Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Light Railway
| Locale | England |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 1897–1940 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Length | 13.8 mi (22.2 km) |
| Headquarters | Clevedon |
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The Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Light Railway (WCPR) was conceived and built initially as a tramway to link the three small North Somerset coastal towns of Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon and Portishead in the 1880s.
It was a standard gauge light railway which operated on a shoestring. It was 13.8 miles (22.2 km) long with 19 stations or halts most of which had a small shelter and no platform. The line ran through sparsely-populated and level countryside. Most of the locomotives and rolling stock were bought second-hand from various sources, making a varied collection.
The section from Weston-super-Mare to Clevedon opened in 1897, and the extension to Portishead in 1907. The railway was built with economy in mind and there were no major station buildings or bridges. After years of financial struggle, the line closed on May 18, 1940.
The WC&PR was originally proposed as a standard gauge tramway in 1884 by the Weston-Super-Mare, Clevedon & Portishead Tramways Company to link the three small coastal towns. The line was planned to run on the street along the Boulevard in Weston-super-Mare and from there off-road apart from numerous road crossings all of which were to be on the level. An Act of Parliament to authorise the construction of the railway was passed on 6 August 1885.
Building of the Weston-super-Mare to Clevedon section of the railway began in 1887 but due to various legal and financial problems, progress was very slow, and the time limit of the Act expired requiring further Acts to be passed on 25 July 1890 and December 1891. Due to these delays some of the track had to be re-laid before the line opened because sleepers had rotted. The track along the Boulevard in Weston-super-Mare was taken up before the line opened due to complaints from the council. The section finally opened on 1 December 1897. Two years after the opening, the tramway was designated a light railway and the name was changed to the Weston, Clevedon & Portishead Light Railway Company.
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Wikipedia