The Snailbeach District Railways was a British narrow gauge railway in Shropshire. It was constructed to transport lead ore from mines in the Stiperstones to Pontesbury, where the ore was transshipped to the Great Western Railway's Minsterley branch line. Coal from the Pontesford coal mines travelled in the opposite direction. The line ended at Snailbeach, home to Shropshire's largest and richest lead mine. Although there were plans to extend it further, which would have brought it closer to more lead mines, the extension was never completed.
History
The railway was incorporated by an act of Parliament, the (36 & 37 Vict. c. ccxxxi), on 5 August 1873 and opened in 1877. It was built with an unusual gauge of . The line was prosperous at first, carrying annually and paying a 3% dividend. However, in 1884, the Tankerville Great Consols Company mine, the largest user of the railway, closed, and tonnage fell to .
In 1905, the Ceirog Granite Company opened a quarry near Habberley, and a branch was built to serve this. An extra locomotive was required, and Sir Theodore was borrowed from the gauge Glyn Valley Tramway. However, the slight difference in gauge made this locomotive too wide for the track, and it was returned unused. Instead, a new locomotive, Dennis, was bought.