7¼" gauge in the garden

Photo galleries

Salfords Light Railway - 5" gauge

The Salfords Light Railway was my first personal, miniature railway built in England. The line was built around my small (75' x 25') garden in Salfords (Surrey, not Manchester). The site was far from ideal, but it did show what was possible in a small suburban garden. It also proved to me that 5" gauge was too narrow for carrying the public. I started construction of the line in early 2002 and dismantled it in December 2004 as we emigrated to New Zealand.

If you'd like, you can visit the website at www.worldrailfans.info/GardenRailway/SLRHome.shtml, but here's a selection of photographs.

Pip (now my wife) was the first visitor to the line in 2002

My two locos, the Ride on Railways TROJAN and a quarry Hunslet PETER

(The slate wagons and guard's van behind PETER were visiting)

Dave Smallbone driving PETER

(Dave was also involved with building the Merstham Valley Railway in 1989)

My niece Natalie driving TROJAN with James as a passenger during the early days (before the coach was built)

No gathering of friends was complete without getting the trains out

This is me driving. Pip is behind me (we are now married), behind her is my best friend Robin (also a railway enthusiast)

This view out of my bedroom window in June 2003 shows the whole railway as it was up to the point of dismantling in December 2004 - it never was "finished" (if any railway ever is)

Paul Middleton of Ride on Railways came round on the final day and purchased some of my stock. He shot this short movie of some of the final trains to run on the Salfords Light Railway. The first scenes have Paul's father driving and his son is in the open wagon, I am wearing the red jacket.

Click on the small image to the left to view a 2.8Mb movie

Menu

7¼" gauge in the garden

Photo galleries

Salfords Light Railway - 5" gauge

Narrow-minded and proud of it