These trains use real steam engines and although somewhat a tight fit the driver is just about able to get inside the locomotive's cab. For more information visit their website at http://www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk/ (link opens in a new window).
In the 1980's and early 1990's several British cities hosted a series of bi-annual garden festivals which were open for 6 months at a time. Most were on large sites with "fixed infrastructure" transport facilities to help the visitors explore part or all of the sites. These examples come from Liverpool and Glasgow.
Several videos from the the 1990 National Garden Festival Gateshead have been placed on the 'youtube' file-sharing website and can be watched either above or (larger versions in new windows) at youtube by clicking these links: -Left: Monorails, trams, land trains http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd7JjIuA1vI
Right: Trains of various description http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PljZiHxiCcY
There is also a third film which is a special feature on the tram that was in British Steel blue and ivory advertising livery - this can be seen in a new window by clicking either the projector icon or this link:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEEzaT6uYUc
North Wales is famous for its narrow-gauge railways, one of the most well known being the Ffestiniog Railway (Rheilffordd Ffestiniog in the Welsh language) which claims to be the oldest independent railway company anywhere globally. Originally built to carry slate it now carries passengers through the spectacular scenery of the Snowdonia National Park, between Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiniog. For more information visit their website at http://www.festrail.co.uk/ (link opens in a new window).
Leisure-orientated rail services is not just a British phenomena, the views below were sourced from the "Puffing Billy" rail line near to Melbourne, Australia. This pioneering railway was first built to open the bush to european settlement, later part of its route was incorporated into the local urban rail system (which uses fullsize electric trains) whilst the rest offers pleasure rides, as here.
Here in Britain there are several leisure-themed tramways that use historic (or historic looking) trams which are not just there for nostalgic purposes but also because they actually provide useful transport functions.
One such example is the Birkenhead Tramway which links the Woodside Visitor Centre (one of the locations from where the globally renown Mersey Ferry operates) to The Old Colonial pub at the Taylor Street terminus, where there is a Heritage Centre housing a collection of restored and part-restored local buses and trams, vehicles working for Wirral Museums, plus items from the Baxter Collection of cars, motorbikes and motor accessories which formerly were on show at the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, and a model railway layout. (Displays are constantly changing and developing).
Birkenhead is the historic home of Britain's (and indeed europe's) first street tramway. Opening on 29th August 1860 it featured horse drawn trams running from Woodside to Birkenhead Park. The present day line however opened in 1995 and services include genuine Hong Kong trams as well as (sometimes) vehicles from the fleet of restored trams, including the open-topped 1901 Birkenhead tram 20, the 1920 Wallasey tram 78 or the 1931 Liverpool tram 762.
The tramway is part of a docklands regeneration area - and it can be very easily reached from the historic Hamilton Square Merseyrail station (local suburban mainline railway) as well as local buses and by car.
Being a standard gauge tramway it was possible to use this line (in February 2005) to test a prototype British-built modern articulated tram, prior to being transferred to Blackpool for more extensive testing.
For more information the Birkenhead Tramway visit these websites (links to external sites which open in new windows)
http://www.wirral.gov.uk/LGCL/100009/200070/1017/content_0000522.html
http://www.visitliverpool.com/displayProduct.asp?productKey=18340.
In Britain we also have several large living museums where the trams (and buses / trolleybuses) are used as 'serious' transports helping carry people around extensive sites which primarily look at how people lived in days gone by. In this way they have become useful extras that enhance the visitor experience, but not the main attractions.
These include the Black Country Living Museum (BCLM) in Dudley (near Birmingham) and Beamish North of England Open Air Museum in Co. Durham (near to Newcastle Upon Tyne and Durham).
Adjacent to the BCLM is the Dudley Canal Trust which offers visitors the chance to enjoy a fascinating 45 minute ride through the (mostly subterranean) Dudley Canal Tunnels and Limestone Mines on an electrically powered narrow boat. Note that this is a separate visitor attraction and narrow boat rides are paid for separately. Although easily reached from within the BCLM the Dudley Canal Trust also has its own street entrance, so it is not necessary to visit the BCLM at the same time. The Dudley canal tunnels are looked at in greater detail further down this page.
The Beamish tramway opened in 1973 and has been extended in stages to its current size. In the process it has incorporated some of the railway line, which therefore now consists of two separate sections and become a 'static' display. However there is another railway which uses replica vehicles such as existed in 1825 and this line still gives working demonstrations. The tramway is approximately 1.5miles in length, features four tramstops, three passing loops plus in the recreated town centre there is a section of double track.
During the summer season a replica vintage motor bus service carries visitors between The Town and The Colliery Village. One of the buses is a copy of a double-deck bus owned by Gateshead Tramways in 1913 and the other is a copy of a London General double-deck bus which dates from the same era.
Right: A view from the top deck of an open top tram at one of the passing loops as former Sunderland Corporation tram No.16 passes by. Although there is also some trolleybus wiring at Beamish it is rarely used - this is because their only working trolleybus dates from 1948, so is from the wrong time period for a living museum where the exhibits represent life in 1825 or 1913.
In the background in the view on the left can be seen the park, where in summer a brass band located in a bandstand entertains visitors by playing pieces of music. The view on the right includes the replica London motor bus and the tram & omnibus stop passenger shelter.
Included in the many other transport related attractions at Beamish are a signal box, a 1867 railway station and goods yard; these are looked at on the Nostalgia page (not all the transport - related attractions at Beamish are illustrated).
The National Tramway Museum at Crich looks at Britain of the 1950's, when many tram systems were being closed. Built in a former quarry it too has relocated many 'streetscene' structures and even complete buildings from around the country to its site. However, here the main focus is the trams themselves. This includes giving passengers the opportunity to sample travelling on a large fleet of preserved trams which primarily come from many towns and cities around Britain.
Right: Inside one of Crich's single deck trams showing how to maximise seating capacity in a limited space it features longitudinal seating on one side. This photo was taken at night, with a flashgun, which explains why nothing can be seen out of the windows. Normally flashguns should not be used when photographing transports as it temporarily blinds the driver, creating a safety hazard.
Manchester's Heaton Park is also the site of an operating tramway museum line. The city's first generation tram system included a short section of route which entered the Park at the Middleton Road entrance and ran towards the boating lake, and nowadays vintage trams use this line on Sundays and most Bank Holidays throughout spring and summer. School parties and private hire can be arranged on other days.
Heaton Park is a large municipal park which forms the gardens of 18th Century Grade 1 listed Heaton Hall. Other attractions within Heaton Park include a boating lake, golf course, pitch and putt, horticultural centre, farm / animal centre, football pitches, bowling greens, play areas and gardens. The Park also plays host to many events and fun fairs, including the Trans-Lancs Vintage Vehicle Rally, charity runs and open air concerts.
The Heaton Park tramway is entirely separate from the second generation Metrolink light rail system. However Heaton Park Station (which is on the route to Bury) is a short walk through the park from the lakeside terminus of the Heaton Park tramway.
For more information about these living museums visit their websites (links will open in new windows).
The East Anglia Transport Museum - http://www.eatm.org.uk/.
The Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft - http://www.sandtoft.org.uk/
The National Tramway Museum - http://www.tramway.co.uk/
The Dudley Canal Trust - http://www.dudleycanaltrust.org.uk/
The Black Country Living Museum - http://www.bclm.co.uk/
Beamish North of England Open Air Museum - http://www.beamish.org.uk/
The Manchester Tramway Company Ltd (for the Heaton Park tramway) - http://www.mtms.org.uk and the tramway's own site at
http://www.heatonparktramway.co.uk/
Another British leisure-themed tramway is the Seaton Electric Tramway in East Devon.
Located in south-east Devon this line took over a former mainline railway branch along the River Axe estuary between Seaton Junction and the village of Seaton and now operates a fleet of 'smaller sized' trams which run on track that is just 2'9" (approx 84 cms) wide. Most of the route is single track, although there are several passing places. Some of the trams are relatively modern builds which have been styled to look somewhat like trams from various systems around Britain, whilst others are historic vehicles which have been modified to work on this tramway.
The route passes through two nature reserves and in addition to being popular with tourists & visitors to the area special services are run so that ornithologists can enjoy their hobby too.
With rising sea levels in mind it is to be hoped that the riverside nature of this tramway does not become the cause of its demise.
Clicking any of these Seaton tramway images will lead to a dedicated page showing more (and larger) images in a popup window; alternatively clicking here will open the page in a new full-size window.
For more information visit the Seaton Tramway website at http://www.tram.co.uk/ (link opens in a new window).
Seaton Electric Tramway trams at the Edwardian-style Seaton Station, which is at the southern end of the line.
The open top tram on the right is at the alighting point for arriving passengers whilst departing passengers are boarding the red single decker seen outside the terminal building.
http://www.liverpool2007.org.uk/transport/tramway3.htm.
The museum has a website which can be found at - http://www.motoringmemories.com/ (link opens in a new window).
Also near to the Seaton Tramway is the 'PECO' complex. Originally just the home of 'PECO' model railway products the site of the PECO factory has been transformed into one of Devon's leading leisure destinations.
Other features of this family-friendly destination include separate safely surfaced adventure playgrounds for children of different ages, a secret garden, several theatres, an aviary, a maze, crazy golf, a picnic area, a fitness trail and more. In addition to the Pullman Dining Car which serves cream teas and homemade cakes there is a licensed restaurant which offers both children's meals and vegetarian dishes, with highchairs and baby changing facilities also available. In the summer the theatres host shows with clowns, jesters and magicians.
The Beer Heights Light Railway takes passengers on a delightful route around Pecorama. The journey includes travelling over bridges, along a deep cutting and through a tunnel - which goes under the car park. The indoor exhibition area is next to the main visitor entrance and a well stocked retail shop which sells both general souvenirs and railway related items.
More information about Peco and the Pecorama can be found on their website (links open in new windows)
http://www.peco-uk.com/ http://www.peco-uk.com/Pecorama/Pecoramaindex.htm.
Clicking any of these Pecorama images will lead to a dedicated page showing more (and larger) images in a popup window; alternatively clicking here will open the page in a new full-size window.
This is the only photograph on this website of the exhibition area - to properly appreciate what is demonstrated here requires a personal visit.
The indoor exhibition area is themed along the lines of promoting railway modelling, which it does by showing how a model railway could be incorporated in to many different room settings - including bedroom,
converted loft, corridor / hallway, garden shed and more.
To increase attractiveness to the younger visitors many layouts have push-button controls. For people (of all ages) looking for more advanced inspiration and advice there are informative information displays on various
aspects of creating a model railway, such as how to build the baseboard and lay model railway trackage so that it will give many years of trouble - free operation. Sometimes there is even an expert on hand to demonstrate some
of the techniques involved in building model railway kits, especially of the locomotives / other items of rolling stock which are not available in 'ready to run' form.
Railway modelling is much more than simply 'playing trains'. The acts of building the baseboard, installing scenery, wiring everything so that it works and building / super-detailing the model trains and the model buildings (which usually come in kit form that need building & sometimes painting too) makes railway modelling a creative activity through which young people can learn useful 'life skills', including working as a team, the basics of woodworking, electrics, an appreciation of building design, a general understanding of the interconnectedness of life, how things work, and so much more!
More information about Peco and the Pecorama can be found on their website (links to an external site which open in new windows)
http://www.peco-uk.com/ http://www.peco-uk.com/Pecorama/Pecoramaindex.htm.
The Shipley Glen Cable Tramway opened in 1895 and was built to serve the local beauty spot of Shipley Glen, near Saltaire in West Yorkshire.
At nearly a quarter-mile in length, the woodland ride provides a pleasant alternative to the steep path.
The line is about 10 - 15 minutes walk from Saltaire station, although sign posting (apparently the responsibility of the local government) leaves a lot to be desired. Directions on how to find them by car can be found on their website. Saltaire is near Shipley, which is just to the north of the city of Bradford.
Although there are sloping access routes and station platforms the system is fully accessible to both wheelchairs and prams / buggies / pushchairs.
This view of the top station was taken using a 'stretch' or 'panoramic' camera on a visit in the 1990's.
For more information visit their website at http://www.glentramway.co.uk/ (link opens in a new window).
Naturally leisure extends to buses too - and indeed it is well known that when taken out of their daily routine people will do things they might not normally do - which includes choose to travel by motorbus! A good example of this is the popularity of specialist buses aimed at tourist-orientated sightseeing services. Especially popular are open-top variants - that is, when the weather permits!!.
Open top buses come in several variants - both single and double deck - as well as fully open, half open, and even with folding roofs which can be closed when it rains. These latter options make them more suitable for year round use when the weather may not be very clement / or change suddenly.
Another type of tourist bus is the Pseudo Cable Car. The reasoning behind this is that especially in North America many people look upon the old "trolley-cars" (ie: old-fashioned / historic tramcars or streetcars) with affection and as a result some leisure-orientated motorbus operators use vehicles which have been designed to look like rubber-tyred "trolley-cars". These are often called Tourist Trolley or the nickname of "trolleybus" - the latter being a name which causes no end of confusion with real electrically powered trolleybuses.
Most locations use single-deck variants of these rubber-tyred ("tired" in American spelling) motorbuses, however double-deck variants are used in Hawaii. (regret not shown / no image available)
Right: Tourist Bus - city not specified. Image sourced from the free online "Wikipedia" encyclopædia http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:TouristBus.jpg
(Both links open in new windows).
Seen in Zürich, Switzerland. Not being a "local transport public service" bus it was not allowed to use the bus / tram lane, so had to travel on the outside of the bus / tram stop.
(link opens in a new window).
The real meets the pastiche! A real San Francisco Cable Car and a rubber tyred replica meet. This image was taken using a 'stretch' or 'panoramic' camera which explains the wide but narrow format.
The rear vehicle in the image in the left is one of those which has been retained for the 'heritage' service whilst the front vehicle (a second view of which can be seen in the image on the right) is privately owned and is seen on a special 'running day' of such vehicles. It is in near original condition, which includes the 'ear' type front trafficators and the single red stop lamp - which was all that the law required when it was built. More information about the Routemaster buses plus comparative views of the back of refurbished vehicles can be seen on the A Bus For London page.
Using Historic Buses In The Modern Era.
It is worth noting that when used on the public highway even historic buses must comply with present-day regulations concerning passenger vehicles - which *might* require the fitting of a tachograph, unless certain conditions are met. The conditions vary depending on many circumstances, including:-
- When the bus was built (1947 or earlier, more than 25 years ago, or more recently)
- The type of driving license the driver holds,
- How many people (including the driver) are being carried,
- The purpose and / or point of origin / destination of the journey.
As a general guide, the one constant is that the vehicle must not be being used for hire and reward - which basically means that it must not be being used commercially with fare paying passengers. Apart from that for the vehicle to not need a tachograph then (in most circumstances) all the following conditions need to be met... *it is a vintage vehicle, *it is not carrying more than 9 people (including the driver) and that *it is being driven in a vintage vehicle rally or to / from such a rally, or to / from a museum or other place where the vehicle will be / has been displayed to members of the public, or to / from a place where the vehicle is to be / has been repaired, maintained or tested. Curiously, travelling to a filling station, or to / from a MOT vehicle testing facility (for its annual safety examination) does not meet this criteria - so technically it seems that a tachograph *might* be required when making these journeys.
The term "vintage vehicle rally" is perhaps best understood to refer to an event in which a collection of historic vehicles are driven on the public highway along a pre-determined route.
Sometimes vintage buses are used to re-enact bus services of yesteryear. It is usually understood that providing the vehicles are operating to timetabled services, complete with time cards detailing routes, timings, the drivers' rest periods, etc (ie: just like any normal scheduled urban bus service) then it is probable that tachographs will not be required. Apparently the regulations are somewhat fuzzy for this type of bus usage - it is almost as if the people who drafted the rules did not contemplate buses ever being used in this way!
However, there are some other caveats and exemptions. For instance, when in 1991 new stricter driver licensing regulations were introduced a special restricted license became available to people who were able to prove that they had previously been driving vintage buses under the outgoing regulations. Known as a 'Grandfather rights' licence the holders are not subject to the '9 people including the driver' restriction. Another example is that buses which date from 1947 or earlier are not subject to the passenger number restriction.
The information contained here is for information purposes only, and should not be seen as a legally binding definition of the law. Potential vintage bus operators who are wise will make their own enquiries
in a way which leaves a 'paper trail' as this is the only way to cover one's backside and prove that attempts have been made to learn about and then to follow the manifold and overly complicated minefield of regulations
... Below are some links to external websites which explore the situation more closely, plus a link to a page on the Wikipedia website which is dedicated to those who do not know what a tachograph is! To avoid
being taken away from this page they all open in new windows.
http://www.routemaster.org.uk/ - The Routemaster Association website,
http://www.self-preservation-society.co.uk/jotter/tachograph.shtml,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachograph
Another type of bus popular with tourists uses specialist vehicles known as the DUKW.
Popularly called the DUCK, these are in fact six-wheel-drive amphibious trucks developed by the United States during World War II for transporting goods and troops over land and water and for use approaching and crossing beaches in amphibious attacks. The DUKW was used in landings in the Pacific, in North Africa, and on the D-Day beaches of Normandy. With the enemy holding all available ports, at Normandy alone DUKWs carried 18 million tons of supplies ashore in the 90 days after the landing.
Although the designation DUKW may seem to be a military pun, under the terminology developed for military vehicles in World War II the D indicates a vehicle designed in 1942, the U meant "utility (amphibious)", the K indicated all-wheel drive and the W indicated two powered rear axles. The DUKW was actually built around a conventional six-wheel-drive military truck called the CCKW, with the addition of a watertight hull and a propeller.
Nowadays DUKWs are still in use, however more happily they are primarily used as tourist transports in harbour and river cities such as London, Liverpool (UK); Dublin (Eire); Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Wisconsin Dells, Seattle, (USA); and Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada). For this almost all of them have been repainted, given modern diesel engines and enclosed tops, making them more resemble conventional buses. Most require a bus-type Public Service Vehicle license and a passenger-use boat license.
More information about - and illustrations of - DUKWs can be found on this webpage of the free online "Wikipedia" encyclopædia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_Tour (link to an external site which opens in a new window).
Image sourced from the free online "Wikipedia" encyclopædia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:DUKW.Thames.Canthusus.jpg.
(links to external sites open in new windows).
More conventional leisure - orientated water transports exist too, although as with all the other forms of transport explored on this page leisure & nostalgia sometimes go hand in hand.
Before the age of the railway, rivers & canals were the best way to move freight inland. Nowadays the waterways are very much under-used, however while visiting the BCLM it is also possible to get a taste of what life on the waterways was like by taking a fascinating 45 minute ride through the Dudley Canal Tunnels and Limestone Mines on an electrically powered narrow boat. This is provided by the Dudley Canal Trust and is a separate visitor attraction which can be easily reached either via its own street entrance or via a direct access from the BCLM.
The first of these narrow boats (named "Electra") entered service in 1976, since when three more such vehicles have been added to the fleet. These full length steel passenger narrow boats carry over 50 passengers each.
The tour includes travelling through original and two newly built canal tunnels, the latter date from 1986 & 1989 and are the first new British canal tunnels to have been constructed for 126 years.
The hook can be seen in the inset, which is easier to see in the clickable larger image.
The white arch in the background is the entrance to the canal tunnel.
Much more can be seen when on the tour than can be captured with a camera that has a low power flushgun.
Although much of the tour is underground there are some open air sections too.
For more information about these visitor attractions visit their websites (links will open in new windows).
The Black Country Living Museum - http://www.bclm.co.uk/
The Dudley Canal Trust - http://www.dudleycanaltrust.org.uk/
In many towns and cities the waterways are also often used to give tourists short rides to see the sights which they can enjoy as part of the 'visitor experience', in this way often complementing the road transports.
Virtually abandoned after the railways took all the freight traffic this canal was reopened in 1990 and nowadays it is possible to hire residential narrowboats to spend a few days living on the water.
Gondalas such as these tend to be more leisure-orientated.
According to the legends Wilhelm (William) Tell was a Swiss National Hero of Liberty who led his country against Austria. Apparently, Gessler (the Austrian governor) had ordered Tell to shoot at an apple placed on his son's head, a feat which was safely accomplished at the first attempt, knocking it to the ground. However when Tell informed the governor that had the boy been killed in the stunt his next arrow would have been aimed to kill him, the enraged governor threw Tell into prison. Eventually though Tell was freed after which he ambushed and killed the governor and initiated an uprising which the legends say led to national independence.
Despite the uncertainty whether William Tell actually lived at all the legend has been very influential on the history of Switzerland and other countries. Nowadays what is believed to be William Tell's picture can be seen on the back of the 5 Swiss Franc coin, this being the largest coin in the Swiss currency.
William Tell is also the marketing name for a leisure orientated transport experience that (between May and October) combines a paddle-steamer ride from the City of Lucerne to Flüelen (during which a gourmet meal is served) with a ride in an air-conditioned train to Locarno or Lugano in Italian-speaking southern Switzerland via the Gotthard Rail pass and the Swiss Alps. Whilst on the train passengers travelling first class will travel in panoramic passenger carriages.
An Internet search also found several Swiss themed restaurants named "William Tell" in locations as diverse as Bangkok, Thailand and Vancouver. Canada.
The Isle of Man railway system was originally built for 'serious' use and although much of the network was eventually closed some lines still remain. These include the two electric railways and one non-electrified line which uses steam trains. Steam trains are also used on the Groudle Glenn Railway which was reopened in the 1980's, plus there is also a horse tramway which plies along the seafront in Douglas, the island's capital.
With modern buses providing the backbone of the island's public transport network all the transports mentioned here are now tourist-orientated and only operate in the summer months. At 15½ miles (just under 25km) the steam railway is the longest narrow gauge (3' - about 91cm) steam line in Britain; however because this page also visits other steam railways neither it nor the Groudle Glen Railway are illustrated here.
Clicking any of the six Isle Of Man images will lead to a dedicated page showing more (and larger) images in a popup window; alternatively clicking here will open the page in a new full-size window.
This line opened in 1893, being the first overhead wire powered electric railway 'anywhere' globally. At 17¾ miles (28.5km) in length it is still Britain's longest narrow gauge (3' - about 91cm) vintage railway. Most of the route is along the coastline, twisting around tight curves and climbing steep gradients as mile upon mile of beautiful scenery drift by. This pioneer inter-urban railway still uses its original rolling stock which dates from the Victorian and Edwardian eras with the original two tramcars now being included in the Guinness Book of Records as being the world's oldest regularly operating tramcars.
Opening in 1895 this narrow gauge (3' 6" - 106cm) line also uses its original tramcars. Because of the steep gradients (as steep as 1 in 12) the line was equipped with the centre "Fell" rail to provide braking assistance. This is the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles.
Running for nearly 2 miles (3.2km) along Douglas Promenade linking the Sea Terminal with the Manx Electric Railway terminus at Derby Castle this is the oldest surviving horse tramway anywhere globally. It opened in 1876 since when it has operated continuously (apart from war-time breaks). In all there are 42 horses which pull 23 tramcars (one at a time!) which are fitted with roller bearings to ease the load. The tramcars are of various designs including open & fully enclosed which are used according to the prevailing weather.
The horses are bred specifically for the service and as the image (above right) showing them being given a drink of water after having arrived at the Derby Castle terminus suggests they are very well looked after. On reaching retirement they end their days at a Home of Rest for Old Horses (which welcomes human visitors) in the nearby countryside. www.isle-of-man.com/interests/horses-home/index.htm (link opens in a new window).
With apologies to the nags on the left whose heads were left out of the photograph - they were in the shade and totally invisible through my camera's optics.
Horse powered transports are often to be found at seaside resorts as well as inland towns & cities which are popular on the tourist "trail". They are also popular with people who want organic fertiliser for their gardens.
