Ribble Steam Railway
One of the more recent heritage lines, the Ribble Steam Railway opened in 2005 and operates 1.5 mile route through the Preston Docks area. The line, although modest in size, is different to many with some interesting features such as a sectionover a bridge set into a road.
The railway was developed from the ashes of the redundant Southport Railway Museum, bolstered by the collection of the Furness Railway Trust, which relocated to the RSR following the former's departure from ther Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway. Consequently, the RSR has one of ther largest locomotive collections in the UK, housed in large worskshops and display buildings. These workshops were developed earlier than the passenger services, being progressively opened from 2001-2004.
Since opening the railway operated a mix of small ex-BR and industrial steam and diesel locomotives with coaching stock. However in 2013 the service was expanded to include a W&M Railbus loaned from the North Norfolk Railway for five years. It has been utilised on mid week (Wednesday) services during the school holidays.
| 79960 W&M Railbus |