The SVLR is a small estate railway inspired by the minimum gauge railways built by Sir Arthur Heywood at Duffield Bank and Eaton Hall, as well as the minimum and narrow gauge lines that served many quarries, mines, factories, peat works, sewage works and farms around the UK and elsewhere.
The SVLR is built to a gauge of 10 1/4 inches, and uses track and stock from the earlier WLR.
The SVLR has grown slowly, and most traffic has been hand-trammed. Loco No.1, from the WLR, was converted to battery-electric but was never really successful, and so in May 2016 it was converted back to petrol-mechanical. The electric conversion had been done in such a way to allow easy conversion back to petrol.
A couple of videos of the first runs of Loco No.1 on the SVLR.
The SVLR now has it's first (and possibly only) turnout, which connects the shed to the running line. This greatly simplifies use of the loco (which previously required a whole bunch of faffing about with temporary track) and so should reduce the amount of hand-tramming that takes place on the SVLR.
The parts of the crossing trial fitted prior to welding.
The turnout during construction. The fitted switch blade ended up being shortened by 2" and re-profiled accordingly, as it was a little tight to gauge.
The turnout mostly completed - might be a bit more tweaking yet, but it basically works. Loco No.1 visible in the shed.
A couple more videos of Loco No.1 running quite successfully on the SVLR.