Bermuda Railway

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

The Bermuda Railway was a 21.7-mile standard-gauge line in Bermuda, running from St. George's in the east to Somerset in Sandys Parish in the west. It operated as a common carrier from October 31, 1931, until May 1, 1948.

The railway was built along the coast to minimize land purchases, which meant it needed many trestles and bridges. More than 10% of the route was elevated on 33 structures, and the salt air caused rot and corrosion. The project was very costly; it cost about B$40 million in today’s money, with a high cost per mile. Rolling stock included eight self-propelled petrol-powered passenger coaches and six first-class cars built by Drewry Car Co., plus some freight cars and, during World War II, two diesel locomotives from the United States.

It was a single-track line with several passing sidings. Passenger service began between Hamilton and Somerset on October 31, 1931, and between Hamilton and St. George on December 19, 1931. The line carried commuters, schoolchildren, shoppers, and tourists, with trains running roughly from early morning to late evening. Cars were not allowed until 1946, so the railway was an important mode of transportation for many years.

After World War II, the line faced declining passenger numbers and rising maintenance costs as the wooden trestles deteriorated. Many people switched to cars, and the government decided to abandon the railway in favor of buses. The last train ran on May 1, 1948, and the rolling stock was later shipped to Guyana.

In 1984, about 18 miles of the former railway route were turned into the Bermuda Railway Trail, a popular hiking and biking path along scenic coastlines and hills. The Bermuda Tourism Department promotes the trail, and travel guides have called it a favorite Bermuda experience for its seascapes and flora.

A small railway museum once operated near the Aquarium Station by Flatts Village but closed in 2011. As of 2015, two of the former freight cars still existed in Georgetown, Guyana, with talks of possible restoration for display in Bermuda.