Series 14 - Whipsnade railway

Identity area

Reference code

WHI/14

Title

Whipsnade railway

Date(s)

  • 1970-present (Creation)

Level of description

Series

Extent and medium

10 volumes

Context area

Name of creator

Repository

Archival history

The Whipsnade & Umfolozi Railway opened on 26th August 1970, owned and run by Pleasurerail, a company set by William McAlpine specifically to run the railway. It started as a 1000 yard up down line, expanding to a 1.6 mile loop 2 years later. A new station was built and platforms erected, officially being opened by Princess Margaret on August 2nd 1973. The railway was handed over to ZSL in January 1991, when it was re-named the Great Whipsnade Railway.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

All passenger and revenue information still exists and has been collated in chronological order in an archive of raw data over 3 volumes. Additionally all correspondence and significant reports exist from 1968 to date, displaying the plans for the railway from the start right through to today. This has been chronologically put together over 7 volumes.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

The material is held in the Railway Signal Box at Whipsnade. An appointment needs to be made in advance

Items less than 40 years old are restricted

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

    Language and script notes

    Physical characteristics and technical requirements

    Finding aids

    Allied materials area

    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

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    Related descriptions

    Notes area

    Alternative identifier(s)

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    Description control area

    Description identifier

    Institution identifier

    Rules and/or conventions used

    Status

    Level of detail

    Dates of creation revision deletion

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        Sources

        Archivist's note

        Used to be WBA

        Accession area