St. Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway - Barbados Steam Train

The Saint Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway is a tourist line in Barbados. This 30” gauge line was built in 2018 to honor the narrow gauge legacy of the Barbados Railway, which served the Caribbean island nation from 1881 through 1937. The new tourist line is approximately one mile long, with expansions in the works. The train travels from St. Nicholas Abbey to the top of Cherry Tree Hill, with a scenic overlook with a view of the island’s East coast. At the summit of the hill, passengers are given the opportunity to help turn the locomotive and hear a brief presentation on the island’s railroad history. The passengers then board the train back to the Abbey where they may tour the Great House and distillery. The Saint Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway is the only steam-powered railroad in the Caribbean, with a fleet of two steam locomotives. The locomotive featured in this video is the 5, named “Tjepper.” This 0-4-4-0T “Mallet” was built in Germany in 1914 and operated at Ceper Baru Sugar Mill in Indonesia. The locomotive was extensively rebuilt in the UK in 2018 before arriving in Barbados. The locomotive burns both coal and wood. Disclaimer: This video was produced through special arrangements with St. Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway. The entire line is on private property and permission must be obtained for access.