AK&ALR update - Geographic changes and a new company is born!

If you haven't already, please read the main thread here to get the full background on my planned layout.

Having spoken to someone who knows this area in amazing detail, I decided to move the main quayside to a much more advantageous and sensible place. He also made the suggestions of the best route to get the line to Abberley given the quite substantial height difference in the two places. This has had the effect of splitting the line up into different routes instead of it being a single linear line, which I am more happy with as it adds interest! :)


I have also decided to satisfy my need for narrow gauge by adding a small section to the goods yard of the station. Here is the history of my fictional NG line:

The Mamble & Rock Railway

The coalfields to the south-west of the Wyre Forest required more transport when, in 1860, the never finished Leominster Canal was finally drained. The earlier tramways were then converted in 1870 to a 2ft narrow gauge network. Steam locomotives were purchased and the lines were extended to link all the major collieries at Mamble, Pensax, Hunthouse, Rookmoor & Old Hall. The line then travelled north to meet the Tenbury to Bewdley line, and when Areley Kings station was built an extension south-east via Heightington was built.

This put the Wyre Forest coalfields, mainly controlled by the Aston family, in direct competition with the Earl of Dudley who used the AK&ALR to provide the local area with his coal. In the 1890s the two collieries at Rock, Rookmoor & Old Hall, closed down and this had the knock on effect of traffic on the line decreasing. Much like the AK&ALR it serves the rural communities in moving produce and livestock to the towns and larger railways.

Motive power on the line includes a De Winton Vertical Boiler and Quarry Hunslet, both having worked on the lines for years, and a newly purchased Kerr, Stuart Wren.


Thanks for reading and look out for more updates soon! :)