Barbados - Visit Reports
December 2024
I visited the St Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway on Barbados in December 2024
Google Earth Location:
13° 16' 37.19" N
59° 35' 21.49" W
Their website gives the full story of the construction of this tourist railway in the grounds of St Nicholas Abbey.
The layout depicted on https://www.openrailwaymap.org/ is broadly correct.
Trains depart from the single platform St Nicholas Abbey station and go clockwise around the circuit. On the initial departure the train runs non-stop through “Croquet Lawn Halt” which is about 150 metres from the main station. The train continues along the North – South side of the triangle, and up a 1 in 32 gradient to the terminus at Cherry Tree Hill. Here the loco is uncoupled and moves forward onto a turntable, and passengers are invited to use their muscles to help turn the engine. On returning from Cherry Tree Hill, the train takes the South – West side of the triangle to return passengers to the main station. Passengers who are also booked on a tour of the house and distillery are invited to remain on the train, which then stops at Croquet Lawn Halt, which is the closest access point to the house. Of course, I enquired as to whether the train would now continue back around the loop to the station (using the North – West side of the triangle) and whether I might be permitted to remain on board (to clear the track). Yes, no problem, and I also got a quick peep inside the two-road depot.
Loco TJEPPER No 5 ARN Jung 2279 of 1914, Mallet 0-4+4-0 rebuilt 2019 by Statfold Engineering, Tamworth, was the loco in steam, hauling three open coaches (with balconies).
Shut down in the shed were steam 0-4-0 “Winston” Societe La Meuse Liege 1929 No 3355; Diesels 0-6-0 “Hudswell Badger” and “No 50” .
Of particular note – and NOT depicted on ORM – a new 2km extension has been constructed. It branches off in a westerly direction from the Cherry Tree Hill line, passing over a newly constructed bridge over Highway B. Test running on this new extension is planned for January 2025. I have no further information as to the destination of this extension, nor how it will be operated in future.
