Ribble Steam Railway

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Ribble Steam Railway
Linda crossing the swing bridge
Locale	Preston, Lancashire, England
Terminus	Riversway
Commercial operations
Name	Ribble Branch Line
Built by	North Union Railway
Original gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Operated by	Ribble Steam Railway
Stations	1
Length	1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km)
Preserved gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Commercial history
Opened	1882; 142 years ago (1882)
Closed	1990s
Preservation history
Opened	2005

v t e Ribble Steam Railway
Legend
Steam Railway Workshops Preston Riverside Ribble Rail Shed Lanfina Sidings Lockside Road LC (AOCL) Swing bridge / Navigation Way LC (MCB-CCTV) Maritime Way LC (MCB) Exchange Sidings Strand Road LC (TMOB) Ribble Steam Railway Network Rail To Preston and West Coast Main Line

The Ribble Steam Railway is a standard gauge preserved railway in Lancashire, in the United Kingdom. It was opened to the public on 17 September 2005, running along Preston Docks. The railway began by housing much of the collection from the previously closed Southport Railway Museum (Steamport), which was based in the old Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway engine shed at Southport (BR shed code 27C).

The railway lines around Preston Dock largely fell into disuse after the closure of the docks. A preservation group that was operating in Southport relocated to Preston in 1999 and started operations as the Ribble Steam Railway in 2005. Its operations base is at Preston Riverside but they run trains as far as Strand Road although there is no facility for locomotives to run round their train here.

The Riverside station is quite a way from Preston city centre, but proposals have been made for a platform to be constructed at Strand Road.^[1] This would be close to the Portway terminus of the Preston park and ride service, Guild Wheel walking trail and the River Ribble.