Leighton Buzzard Light Railway

The Leighton Buzzard light railway in Bedfordshire, was originally built in 1919 to connect the many sand quarries  in the area (operated primarily by George Garside Ltd & Joseph Arnold & Sons Ltd) to the main line railway station in Leighton Buzzard on the Dunstable line. 

Construction was very swift, employing ex-WW1 surplus railway equipment available 'off the shelf'. The initial plan had been for a horse worked system, but soon after construction had begun plans were well developed to acquire 2 steam locomotives. These two 0-6-0WT engines were built by Hudswell Clarke to a standard WDLR design, and were indeed destined for the Italian front but for the cessation of hostilities before completion. Instead, they were purchased by the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway and delivered in time for the opening ceremony in November 1919. The first train was hauled by the construction contractor's ex-WDLR 20hp Bent-Frame Motor Rail.

Over the first few months the Hudswell Clarke steam locos gave many problems, setting fire to sleepers, constantly derailing, water/coal capacity problems. After less than one year the railway company decided to sell both the steam locomotives & replace them with 6 (plus 2 for spares) ex-WDLR 40hp Motor Rail Armoured/Protected locomotives. These were seen as a much more efficient solution, they must have been a success, as they went on to give 40 years of sterling service. Unfortunately they were all cut up for scrap in 1959, being replaced by more modern 40hp diesel locos. 

A huge fleet of Motor Rail (Simplex) locos were operated by the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway, Arnolds & Garsides over the years, including many of the 20hp Bent-Frame type. 

Today, the mainline (Leighton Buzzard Light Railway) is operated as a Heritage Railway and is open to visitors most weekends. There is a large collection of locomotives based on the railway, preserved from many sources, not just the local sand industry.

WDLR Equipment

	"Festoon" (MR 4570/29) very similar to the WDLR machines - No indication in the MotorRail records that this is a rebuild. Supplied new to Petrol Locomotive Hirers Ltd. This engine was operated as #21 of the Garside Fleet - is the last original petrol loco from Leighton Buzzard. Photo: P. Robinson
	Standard 40hp 'Protected'  MotorRail (MR 1377/18). This loco is owned by the National Railway Museum & was formerly used at Knostrop Sewage Works (See After the Conflict - UK) Photo: P. Robinson
	Seen again with restored class 'D' open wagon. Photo: P. Robinson
	Currently based on the railway is former WDLR Baldwin 4-6-0T (wn 44656/16). This engine was originally imported from India (named Lion) to the Chalk Pits museum in Sussex. Currently the subject of a major re-build. Upper Photo: B. Budd
	The complete article! Baldwin 4-6-0T (wn 44656/16) seen soon after arrival at Stonehenge LBR from Amberley Chalk Pits Photo: Mark Gough

Also resident on the Leighton Buzzard Railway are several carriages based on WDLR Class "D" open wagons.

Please e-mail (info@wdlr.org.uk) (- replace (AT) with @ to make address work) me to add to this or any section.