Watford Miniature Railway

Attraction in Cassiobury Park, Watford, England

10+1⁄4 in (260 mm)Length600 yards (550 m)OtherWebsitehttp://www.watfordrailway.co.uk/

The Watford Miniature Railway is a 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) gauge railway in Cassiobury Park, Watford, Hertfordshire.

History

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

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

Current locomotives

Number	Name	Locomotive type	Wheel arrangement	Builder	Built	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

Number	Name	Locomotive type	Wheel arrangement	Builder	Built	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

^ "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.