Great Whipsnade Railway

Great Whipsnade Railway

Manning Wardle 0-6-2T No. 1 'Chevallier' and train arrive at Whipsnade Central Station
Overview
Headquarters	London
Locale	England
Dates of operation	1970–present
Technical
Track gauge	2 ft 6 in (762 mm)
Length	2 miles (3.2 km)

The Great Whipsnade Railway, also known as The Jumbo Express, is an English, 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge heritage railway that operates within ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, England.

Overview

An overview of Whipsnade Central Station sees Kerr Stuart 0-4-2ST Brazil Class No. 2 'Excelsior' and train being prepared for a day's work

Construction of the railway started in 1970 and the initial line opened on 26 August 1970. The line provided rides within the animal enclosures and an additional attraction in its own right. Originally called the Whipsnade and Umfolozi Railway, it began as a short line running from near the children's zoo. It was later extended to form a loop through several paddocks. The railway is now over a mile in length.

The line was primarily equipped from the Bowater's Railway (now Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway) in Sittingbourne, Kent, which was the last steam-operated narrow gauge industrial railway in the United Kingdom. The railway is now equipped with four steam locomotives and five diesels (although one has been sold to the Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway). All passenger trains are steam hauled and services commence at midday, with train departures every half hour with the last train departing Whipsnade Central one hour before Whipsnade Zoo closes for the day.

The route

Kerr Stuart 0-6-2T Baretto Class No. 4 'Superior' and train

Kerr Stuart 0-4-2ST Brazil Class No. 2 'Excelsior' and her train arrive at Whipsnade Central Station

The train normally travels clockwise around the loop. Leaving the station the train travels east under the foot bridge and passing the children's play area and children's farm on the left. At this point the track crosses the road. There are no barriers but the crossing is controlled by an automated warning system. Past the crossing the track begins to curve to the right and descend slightly, passing the emu paddock on the right and the train yard, including the engine shed, on the left. Visitors can sometimes catch a glimpse of a steam or diesel locomotive sitting in the shed, or the diesels Hector and Victor in a siding adjacent to the running track.

The track then curves more sharply to the right before straightening up and passing the first elephant paddock on the left. The route then crosses a wide footpath used to move the elephants between paddocks. This crossing is equipped with barriers. The Route continues roughly straight and level past the elephant and Asian rhino paddocks on the right before crossing over a road and entering into the area of the zoo known as passage through Asia. Here there are no barriers between the train and the animals, which consist of Bactrian Camels, Yak and Pere David Deer.

The track then crosses the big Ha-ha and turns to the right passing through the deer park (also known as Cut throat paddock) and the Przewalski horses on the right. Here the track slopes downhill before passing through the tunnel.

Emerging from the tunnel into round close paddock the train passes the Africa paddock on the left which contains Gemsbok, Ostrich and common Zebra and Lake Daedelus on the right. Here the track curves more sharply to the right and climbs uphill back to the station level crossing central avenue just before reaching the platform. This level crossing has gates and is manned by platform staff during train operation. The Whipsnade Central station has an old-fashioned signal box which can be seen when leaving or approaching the station platform.

Locomotives

Steam locomotives

• 
  Steam locomotives 'Excelsior' and 'Superior' at Whipsnade Central Station
• 
  'Excelsior' moves light engine between the yard and Whipsnade Central Station
• 
  Fresh from a heavy general overhaul rebuild, 'Superior' at Whipsnade Central Station

No.	Name	Builder	Class	Type	Works Number	Built	At GWR	Notes
1	Chevallier	Manning Wardle		0-6-2T	1877	1915	No	Built for the Chattenden and Upnor Railway, purchased for the Bowaters Paper Railway at Sittingbourne in 1950, worked the first passenger train at Whipsnade, sold to Bill Parker in 2006. Was the first locomotive to enter GWR service in 1970.
2	Excelsior	Kerr Stuart	Brazil	0-4-2ST	1049	1908	Yes	Newly built for the Bowaters Paper Railway at Sittingbourne, arrived at Whipsnade in 1970. Mainly runs during the summer holidays.
3	Conqueror	W.G.Bagnall		0-6-2T	2192	1922	No	Built new for the Bowaters Paper Railway at Sittingbourne, arrived at Whipsnade in 1970. Sold in 1994. Now part of the Vale of Rheidol Railway Museum collection.
4	Superior	Kerr Stuart	Baretto	0-6-2T	4034	1920	Yes	Built new for the Bowaters Paper Railway at Sittingbourne in Kent, arrived at Whipsnade in 1970.

Diesel locomotives

• 
  Diesel locomotives Hector and Victor

No.	Name	Builder	Type	Works Number	Built	At GWR	Notes
8	Victor	John Fowler	0-6-0DM	4160005	1951	Yes	Built for a failed groundnuts scheme in Africa, sold to British Portland Cement Co.'s works at Lower Penarth, Glamorgan. Sold to the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway in 1968, arrived at Whipsnade in 1972.
9	Hector	John Fowler	0-6-0DM	4160004	1951	Yes	Built for a failed groundnuts scheme in Africa, sold to British Portland Cement Co.'s works at Lower Penarth, Glamorgan. Sold to the Welsh Highland Railway in 1968, arrived at Whipsnade in 1975.
10	Mr. Bill	Ruston Hornsby	4wDM	221625	1944	No	Built for the Royal Navy Armaments Depot Broughton Moor military railway. Arrived at Whipsnade in 1992. Named after Sir William McAlpine.
11	Edward Lloyd	Ruston Hornsby	4wDM	435403	1961	No	Built for the Nettleton Top iron ore mines. Arrived at Whipsnade in 1970. Sold to the Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway in 1972.
		Motor Rail	4wDM	5060		No	Built as a 3 ft (914 mm) gauge locomotive for the London Brick Company. Arrived at Whipsnade in 1971. Sold in 1983 to Alan Keef.
	L116	Motor Rail	4wDM	5606	1931	Unknown	At Whipsnade in 1976.

Battery Locomotives

No.	Name	Builder	Type	Works Number	Build	At GWR	Notes
7		Wingrove & Rogers	4wBE	1393	1939	No	At Whipsnade in 1976

See also

• British narrow gauge railways
• Umfolozi River
• Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve

External links

• ZSL Whipsnade Zoo website
• The Sittingbourne and Kemsley Railway website