Beer Heights Light Railway


The Beer Heights Light Railway was a minimum-gauge railway at Beer, Devon, England. Part of Pecorama, an exhibition owned by Peco, it closed in November 2025.

Overview

The official opening was by Rev. W.V. Awdry on 14 July 1975, at which time it offered a return ride from "Much Natter" station via a balloon loop. Subsequently, it was almost doubled in length by construction of the "Devil's Gorge" extension which involved a very considerable cutting and tunnel, and the complex track layout also includes a more recent steeply-graded branch line to "Wildway Down". The station at Deepwater was revamped in late 2014 and reopened in July 2015 as 'Deepwater Halt'.
The line was notable for its high standard of presentation to the public and for the fine views obtainable from it. It was home to eight live steam locomotives designed on narrow gauge principles.
It closure, for financial reasons, was announced in November 2025.

Locomotives

The railway had eight steam locomotives, two diesel and one electric. A locomotive called 'Finn MacCool' also visited every summer from the Belfast and County Down Miniature Railway Society, Northern Ireland, to help out in the peak season. Other locomotives also visited during the 'Loco Week' and 'Bank Holiday Weekend Gala' in August. A list of locomotives is below:
NumberNameWheel ArrangementNotesPower sourceArrivedImage
3DickieBuilt by David Curwen, WiltshireSteam1976
4Thomas IIThomas II, Built by Roger MarshSteam1979
5LindaMainline Hunslet, rebuilt by TMA Engineering, Birmingham. Replica of Ffestiniog Loco.Steam1983
6JimmyBo-BoBuilt Severn Lamb, Stratford-On-Avondiesel hydraulic1986
7Mr.PBuilt in Beer WorksSteam1997
8GemRomulus Steam1999
O&EBR 1OtterBuilt at Western Steam, Privately OwnedSteam2004
9ClaudineSingle Fairlie, Built at Beer WorksSteam2005
10AlfredBo-BoTram style, Built at Beer WorksBattery Electric2003
11BenBo-BoFreelance, Built at Beer WorksLPG / Petrol Mechanical2015
12JoolsHeavily rebuilt from Samastipur.Steam2018