Nostalgia “Start of Miniature Railways”

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FWLR
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Nostalgia “Start of Miniature Railways”

Post by FWLR » Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:40 am

While I was reading through my weekly online Southport Visitor newspaper. I was born in the town and I like to try and keep up with the local news. I came across an article of the Miniature Railway that run alongside the lake there. It has some wonderful memories for me, I spent many hours riding on the line, I would ask a couple of adults if they would take me onto the ride with them and pretend I was their son, children at that time rode for free. But the manager soon cottoned on :mrgreen: and stopped me going on. I did get into trouble with my own parents though, when they tried to take me on and the manager said I wasn’t allowed on!! For a time he just didn’t believe I was the son of my Mum & Dad…. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Anyway, for those that are interested, here is the article that is in the newspaper.

https://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/news ... s-11106045

It is a fascinating read, I am sure there are some members who find it like I did very informative. I will warn you though, it is a fairly long article…

Hope you enjoy..

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Re: Nostalgia “Start of Miniature Railways”

Post by IanC » Wed Aug 15, 2018 1:27 pm

Thanks for sharing this Rod. I remember as a child in the early 1960s travelling on the Lakeside Miniature Railway. In those days it always seemed busy and with queues at the ticket offices. Three trains were in operation at busy times. I seem to recall there was someone sat near the bridge at the pier end of the line who used to wave at the packed trains. To me it was a proper railway even though the locomotives were strange looking to my eyes. It is a shadow of it's former self these days, and Peter Pan's is long gone now but the memories remain.
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Re: Nostalgia “Start of Miniature Railways”

Post by Peter Butler » Wed Aug 15, 2018 4:37 pm

Thank you Rod for posting the link, interesting details there about Harry Barlow and Rowland Emett (my hero) uniting to build the 'Far Tottering and Oystercreek Railway', not as the name implies in the article. The history of the fate of the locomotives is well documented elsewhere and I believe some of the original passenger open coaches may still be in use at Southport?
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Re: Nostalgia “Start of Miniature Railways”

Post by laalratty » Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:54 pm

Interesting article, with a few inaccuracies if you know your miniature railway history (although given the convoluted story of the Basset Lowke atlantics and the Barlow locos it's no surprise that confusion occurs!). Prince Charles (formerly at LMR but currently at Windmill Farm I believe) is a former Far Tottering and Oystercreek loco, Neptune I believe and some of the carriages do survive but at Windmill Farm and in very poor condition after a vandalism attack at Lakeside several years ago. I have many happy memories of visiting Southport and the LMR when it was owned by John Spencer. He let me operate the points at the station throat when it got busy enough to run two trains, so I was always hoping that this would be the case! The place went to ruin a lot when he sold up, and I don't go back now as I don't want to ruin the happy memories further, although I understand things are a bit better now then they were a year or two back.
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Re: Nostalgia “Start of Miniature Railways”

Post by IanC » Thu Aug 16, 2018 12:51 pm

laalratty wrote: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:54 pm Interesting article, with a few inaccuracies if you know your miniature railway history (although given the convoluted story of the Basset Lowke atlantics and the Barlow locos it's no surprise that confusion occurs!). Prince Charles (formerly at LMR but currently at Windmill Farm I believe) is a former Far Tottering and Oystercreek loco, Neptune I believe and some of the carriages do survive but at Windmill Farm and in very poor condition after a vandalism attack at Lakeside several years ago. I have many happy memories of visiting Southport and the LMR when it was owned by John Spencer. He let me operate the points at the station throat when it got busy enough to run two trains, so I was always hoping that this would be the case! The place went to ruin a lot when he sold up, and I don't go back now as I don't want to ruin the happy memories further, although I understand things are a bit better now then they were a year or two back.
Why let the facts spoil a story? That's newspapers for you. I went a couple of years ago with my grandaughter. It was still running but she wouldn't go on it so I never took a trip down memory lane. It was only running with one train I think. There will be many grown ups with happy memories of the railway it was a wonderful place.
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Re: Nostalgia “Start of Miniature Railways”

Post by ge_rik » Thu Aug 16, 2018 12:59 pm

Interesting, Rod. I hadn't clocked the connection with the Far Twittering and Oystercreek.
Here's the account of my visit to the LMR - http://ngruk.blogspot.com/2013/09/south ... ilway.html

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Re: Nostalgia “Start of Miniature Railways”

Post by Lonsdaler » Thu Aug 16, 2018 6:07 pm

I can't help wondering whether the lack of steam traction affects the numbers wanting to ride the railway? For myself, a steam locomotive would be a draw. Diesel, or petrol - meh.
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Re: Nostalgia “Start of Miniature Railways”

Post by FWLR » Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:45 am

Agree that the facts may be twisted, but I am not going to forget my memories of a wonderful childhood, going on the trains for “free” was part of a childhood that will live with me for ever, has was the 5-6 weeks holidays we spent most years on Coniston Lake at a farmers cottage of a farmer that my Dad knew very well. My Dad would take us up there with our Mother and stay with us, but some days he would have to leave to go about his business, I went with him sometimes has well, but he always come back and we spent many days on the lake fishing and going onto the Island that you see, if you have ever seen the Film “Swallows and Amazons”. We even went on the Ravenglass & Eskdale narrow gauge for a trip out has well. So I have memories of that also.

This is an article that I came across that I found fascinating, to learn a bit about some of the history of Miniature Railways, which is what we all do in a way with our own lines don’t we.

It was more of a memory trip for me, but also to give some light reading for those who are interested in miniature railways.
ge_rik wrote: Thu Aug 16, 2018 12:59 pm Interesting, Rod. I hadn't clocked the connection with the Far Twittering and Oystercreek.
Here's the account of my visit to the LMR - http://ngruk.blogspot.com/2013/09/south ... ilway.html

Rik
Thank you Rik, for your link to the account you gave of the line. It was great to hear you enjoyed yourself there and although you didn’t get to ride on a steamer, I do remember them running on the line. I don’t really know why or if they do run steam now, but most miniature lines run electric or Diesel now don’t they.

I hope there will be more posts of members going on various miniature lines across the country, I am sure there are many more to be read about. Even other countries have miniature lines in their towns and parks for the enjoyment of those who love to have a ride for a fun day out.

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Re: Nostalgia “Start of Miniature Railways”

Post by laalratty » Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:32 pm

Lakeside Miniature Railway doesn't currently have a steam loco, the Basset Lowke class 10 extreme rebuild/replica that used to be there "Red Dragon" was sold to Austin Moss at Windmill Farm not long after John Spencer sold the line. Since then Austin sold it on to Rhyl Miniature Railway, where after a heavy rebuild including a new tender to original design it runs as Prince Edward of Wales. This is itself a nice bit of history working out, as the Rhyl line also originally opened in 1911 just a couple of weeks before Lakeside opened. However, the LMR has operated continuously (it has the proud claim of being the oldest continually operated miniature railway in Britian) whilst the Rhyl line has suffered a couple of periods of closure, although fortunately now is doing well and also well worth visiting.

For anyone interested in the history of the Barlow diesel electric locos there is a book just out "The Pretenders" about steam outline miniature railway locos, and it explains the history of each one in some detail.
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Re: Nostalgia “Start of Miniature Railways”

Post by FWLR » Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:47 am

Thanks laalratty for telling us about the Rhyl Miniature Railway. I found it very interesting. I do seem to remember going on it when we went for days out to Rhyl while on our way to visit our Grandparents, who lived in Llanwrst.

This is a link to a very good site that tells you a lot about their history and the steam engines that ran and some still do run there.

http://www.rhylminiaturerailway.co.uk

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