Camber Railway

Former narrow-gauge railway of the Falkland Islands

  • Stanley Harbour
  • Admiralty wireless station
StationsnoneServiceTypeNarrow gauge railwayRolling stock2 locomotives and 3 cars[1]HistoryOpened1915[1]Closed1920 / 1940[1]TechnicalLine length5.6 km (3.5 mi)Number of tracksSingle trackTrack gauge2 ft (610 mm)[1]

The Camber Railway was a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge railway located on the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. It was one of the most southerly railways in the world.

The Camber Railway was constructed to support the Admiralty wireless station, supplying coal to generators which powered the station. It ran along the north side of Stanley Harbour for about 3.5 miles (5.6 km).[2][1]

History

There were two Kerr, Stuart and Company "Wren" class 0-4-0 steam tank locomotives.[2][1] The system fell into disuse after the wireless station was modernised. Parts of the infrastructure were used in the Falklands War; rails were taken for use in some defensive structures.[1]

Fleet

  • KS "Wren" class steam locomotives - 2 (KS 2388/15 and 2392/15)
  • wooden wagon cars - 3
  • steam crane (on flat car) - 1
  • tipper wagon
  • flat car wagon

Gallery

  • Camber Railway, 1915-1922. The loco has 'Falkland Island Express' handwritten on the tank. The wooden wagon bodies carry removable seats at each end for workmen. The 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class, and 'Smoker' legends, not to mention that on the loco's tank, seem to imply that the whole thing was seen as a bit of a joke. The photo was later used on a Falkland Islands 54p stamp.
    Camber Railway, 1915-1922. The loco has 'Falkland Island Express' handwritten on the tank. The wooden wagon bodies carry removable seats at each end for workmen. The 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class, and 'Smoker' legends, not to mention that on the loco's tank, seem to imply that the whole thing was seen as a bit of a joke. The photo was later used on a Falkland Islands 54p stamp.
  • Sail-driven waggons with balanced lug, standing lug and gaff rigs (early 1920s)
    Sail-driven waggons with balanced lug, standing lug and gaff rigs (early 1920s)

References

  1. ^ a b "11ACamberRly". Railways of the Far South. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2011.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Camber Railway.
  • The Camber Railway, Falkland Islands - Britlink
  • Railways of the Far South: Falkland Islands and Camber Railway
  • (in Spanish) Historias poco conocidas: Un ferrocarril en las Malvinas

51°40′58″S 57°53′03″W / 51.6828°S 57.8842°W / -51.6828; -57.8842