Pleasure Beach Express
Encyclopedia
Blackpool Pleasure Beach Express is a 21 inches (533.4 mm) gauge railway, built in 1933 as a tourist attraction at Pleasure Beach Blackpool
, Lancashire
.
and rebuilt in 1935, it was replaced in 1970 by the present Victorian style building.
in Hunslet, Leeds, who had also supplied locomotives for Scarborough North Bay Railway and Golden Acre Park, Leeds. They went on to build two more 4-6-2
class locomotives for Billy Butlin to use at the Empire Exhibition in Glasgow
in 1938.
Pleasure Beach Blackpool
Pleasure Beach Blackpool is a family owned amusement park and resort situated along the Fylde coast in Blackpool, England. It is the most visited amusement park in the United Kingdom, and one of the top twenty most-visited amusement parks in the world with an estimate of 5.5 million visitors in...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
.
History
The main station was built in 1933, but was destroyed by fire in 1934. Redesigned by architect Joseph EmbertonJoseph Emberton
Joseph Emberton was an English architect of the early modernist period. He was born 23 December 1889 in Audley, Staffordshire and was educated at the Royal College of Art. He first worked for the London architects Trehearne and Norman between 1913-1914, before serving as a gunner in the Honourable...
and rebuilt in 1935, it was replaced in 1970 by the present Victorian style building.
Operation
The line has two stations, Pleasure Beach Express station and Star Halt. The latter is now a request stop.Diesel Locomotives
The original two locomotives were supplied in 1933 and were named Mary Louise and Carol Jean after the daughters of the park owner, Leonard Thompson. The third was to be named William Geoffrey after his son, but a royal visit to the factory building it prompted a change to Princess Royal. It was renamed to Geoffrey Thompson OBE in his honour after his death in 2004. All three were built by Hudswell ClarkeHudswell Clarke
Hudswell, Clarke and Company Limited was an engineering and locomotive building company in Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-History:...
in Hunslet, Leeds, who had also supplied locomotives for Scarborough North Bay Railway and Golden Acre Park, Leeds. They went on to build two more 4-6-2
4-6-2
4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
class locomotives for Billy Butlin to use at the Empire Exhibition in Glasgow
Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938
Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938 was an international exposition held at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, from May to December 1938....
in 1938.
| Name | No | Built | Rebuild/ Maint | Wheels | Fuel/ Trans | Gauge | Status | Colour | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Louise | 4472 | Hudswell Hudswell Clarke Hudswell, Clarke and Company Limited was an engineering and locomotive building company in Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-History:... , Leeds |
4-6-2 4-6-2 4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics... tender |
Diesel (Steam Outline) | 21in | In traffic | Sister to Princess Royal and to Triton and Poseiden on the Scarborough North Bay Railway | ||
| Carol Jean | 4473 | Hudswell Hudswell Clarke Hudswell, Clarke and Company Limited was an engineering and locomotive building company in Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-History:... , Leeds |
4-6-4 4-6-4 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-4 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles .Other equivalent classifications are:UIC classification:... T |
Diesel (Steam Outline) | 21in | In traffic | green | Sister to Robin Hood on the Scarborough North Bay Railway | |
| Geoffrey Thompson OBE | 6200 | Hudswell Hudswell Clarke Hudswell, Clarke and Company Limited was an engineering and locomotive building company in Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-History:... , Leeds |
4-6-2 4-6-2 4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics... tender |
Diesel (Steam Outline) | 21in | In traffic | was Princess Royal | ||
| Barbie | 0-4-0DM | 21in | Track Maintenance |