‘I used to look at miniature railway over the fence with my wee boys... now I am the chairman and loving every minute’
Ian’s love of park attraction inspired by young sons
Strathaven Miniature Railway chairman Ian Samson is hoping that it will be a new dawn for the club as they prepare for a packed summer.
Having been involved with the iconic model railway at the heart of the town’s park for over 25 years, the group expect thousands of passengers this year so long as the sun is shining.
The first visitors got on board last month and new engine ‘Strathaven Castle’ – secured by the track team after four years – along with old favourites like ‘Margaret’ will run throughout the summer.
And Ian intends to inspire the next generation of enthusiasts.
The 66-year-old was first led to Strathaven Park by his sons who were into anything to do with steam – and Thomas the Tank Engine; a familiar story for countless parents who visit the park.
“We came to Strathaven and would stand and look over the fence,” recalled Ian.
“One of the guys asked if we want to have a shot and the rest is history.
“We’re now getting ready for our 70th anniversary here. That’s when they were first on the track.”
Allan Court, (71) has also been involved with the group since the mid1970s.
The lifelong Strathaven resident was encouraged to try it out with a pal – and has since literally laid the foundations of the track.
“I was really interested in trains and engines,” he said. “Then one of my friends sort of tricked me into coming to the club!
“I’ve always liked working with my hands and engineering – and I started building my own loco. It’s interesting making the bits and pieces.
“That’s when it was still the old track, where the race track is now. In the early 1980s we started working on the outside railway and we got to where we are now.”
The railway has been one of the park’s most recognisable features since 1949 – and the group has 40 active members.
However, Ian believes they need some new blood to secure the future of the miniature railway.
“Ageing is the big issue,” he admitted. “Our youngest members are in their 50s. Our oldest member is 89 and still very active in the railway.
“We’re looking for more younger members. We have a couple who are in their 30s but they work so trying to get them to come out can be difficult with a family life.
“We would like to see more enthusiastic people come and join us. We teach them how to drive electrics initially and then they move onto steam and take a passenger haul around the park.
“We would take a youngster and within a month he could be driving the electric train – within four or five months he could be moving on to the battery locomotive.
“He can’t drive with passengers until he is 18 but we would teach them how to do it, drive on the race tracks and train on the safety of steam. “We try and educate the kids. “It’s an attraction for Strathaven and the area but if we can, we want to get the 12-year-olds involved and that might get their dads coming along.
“We need to pass on the skills. The only way we can do that is by teaching people what they can and can’t do in the workshop.”
Allan also hopes to see some skilled volunteers come through in the next few years.
“We are getting short on the people who have the engineering skills and don’t have many young people,” he said.
“The club originally used to do electric stuff, plains and boats, but all the people who were involved in that stopped.”
Ian is hoping for another busy year – which will take them over an estimated 700,000 passengers along the iconic Strathaven route.
“We run from Easter and have a Facebook page and website,” he said. “But being old guys, we’re not exactly wonderful at keeping it up to date!
“It’s enough to give us some publicity but we really need to get our name out there through word of mouth or people spotting us in the park.
“If it’s a good year you can have 12,000 passengers but if it’s a bad year it’s 4000 or 5000.
“I’ve done the figures from 1949 until last year and there has been over 695,034 – so we’re going to hit 700,000 paying passengers.”
I’ve always liked working with my hands...i started building my own loco. Allan Court The driving forces behind Strathaven railway look forward to new visitors. Reporter Mark Pirie speaks to Ian Samson and Allan Court.