Watford Miniature Railway
 Willis Light Engineering Baldwin style 2-6-0 No. 7 'Marri' at the station | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Cassiobury Park, Watford, England |
| Dates of operation | 1959–present |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) |
| Length | 600 yards (550 m) |
| Other | |
| Website | http://www.watfordrailway.co.uk/ |
The Watford Miniature Railway is a 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) gauge railway in Cassiobury Park, Watford, Hertfordshire.
History
[edit]The railway was opened at Easter 1959 by Charles Reed[1][2][3] as a circuit adjacent to the River Gade. Initially there were two locomotives: an LMS Compound steam locomotive named Maid Marion and a petrol-powered 08 Shunter locomotive. In 1968 the steam locomotive left and the railway was sold to George Webb.
In 1979 the railway was sold to Jeff Price, who set about expanding and improving it. In the 1980s the station was rebuilt on a new site, accessed by a gated level crossing over one of the paths in the park. More coaches were added and a number of steam locomotives used.
On Price's retirement in 2017, the railway was sold to new operators Southern Miniature Railways.[4]
Layout
[edit]The main station is adjacent to the paddling pools and main children's playground. From here the line turns 120 degrees, crosses a level crossing, and rounds on itself in a wooded area adjacent to the River Gade.
Trains run regularly at weekends and school holidays throughout the year.[3]
Locomotives
[edit]Current locomotives
[edit]| Number | Name | Locomotive type | Wheel arrangement |
Builder | Built | Photo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conway Castle[5] | Diesel Hydraulic | 4w-4w | Fenlow Engineering | 1972 | 
|
||
| Nikki Louise | Diesel Hydraulic | 0-6-0 | R Prime | 1988 | 
|
Built for the Suffolk Wildlife Park, arrived at Watford in the early 1990s and extensively rebuilt for use there.[5] | |
| 7 | Marri | Steam | 2-6-0 | Willis Engineering | 1993 | 
|
Returned to service in April 2018 for the first time since 2003.[6] |
| 4179 | Chiltern Shuttle | Steam | 0-6-0 | R. Morse | 1946 | Returned to service on 1st January 2022 after an extensive restoration to 'as new' condition[7] | |
| Eric James | Diesel Hydraulic | 6w-6w | R. Yates | 1979 | Undergoing rebuild for use at Watford | ||
| 1950 | Henry | Steam | 4-6-2 | E. Dove | 1950 | Awaiting restoration[8] | |
| Densil | Diesel Hydraulic | 0-6-0 | Alan Keef | 1998 | Steam Outline[7] | ||
| Evelyn | Steam | 2-6-4T | B. Elliott & R. Cockwood | 2015 |
Former locomotives
[edit]| Number | Name | Locomotive type | Wheel arrangement |
Builder | Built | Photo | Dates at Watford |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1070 | Maid Marion | Steam | 4-4-0 | Unknown | 1920s | 1959 - 1968[5] | |
| Petrol Mechanical | 0-6-0 | C. Reed | 1958 | 1959 - ?[5] | |||
| Meteor V | Petrol Mechanical | 2-4-2 | Shepperton Metal Products | 1981 - 1996[9] | |||
| Meteor II | Diesel Mechanical | 2-4-2 | Shepperton Metal Products | 1983 - 2003 [9] | |||
| 4442 | Steam | 4-4-2 | A. Glaze | 1983[10] - 2003 | |||
| Derek | Diesel Mechanical | 4w | Shepperton Metal Products | 1985 - 1991[9] | |||
| Trevithick | Steam | 0-6-2T | R. Marsh | 1990 - 1997[5] | |||
| Invicta[5] | Petrol | 4w | Maxitrak | ||||
| Nelly | Steam | 2-4-0ST | Richards Engineering | 1977 | 2005 - 2014[11] | ||
| Thomas Poole | Petrol Hydrostatic | 0-6-0 | Roanoke | 2006 | 2011 - 2018[5] | ||
| Pilgrim | Steam | 0-6-0T | D. King | 1982 | 2019[5] - 2021 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Watford Miniature Railway - Miniature Railway World". www.miniaturerailwayworld.co.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
- ^ Knight, Neville R. (1999). British miniature railways : a photographic survey. Chester: Rail Romances. ISBN 9781900622028. OCLC 42273592.
- ^ a b "About | Watford Miniature Railway". watfordrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
- ^ "Future of miniature railway secured after being taken over by new owners". Watford Observer. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Newman, Rudi (2019). Watford Miniature Railway : Steaming to Sixty. [England]: Southern Miniature Railways. ISBN 978-1-5272-3590-8. OCLC 1121092703.
- ^ "Steam Trains return to Cassiobury Park in 2018 | Watford Miniature Railway". watfordrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- ^ a b Nicholson, Peter (February 2022). "Two locomotives join Watford frontline fleet". The Railway Magazine. p. 68.
- ^ Peter, Nicholson. "'Forgotten' Henry to return to steam at Watford". The Railway Magazine. p. 66.
- ^ a b c "The Meteors" (PDF).
- ^ "Miniature Railways News". Narrow Gauge News. 146. February 1985.
- ^ "News". Miniature Railway Magazine. 24. Spring 2014.
External links
[edit]