The Watford Miniature Railway is a gauge railway in Cassiobury Park, Watford, Hertfordshire, England.
History The railway was opened at Easter 1959 by Charles Reed 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.
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.
Locomotives
Current locomotives NumberNameLocomotive typeWheel arrangementBuilderBuiltPhotoNotes10Conway CastleDiesel Hydraulic4w-4wFenlow Engineering1972Nikki LouiseDiesel Hydraulic0-6-0R Prime1988Built for the Suffolk Wildlife Park, arrived at Watford in the early 1990s and extensively rebuilt for use there.7MarriSteam2-6-0Willis Engineering1993Returned to service in April 2018 for the first time since 2003.4179Chiltern ShuttleSteam0-6-0R. Morse1946Returned to service on 1st January 2022 after an extensive restoration to 'as new' conditionD7000Diesel Hydraulic4-6wSouthern Miniature Railways19651950HenrySteam4-6-2E. Dove1950Under restorationDensilDiesel Hydraulic0-6-0Alan Keef1998Steam OutlineBuilt for the Wells Harbour Railway arrived in Watford in 20212015EvelynSteam2-6-4TB. Elliott & R. Cockwood20156BluebellSteam2-4-0J.Huddell & J.Ley2006Lavendon CastleDiesel4w-4w
Former locomotives NumberNameLocomotive typeWheel arrangementBuilderBuiltPhotoDates at Watford1102Maid MarionSteam4-4-0Unknown1920s1959 - 1968060Petrol Mechanical0-6-0C. Reed19571959 - 1983Steam0-6-0R. Day1976 - 1981Meteor VPetrol Mechanical2-4-2Shepperton Metal Products19701981 - 1996Meteor IIDiesel Mechanical2-4-2Shepperton Metal Products19691983 - 2003 4442Steam4-4-2A. Glaze19611983 - 2003DerekDiesel Mechanical4wShepperton Metal Products19681985 - 1991TrevithickSteam0-6-2TR. Marsh19751987 - 1997InvictaPetrol4wMaxitrak19891996 - 2002NellySteam2-4-0STRichards Engineering19772005 - 2014Thomas PoolePetrol Hydrostatic0-6-0Roanoke20062011 - 2018
References
External links
Watford Miniature Railway website