Ribble Steam Railway

History

The project was first started in 1973, a preservation centre opened in Southport, on the Derby Road, in a refurbished Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway steam shed. However, the shed was becoming a costly burden to handle for the museum, so a relocation scheme was started. Preston Docks was chosen as the new location for the museum. Preston Docks has a large railway network, that used to serve the vast docks and quays. But when the docks closed, the railway was not used. The project finally closed the Southport Railway Museum in 1999.

The project's new site now could be re-developed with new large workshops, platforms and a museum. The first building to open was the Workshop, in 2001. Locomotives could now go into the building, and more space could now be utilised. Next to the workshop, is the machine shop, built in 1978. At the other end of the workshop is the visitor centre, which contains the museum, cafe, shop and railway platform. The museum was finally completed in 2004. The collection of locomotives (61, two on loan from the National Railway Museum, one from the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust. 58 are currently on site.), is one of the largest collection of locomotives in the United Kingdom.

Operations

The museum also operates passenger services to Strand Road Crossing and back, from its own station – Preston Riverside. The frequency of its trains are every hour, and are usually made up of two or more Mark 1 coaches and a small steam engine or diesel engine. This service is only operational in the summer months.

A separate company, Ribble Rail, handles the freight traffic that uses the dock lines. Ribble Rail takes over from the Colas Rail locomotive, and carries the load – Bitumen – down to the Total plant near the Preston Riverside station.

A Colas Rail-operated train arrives at the riverside sidings near Strand Road Crossing with loaded oil tanks. The locomotive uncouples, runs round and takes the empty wagons. This process occurs very early in the morning on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

From here Ribble Rail shunts these wagons to the siding serving the nearby Total bitumen plant. After unloading, Ribble Rail returns the wagons to the riverside sidings for pick-up.

Future

The museum is currently located in an industrial estate, and is not well publicised. There were plans to build a station at the Strand Road Crossing, so that the railway can utilise the more popular end of the docks. Then, instead of just a 'ride' on the train, it can be used as a 'service'.

One of the more recent projects that is now planned to be underway in 2017 is the installation of a turntable at Riverside station, this will allow the operational running fleet to be turned in a bid to even out flangewear, it will also be ideal for when visiting locomotives visit the line.

A L&YR signal box was bought for the railway. It will be restored to its original condition, and put near the Preston Riverside station. Main foundation works are now complete, now awaiting a block construction wall to sit the box on to.

There have also been plans to extend the railway to the Ribble Link canal. The route would offer 1.5 miles extra to the line, although plans for this have not been finalised as major funding streams need to be found, in order to raise the huge amount of funds required for such a significant project.

Steam locomotives

The railway has a large collection of industrial steam engines and one main line locomotive.

Diesel locomotives

The railway has a large collection of diesel locomotives either for shunting or use on passenger trains.

Locos on display in the museum

Locomotives that aren't currently planned to be overhauled or if there isn't a space available in the workshop are displayed inside the museum until they're called into the workshop.

Diesel locomotives

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Diesel locomotives

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