A ridable miniature railway (US: riding railroad or grand scale railroad) is a large scale, usually ground-level railway that hauls passengers using locomotives that are often models of full-sized railway locomotives (powered by diesel or petrol engines, live steam or electric motors).
Overview
Typically miniature railways have a rail trackgauge between 5 in (127 mm) and under 15 in (381 mm), though both larger and smaller gauges are used.
At gauges of 5 in (127 mm) and less, the track is commonly raised above ground level. Flat cars are arranged with foot boards so that driver and passengers sit astride the track. The track is often multi-gauged, to accommodate 5 in (127 mm), 3+1⁄2 in (89 mm), and sometimes 2+1⁄2 in (64 mm) gauge locomotives.
The smaller gauges of miniature railway track can also be portable and is generally 3+1⁄2 in (89 mm)/5 in (127 mm) gauge on raised track or as 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm)/10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) on ground level. Typically portable track is used to carry passengers at temporary events such as fêtes and summer fairs.[1]
Typically miniature lines are operated by not for profit organisations - often model engineering societies - though some are entirely in private grounds and others operate commercially.
There are many national organisations representing and providing guidance on miniature railway operations including the Australian Association of Live Steamers and Southern Federation of Model Engineering Societies.
In the United Kingdom
The first miniature railroads were built in the United Kingdom, as actual methods of transportation, such as the Jaywick railroad.
Railroads built in 19th century
The Duffield Bank Railway was built by Sir Arthur Percival Heywood in the grounds of his house on a hillside overlooking Duffield, Derbyshire in 1874. Although the Ordnance Survey map circa 1880 does not show the railway itself, it does show two tunnels and two signal posts. However, the online map archive of the National Library of Scotland includes a map of 1914 from the 25 inches to the foot series (Derbyshire XLV.9) that shows the full extent of the railway. Sir Arthur wished to explore the possibilities of minimum gauge railways for mining, quarrying, agriculture etc. He believed that they would be relatively easy to build, and to move. He saw possibilities for military railways behind the lines carrying ammunition and supplies.
The original Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway was a 3 ft (914 mm) line opened on 24 May 1875 to transport hematiteiron ore from three mines near and around the village of Boot to the Furness Railwaystandard gauge line at Ravenglass.[2][3]
In the early 1880s, a tramway was built between Beckfoot and another mine at Gill Force.[4] Locals and railway enthusiasts formed Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society to save the line, with financial backing by Sir Wavell Wakefield, Member of Parliament (MP) for Marylebone and owner of the Ullswater Steamers. In September 1960, the society made the winning bid and saved the railway from closure. Control of the railway passed to a new private company, with the backing of the preservation society, an arrangement that is still in place. [5][6]
Railroads built in 20th century
The Downs Light Railway is the world's oldest private miniature railway,[7] with a track gauge of 9+1⁄2 in (241 mm). The railway was built and opened in 1925 under the guidance of Geoffrey Hoyland (Headmaster) as a 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) gauge railway, for the principal purpose of education. The railway is located within the grounds of The Downs Malvern, a private school in Colwall, near the town of Malvern, Worcestershire in the English Midlands. It is owned by the 'Downs Light Railway Trust. It is maintained and operated principally by the school children, aged between 7 and 13 years. It is part of the Heritage Railway Association membership.[8]
The Jaywick Miniature Railway was built by FC Stedman, who owned the Jaywick Sands Estate on the Essex coast just south of Clacton-on-Sea. This railroad was built in order to transpoirt indiviudal potential buyers to view the homes for sale. [9] It was built in 1935, by Miniature Railway & Specialists Engineering, of Terminus Road, Eastbourne.[9]
Distinctions between model, miniature, and minimum-gauge railway
A 'model railway' is one where the gauge is too small for people to ride on the trains. Due to the use of mixed gauge tracks, passengers may ride on a miniature railway which shares the same gauge as, and is pulled by, a large model locomotive on a smaller model gauge, although this is rare.
'Miniature railways' are railways that can be ridden by people and are used for pleasure/as a pastime for their constructors and passengers. In the US, miniature railways are also known as 'riding railroads' or 'grand scale railroads'. The track gauges recognised as being miniature railways vary by country, but in the UK the maximum gauge is 350 mm (13+25⁄32 in).[11]
In the UK, a gauge of 350 mm (13+25⁄32 in) [or above] or crossing a carriageway are the criteria used by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), at which a railway is no longer classed as miniature and is therefore subject to formal regulation: they may be minor railways and/or heritage railways; the concept of minimum gauge is not recognised for the purposes of regulation.
Gauge
There are over 1,000 miniature railways open to the public around the world, not counting private railways, with 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) gauge being by far the most numerous. Many layouts have dual-gauge track combing two, three or even more different gauges.
The KDMES trains[31] operate a 1,200 ft (370 m) scenic oval raised level track located at the Marley Activity Centre in Keighley.[32] The railway is open for public rides during the summer, and available for private functions[33] and corporate events.[34]
Leyland Society of Model Engineers
3+1⁄2 in (89 mm) and 5 in (127 mm) on raised level, and 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) ground level
The ground level track is 5 in (127 mm). The elevated track is 5 in (127 mm), 3+1⁄2 in (89 mm) and 2+1⁄2 in (64 mm). There is also a garden gauge track inside the elevated track.[50]
Northern Districts Model Engineering Society
5 in (127 mm)
Australia
Balcatta, Western Australia
2+1⁄2 in (64 mm), 3+1⁄2 in (89 mm), 5 in (127 mm) and 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm)
Two circuits of 350 meters in 5 in (127 mm) and 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm). Nine electric locomotives and diesel. Mainly French locomotives. Open some Sundays from March to November.[58]
Dual gauge: 7+1⁄4 in / 184 mm and 5 in / 127 mm.[65]
Beech Hurst Park Miniature Railway
5 in (127 mm)
UK
Haywards Heath, West Sussex
Raised track dual 3+1⁄2 in (89 mm) and 5 in (127 mm)[66]
Bushey Miniature Railway
5 in (127 mm)
UK
Hertfordshire
A 5 in (127 mm) gauge miniature railway in Bushey, Herts consisting of 230 ft or 70 m ground level track with various sidings and two bridges. A private railway, but viewing and rides are available by appointment.[67]
A sizeable network in "Zuiderpark", a big city park[56] since 1975 in The Hague. The total length of the 7 1/4" gauge mainline routes combined is estimated at about 5 kilometers. Most of the track has working railway signalling, operated by signal boxes and a working full scale railroad crossing where the 7 1/4" tracks cross multiple (busy) public roads. The 3+1⁄2 in (89 mm) and 5 in (127 mm) gauges are mixed on a raised oval track.[56]
This railway is entirely portable and can be set up almost anywhere flat. Can be seen at events across the country and uses a Bagnall steam locomotive on a 450 ft (137.2 m) ground level track.
^"Who Are We?". Canterbury Society of Model and Experimental Engineers. C.S.M.E.E. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
^"Home". Crowboroughminiaturerailway.com. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
^ abc"COSME". 17 September 2008. Archived from the original on 17 September 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^"Anyoji Garden Railway home". Archived from the original on 21 December 2002. Retrieved 8 June 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^Belgium, Dani Bellemans - Turnhout -. "Stoomgroep Turnhout vzw". Stoomgroep.be. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
^"Home - Colorado Live Steamers". www.coloradolivesteamers.com. Archived from the original on 20 January 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024. The first 7 ½" gauge loop was completed in June of 1998. To date we have laid approximately 11,000 feet of track with two tunnels and one 102 ft wooden bridge and a second steel truss bridge. The organization's overall goal is a 2.5 mile, 7 ½" gauge point-to-point mainline railroad. ... We have two different gauges of track; 7 ½ inch and 4 ¾ inch track laid at ground level.
^"History and Architecture". South Coast Railroad Museum at the Historic Goleta Depot. 26 February 2017. Archived from the original on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
^"Ropley Miniature Railway". Ten and a Quarter Inch Gauge Railway Society. 21 June 2016. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
^"C & H Railroad". Candhrailroad.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
^"Central Park Mini Train". Staff Directory. city of San Mateo. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022. Physical Address: 50 E. 5th Avenue San Mateo, CA 94403 Train Hours: Saturday, Sunday, Holidays 11:00am–3:00pm Weekdays: June 15-August 15 11:00am-3:00pm
^"Welcome". San Mateo Central Park Train. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Est. 1948