Oldest miniature railway in Scotland hits 75!

THE Strathaven Miniature Railway, Scotland’s oldest railway in its category, is celebrating notching up three-quarters of a century of running round in circles on its 7¼in gauge track at Strathaven Park in South Lanarkshire. The SMR opened on Saturday, May 14, 1949, when its first train was pulled by 2-6-0 Margaret.

On Tuesday, May 14, 2024, the same locomotive will haul an anniversary special to mark the historic event.

Strathaven Model Society secretary Ian Samson said: “We realised that when Kerr’s Miniature Railway at Arbroath closed in 2020, we had fallen heir to the title of Scotland’s oldest miniature railway.

“In heritage railway terms, when you think about it, we actually predate the Talyllyn and the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway, the UK’s and Scotland’s first heritage railway respectively. The B&K didn’t run its first train until 1981, so we have been around for a very long time.”

The SMR’s first train of 75 years ago will be re-enacted on May 14, and miniature railway clubs from all over Scotland will bring along their steam locomotives to mark the event, running on the SMR’s 7¼in, 5in, 3½in and 2½in tracks, with the main emphasis on original locomotive Margaret, still a stalwart of the line in action, on the main 0.4-mile circuit.

A public celebration is to be held on Saturday, June 22, when Provost Margaret Cooper, of South Lanarkshire Council, will afford the society a civic reception, with all park activities being free for the day to attract as many visitors as possible to the railway. Passenger donations on the day will be donated to a local hospice.

“We estimate that we have carried about 765,000 passengers over the last 75 years,” said Ian. “We plan to be running when we reach our centenary in 2049, and ‘the wee train’ – as the railway is known to generations of Strathaven folk – has earned its place in the community.

“We have produced a logo for the 75th, which will be on sale as a badge. We get a steady stream of enthusiasts visiting us during our season when we run every Saturday and Sunday from March to the end of September, and visitors will be especially welcome in this, our special 75th year.”

HUGH DOUGHERTY SMR Left: Proudly proclaiming that the line has notched up 75 years, as well as being Scotland’s oldest miniature railway, is this badge specially created for the line’s historic milestone. Full steam ahead for 2-6-0 Margaret, which will re-enact the first Strathaven Miniature Railway train of May 14, 1949, on the same date 75 years later.

HUGH DOUGHERTY Above: Attention for Margaret between runs. This Strathaven stalwart is in fine fettle after spending 75 years pulling passengers.

SMR This early picture of 2-6-0 Margaret and the original carriages used when the Strathaven Miniature Railway opened has been discovered in a local archive.