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The St Nicholas Abbey Sugar Mill Railway, Barbados, 2025 |
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This railway and parent sugar mill were first
mentioned on this website in 2018, Clive Hepworth visited and sent an
illustrated report in 2021 and now Mike Tyack was here in January 2025.
He has also sent a number of photographs which follow, click on a thumbnail for a full sized image and click on the image to return to this page. Clive mentioned the 5 year-plan to extend the railway for a further 2km using a trestle to cross Cherry Tree Hill Avenue, run into the cane fields and traverse a cliff line with views of both sides of the island. Mike reports: The one thing that I can add is that the new section of track across the ugly metal bridge is now open. We were there on 23rd January 2025 and were told that the first trains ran 10 days earlier. I cannot confirm where it actually goes to, however, as we didn’t do the entire trip but got off at Croquet Lawn Halt to do the house and distillery tour. So, after the 'normal' circuit, the train now continues uphill from Croquet Lawn Halt again through the points towards Cherry Tree Hill (as opposed to coming back to St Nicholas Abbey station), straight ahead at the next set as opposed to turning left to Cherry Tree Hill, over the new viaduct and off into the distance. I didn’t see the return working, so I have no idea whether it returns tender-first, or whether there is another turntable (or even balloon loop) at the end of the new section.
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