I joined the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers
in 1994, having seen the Kent Area Group's portable layout at an exhibition
in South East London. I was inspired by one of Hugh Saunder's coal fired
Darjeeling locos that was pulling a short mixed train round their circuit.
In October 1994, six yards of track was laid at the top of the garden,
near the pond - marking the start of what was then named the "Woodland
Railway". The track was Tenmille brass bullhead rail with plastic
sleepers. The same week, I purchased a black Mamod for the sum of £40
from Mike Chaney. This was the perfect introduction to garden railways
and for this I am forever grateful to Mike.
During the Winter of ‘94/5, I constructed a new six yard lengths
of railway in the middle section of the garden. This forms the oldest
section of the current railway. This section also included ‘Forest
Halt’. Forest Halt was rebuilt in 1997 and again in 1998. In 1999
it was renamed ‘Burwarton’. The building is a wooden Brandbright
kit and remains outside all year round. At the end of 1999, the station
also received internal lighting.
The first section of the new line from Burwarton to the arch was opened in Easter 1995. The full circuit opened in 1996 (note the circuit was then very different and much shorter than what it is now!). At the end of the year, the line was temporarily closed for major rebuilding. 1997 was spent reconstructing the main circuit with particular attention to the back section of the loop. The railway reopened in the summer of 1998. The new line featured a number of embankments and for the first time was ballasted.
The second locomotive to be purchased came from J D Models of Luton in
summer 1996 in the form of a red battery powered Hunslet diesel. This
locomotive was named ‘Sheldon’ after a boy who was at the
time in year 6 at Primary school. In 1998, the locomotive was sold to
a railway in Sticklepath, near Oakhampton. The following year, the boy
it was named after died in a fatal car accident.
The Mamod named ‘Black Princess’ was also sold in early 1998.
In 1997, ‘Cobolt’ was purchased from Salem in South Wales.
The name was supposed to read ‘Cobalt’ - reflecting its colour.
However, following a communication error, the name plates were printed
as 'Cobolt’. It stuck. Cobolt unfortunately came with a string of
problems and in the summer of 1998, it too was sold.
In February a small battery powered Alan Keef diesel was constructed in
the railway’s own works. This locomotive still pulls works trains
on the railway and was the only locomotive on the line through most of
1998.
In 1999, 'Snapper Halt' was constructed and opened on an existing stretch
of line. Snapper survived until the summer of 2002 when that section was
realigned. A new station has now been built on an adjacent site named
'Nantmor'.
Llanfair station (at the end of the garden) gained its name from Llanfair-yn-Neubwll
on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales. Work started in 1997 on the construction
and it quickly became the biggest station on the line. One day this station
will get finished off, but at the moment it remains on the 'to-do' list!
In spring 1999, ‘Katie’ arrived on the railway. This loco was put on order with Roundhouse Engineering of Doncaster in May 1998. It came from the second batch of this class that Roundhouse produced and was one of the first of its type to receive the 'Britomart' style livery.
In September 1999, construction began on a new coal fired Hunslet steam locomotive 'Linda', an adaptation of the Ffestiniog design. Initial work was done in the railways own works, then through 2000 and 2001 work continued at the workshop of Coopercraft Ltd. So far the chassis and eccentrics are complete, though the project is now mothballed due to other higher priorities.
During 2000, major work was undertaken in the garden. The railway was
extended beyond Llanfair, taken behind the fruit bushes and connected
back up with the mainline. This was a major turning point in the railway's
history, as from this point the track length was doubled. As part of these
works, a new steaming bay and inspection pit was constructed. I'm very
grateful to Tony Brown for his help throughout the summer of 2000 and
to date on this project, without him what has been done most certainly
could not have been acheived.
The year 2000 was ended with the railway's first winter open day. This
was a great success and has since become an established (and popular)
event.
In 2001, the railway was approached by Mark Found from the Discovery
Channel for the possibility of featuring in a new TV series named 'Garden
Railway'. The Woodland Rly footage was filmed over a few days in late
April. During these days, the most ambitious project yet was to be undertaken.
Two sections of the railway were removed and a completely new line was
constructed into a cutting, running under the former return loop. The
work was filmed in a mini-'Ground Force' style, and was most definitely
a race against the clock! The project was finished in time and the new
track layout can now be seen on the railway's map web page.
Unfortunately due to sound and lighting difficulties during filming, the
footage was not screened when the series was put out and ended its days
on the cutting room floor...
In 2002 the railway purchased a Pearse Genesis locomotive from George
Mckie in Hooe, Plymouth. I'm most grateful to George for this - it is
a wonderful locomotive and he has looked after it well. Like the Katie,
it runs beautifully on the railway and it fits in well with the character
of the line.
A new passenger diesel was also added to the fleet in Autumn 2002. Built
by John Turner of J D Models, it is a model of the diesel now owned by
the Lynton & Barnstaple in North Devon. The loco utilises an Essel
chassis, so is pretty powerful and able to pull lengthy trains.
On Sunday 2nd January 2005, the railway held its last open day after its final very successful season. 2005 saw three separate major open days and the event on 2nd January was a great finish to ten years of operation. Loads of steam trains and plenty of hot food, everyone had a good time!
The railway is now mothballed. The track and infrastructure is still there beneath soil and leaves. The station building at Burwarton appears to have gone. It is undecided if the track will be used again where it is - if not the materials will be retained in situ until such time as it gets relocated.
The locomotives and rolling stock still remains in store and sees very
occasional outings to other lines, events and exhibitions.
