Being the newest route to the North Western Railway, opening in 2003, it also has the least amount of traffic, with only two engines running on the line.
Vicarstown and Henry's Tunnel
More information is provided for these two on NWR: The Mainline but will be simplified into one part for the branch line.
Vicarstown is the junction to the Great Waterton branch line. The line begins for passenger services at the station's branch line platforms which are situated on one side of the station. These platforms are also shared by the Norramby branch line. However, once leaving, these tracks are independent and do not follow the up-and-down line system to the mainline. Starting in the yards, will lead you out and come to the junction which should send you onto the branch line, once that is done, the track will be in between the mainline and the Norramby branch line until coming out of Henry's Tunnel, the single-track tunnel being expanded to allow two tracks in 2004, to 2005 to accommodate for the branch lines being separate. The Norramby branch verse off, but the Great Waterton branch stays near the mainline for a short distance, until it eventually turns and crosses over the mainline, the mainline trains have right of way in this case, due to their heavier and faster trains, but a system is still put in place to not allow a train waiting there to be halted for more than 30 minutes.
Once crossing over the mainline, the track continues into the rural lands.
River Hoo Hault
Only a small, unstaffed station, passenger trains briefly stop here occasionally for hikers to get off or on to whichever direction they want to go. Hikers usually walk around the hilly terrain or to the River Hoo nearby, which can show beautiful landscapes and spots to walk to and take pictures, even having a picnic area around the river. The hault does not serve anything else and continues on one single track.
Great Waterton
The town which everyone goes on this branch line to. Great Waterton is a small, but popular town that has been restored to brilliant use once again as a popular tourist destination. You'll first reach it when coming down a small hill and come to the bottom, the single track becomes two tracks and another set of points goes another direction and under a road bridge. This leads to another area of Great Waterton which we'll go on about in a bit. Continuing on the now two-track line, it will reach the station which serves the town, this is the final stop for passenger services on the branch line. The track then continues under a bridge where the Skarloey Railway goes over, more information on that extension is mentioned in Skarloey Railway (SR).
When continuing further down the track, to a small junction, one line leads to the engine and carriage sheds, with fuelling stations equipped for both steam and diesel engines and it also has a few goods sidings as well. The other track leads to the Great Waterton Railway Museum, a popular tourist museum that holds many engines that use to work on many railways of Sodor.
The route that I previously mentioned that leads away before reaching the station is another route that goes up to the mountains, which will be explained in the next part of this chapter.
As for now, we'll explain the history of Great Waterton. The springs and waters were plenty here and it wasn't long until the late 19th century, the town was built when water works were built alongside, it soon became a valuable town. So much so, that when in 1892, the Sodor and Mainland Railway began to build a small branch line to it! However, all of a sudden, the springs dried up and everyone left to find work, the town was left abandoned and the S&MR decided to abandon their project as well, not even reaching halfway and ripping up the new rails. However, the old trackbed was reused when the branch line was being rebuilt. Unlike popular belief, the town wasn't forgotten and was popular with hikers in the area. It wasn't until 2001, when Sodor Council decided to revitalize it and restore it to its former glory, with the NWR providing services to it. Starting work in 2002 and the completion of the town finally finishing in 2005.
Blue Mountain Quarry
The main source of goods traffic along the line was so much that another engine had to come and look after it, the BMM was seen as a profitable quarry when blue slate was found in the high hills. Even though not as tall to be called a mountain, the company felt it grander to say it. Road transport would be difficult due to the isolation and nature-dominance of the area. So it was agreed that the NWR would transport the slate to Vicarstown or Barrow. But due to the tight corners of the quarry, it was also agreed that the SR would extend itself to aid in mining the area, even getting a personal engine to look after the quarry, coming from Ireland called Luke.
The quarry first opened in 2006 and soon became one of the biggest quarries on the island, with blue slate being quite popular on the island and mainland.
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The Sudrians: Railways and Locations
AdventureHere are the locations of the island's towns and villages whilst we go through the railways and their geography. Island of Sodor Map by Salty01 All contents from the Sodor Map are his, I have edited them and have no claim to them.
