanberis Lake Railway, Llanberis, Gwynedd
Penrhyn Quarry Railway, Bethesda, Gwynedd
Snowdon Mountain Railway, Llanberis, Gwynedd
Talyllyn Railway, Tywyn, Gwynedd
Welsh Highland Heritage Railway,Porthmadog, Gwynedd
Welsh Highland Railway, Porthmadog to Caernarfon, Gwynedd
Conwy Valley Railway Museum Miniature Railway, Betws-y-Coed
Fairbourne Railway, Gwynedd
Rhyl Miniature Railway, Rhyl
West shore miniature railway ,llandudno
Great Orme Tramway, Llandudno
Conwy Valley Railway Museum Tramway, Betws-y-Coed
Corris Railway, Gwynedd
Welshpool & Llanfair Railway, Powys
Vale of Rheidol Railway, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
Rhiw Valley Light Railway, Berriew, Powys
Standard Gauge
Barry Tourist Railway, Vale of Glamorgan, Glamorganshire
Gwili Railway, Bronwydd Arms, Carmarthenshire
Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway, Monmouthshire
Brecon Mountain Railway, Pant, near Merthyr Tydfil
Margam Park Railway, Margam
Teifi Valley Railway, Henllan near Newcastle Emlyn, Ceredigion
Dolgarrog Railway, Conwy (under construction)
Trawsfynydd and Blaenau Ffestiniog Railway, Maentwrog Road, Gwynedd (currently under restoration)
Glyn Valley Tramway, Chirk, Denbighshire
Standard Gauge
Garw Valley Railway, Pontycymer, Bridgend
Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway, Cynheidre, Carmarthenshire
Butetown Historical Railway Society Cardiff Bay - closed in 1997, moved to Barry Tourist Railway
Caerphilly Railway Society, Caerphilly Railway Works - closed 1996, moved to Gwili Railway
Swansea Vale Railway, Pentrechwyth - closed in 2009, (most of the track and rolling stock are now located on the Gwili Railway).
Great Laxey Mine Railway, Laxey
Groudle Glen Railway, Lhen Coan
Isle of Man Railway, Douglas
Manx Electric Railway, Derby Castle
Snaefell Mountain Railway, Laxey
Crogga Valley Railway, Port Soderick railway station
See Rail transport in the Isle of Man.
Alderney Railway
Pallot Heritage Steam Museum
