Lost Miniature Railways

By Jonathan James (softback, Mainline & Maritime, 60pp, £12.95, ISBN 978-1-900340-67-0).

PART of Britain’s Miniature Railways series of books, No. 3 concentrates mainly on the lost miniature lines of South East England, ranging from lines that opened and closed between 1949 and 2020.

The majority lost are both 7¼in and 10¼in gauge lines, although they range from 3½in to 18in. Most of the photographs are in colour, except for two of the Southend Miniature Railway taken in the 1930s.

Some of these lost lines were extensive, often with two and more stations and signals, even tunnels, and some had varied gauge as well. Some of the larger ones were at Ascot near to the racecourse, Birchley in Biddenden, and the Garden & Woodland Railway in Thame. While some only lasted for a few years, others ran for more than 50 to 60 years and, in the case of the Poole Park Railway, more than 70.

The author’s favourite local miniature line was the 10¼in gauge Stonecot Hill, which ran in the grounds of the children’s Queen Mary’s Hospital in Carshalton. It opened in 1968 and expanded over the years, and it was extremely popular while the hospital remained open. Sadly, when most of the hospital closed in 1993, its days seemed numbered. Finally, when all facilities left the site, it closed in 1997. Needless to say, the area is now a housing estate.

Most of us will know of a lost miniature railway, possibly ones we rode on as children and have fond memories of. This book confirms the variety in both length and gauge and above all the fun they brought and still bring to children and adults, while there is sadness that many of these have gone forever.

There seems though to be resurgence in miniature railway numbers more recently, with many heritage lines introducing them as an additional attraction for visitors in their grounds in the last few years.

Perhaps that could be a title for No. 4 in the series: New Miniature Railways Since 2000.

An enjoyable read, and the photographs reflect the atmosphere and pleasure that these once-busy lines offered visitors.