Brookside minaiture railway.

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by steam for ever

...................When did the company go bellyup?

Brookside and Hills went into administration in November 2008. As Klondyke/Strikes only bought Brookside I assumed that Hills remained closed but apparently it was bought by a local businessman and reopened as you so rightly pointed out.

[steam for ever]

Hills is a nice railway and arguably nicer on a sunny day.
The mini golf is fun and right next to the running line.
I was nearly flattened but still a nice extra attraction.
The second loop is long enough I feel for a halt to serve the other parts of the site.
The main station though needs another platform tough and they need to be lengthened.
You really have to be determined to get on a train on a busy day as it only consists of a few cars.
The rolling stock is much better though as they are all small scale Pullmans with roofs and all.
Proper seats are included wich have four in a car. There are two compartments each with two seats that face each other.
They don't have much in the way of sides except by the seats but it is a lot from such a small gauge.
Access to the sheds is better than at Brookside as well and can be walked up to and not just seen from the train.

[steam for ever]

Oh and here is a pic of the train.
The man is just bending down for a photo not just for lack of headroom.
There is plenty of that and I'm 6 foot 1!
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/4679987.jpg

[swisstrains]

I see the carriages at Hills are carrying the BMR logo which I assume is Brookside Miniature Railway. One fine day it could be Bollington and Marple Railway

[steam for ever]

Had know the line was for sale I would have bought it without a pause for thought.
These two lines were constructed in a way which really strains the small gauge and to me seems a bit too small for such long railways and for such large locos and stock.
It was very stable when I have ridden them though.

A thing about Miniature railways- over a short distance they are better for seeing the sights if you know what I mean. You feel more at one with the landscape.
The Wells- Walsingham light railway is a 10.25 inch gauge line that runs for a huge 4 miles!
The powerful garratt loco is a wonderful piece of engineering.
I will put a guide to that line on the forum as well once I can find the 2007 diary.

PS. There is a pic I put on here of the WWLR loco at Walsingham- see gallery.

[steam for ever]

Hi chaps, its been a while since I updated this thread, but today I went down again and things have changed.

The new extension is now open all the time, but the new station (with signs and benches from Bridge of Orchy) is only open occasionally when they bring the fun fair a few times a year.

Brookside central, is a little strange.
The station had, until recently four platforms. This number has decreased to three. The platform 4 appraoch line on the bridge has been lifted to allow boarding on longer trains on platform 3. The track in platform 4 is still there, but not connected , and the track is degrading and simply walked over.

Platform 1 is still a fine affair. Platform 2 is a bay platform, which in recent years has not been used much. it is still used to shunt the loco coal wagon to the end where it is accessable to arriving steam locos.
The odd shed tour train may depart from here, but only when no other trains are running, as signalling is not bi directional.

The passing loop at Brookside halt is becomming less used, with the rails now rusty and grass and moss finding home.

The locomotives are always in fine shape, and today was no different, and two first class coaches have been put into service with padded, backed steats, a roof and a table in the middle. Each coach can take 2 passengers.

All in all a few ups and a few downs, but all in all good. Central station has degraded somewhat, but still a great day out with great food.

P.S, if you go in spring a bluetit often makes a nest in the old Ciggarette machine! It comes in and out at the dispenser.
Cute.

[steam for ever]

I have here a good picture of the station, taken from platform 4. It is fairly recent because in the far right the track in platform 4 is not connected. It is a shame really because behind the photographer there is a turntable that can be operated, so turning is no longer a public feature. The remaining track on the large bridge has been slewed slightly. The station is modelled on Dunster WSR.

Since the change in ownership, the hills mini railway locos are now at Brookside, with other non exmoor locos now taking the Hills stage.
http://www.ukattraction.com/north-we...986KSU-0-1.jpg

The loco on the right was on the reopening train at Hills.