Watford Miniature Railway
The Watford Miniature Railway is a 10¼-inch gauge railway running in Cassiobury Park in Watford, Hertfordshire.
- Location map: 51°39’45"N, 0°25’25"W
History
The railway was first 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 the railway. In the 1980s the station was rebuilt on a new site, accessed by a gated level crossing across one of the paths in the park. More coaches were added and a number of steam locomotives used.
On Mr Price's retirement in 2017, the railway was sold to new operators Southern Miniature Railways.[4]
The Railway
The railway's main station is adjacent to the paddling pools and main children's playground. From here it turns 120 degrees, crosses a level crossing, and then rounds on itself in an ingenious manner in a wooded area adjacent to the River Gade.
Trains run regularly at weekends and school holidays throughout the year.[3]
Locomotives
Current Locomotives
| Number | Name | Locomotive type | Wheel arrangement |
Builder | Built | Photo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conway Castle | 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. | |
| Bree | Diesel Hydraulic | 2-4-2 | B. Whalley | Undergoing rebuild for use at Watford | |||
| 7 | Marri | Steam | 2-6-0 | Willis Engineering | 1993 | 
|
Returned to service in April 2018 for the first time since 2003.[5] |
| 4179 | Chiltern Shuttle | Steam | 0-6-0 | R. Morse | 1946 | Privately owned, undergoing restoration to working order | |
| Pilgrim | Steam | 0-6-0T | D. King | 1982 | 
|
On loan for 60th anniversary season |
Former Locomotives
| Number | Name | Locomotive type | Wheel arrangement |
Builder | Built | Photo | Dates at Watford |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1070 | Maid Marion | Steam | 4-4-0 | Unknown | 1920s | 1959 - 1968 | |
| Petrol Mechanical | 0-6-0 | C. Reed | 1958 | 1959 - ? | |||
| Meteor V | Petrol Mechanical | 2-4-2 | Shepperton Metal Products | 1981 - 1996[6] | |||
| Meteor II | Diesel Mechanical | 2-4-2 | Shepperton Metal Products | 1983 - 2003 [6] | |||
| 4442 | Steam | 4-4-2 | A. Glaze | 1983[7] - 2003 | |||
| Derek | Diesel Mechanical | 4w | Shepperton Metal Products | 1985 - 1991[6] | |||
| Trevithick | Steam | 0-6-2T | R. Marsh | 1990 - 1997 | |||
| Invicta | Petrol | 4w | Maxitrak | ||||
| Nelly | Steam | 2-4-0ST | Richards Engineering | 1977 | 2005 - 2014[8] | ||
| Thomas Poole | Petrol Hydrostatic | 0-6-0 | Roanoke | 2006 | 2011 - 2018 |
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Watford Miniature Railway) |
References
- ↑ Watford Miniature Railway - Miniature Railway World
- ↑ Knight, Roy: 'British miniature railways: a photographic survey' (Rail Romances) ISBN 9781900622028
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 About the Watford Miniature Railway
- ↑ Future of miniature railway secured after being taken over by new owners': Rachel Russell in the Watford Observer 25 July 2017
- ↑ Steam Trains return to Cassiobury Park in 2018 - Watford Miniature Railway
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 The Meteors
- ↑ =Miniature Railways News, February 1985 (volume 146)
- ↑ Miniature Railway Magazine, Spring 2014 (Volume 24)