re-heywood
The Sir Arthur Heywood miniature railway locomotives at the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway represent the pioneering work of Sir Arthur Percival Heywood (1849–1916), who from the 1870s developed the 15 in gauge miniature railway concept at his private Duffield Bank Railway in Derbyshire as a practical system for estate railways and light industrial transport. Heywood's locomotives — Effie, Ella, and Muriel — were built at Duffield Bank to demonstrate that 15 in gauge steam could do useful work in a compact and economical format. The R&E's River Irt is a locomotive derived from Heywood's designs, preserved and operated on the 15 in gauge Lake District route.
Design and development
Sir Arthur Heywood developed 15 in gauge steam at Duffield Bank, Derbyshire from the 1870s, building Effie, Ella, and Muriel to demonstrate the gauge's practical utility. His 15 in gauge system directly inspired the Ravenglass and Eskdale conversion in 1915. River Irt represents the Heywood design tradition on the R&E.
Identification features
15 in gauge Heywood miniature locomotives.
Notable locomotives
- Effie, Ella, Muriel (Eaton Hall, dispersed; one preserved)
