The Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Light Railway: The Line That Ran Along The Somerset Coast

The Weston, Clevedon & Portishead Light Railway had a relatively brief existence serving three coastal towns in north Somerset. Unfortunately, it never secured the financial backing that it required and greedy landowners forced it to exceed its available funding, delaying the completion of the line beyond Clevedon to Portishead for some years. A saviour in the form of a rich insurance broker, some clever technical innovations under the management of the Colonel HF Stephens, and some dodgy financial restructuring kept the railway going until 1940. For most of its existence, though, it was in receivership. The public, particularly holidaymakers, came to appreciate the railway for its quirkiness, finding delight in its old-fashioned carriages and cast-off locomotives. For many residents it provided a useful service but they preferred the convenience of motor buses when they commenced operating in the area from the 1920s.