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Scottish Garden Railways

Large scale trains in YOUR garden or home

Scotlands first Garden Train specialist

Small scale trains

Last goods delivered to this station 10 February 2011

(Sound on this page is EWS Class 37 leaving Perth on the Roayal Scotsman luxury tour train in October 2000 - Thanks to C. Davis)

I really find the small scale railways around the country (and hopefully the world) fascinating and this page aims to give you some pictures and information on any I visit. I will try to add links to the railways websites where you can find more information on the railway and how to get to it. This list is in no way comprehensive and all the pictures are my own. If anyone wants to use any please ask me first.

These railways have been covered so far:

Kew Bridge Steam Museum

Leighton Buzzard Narrow gauge

Ffestiniog

Welsh Highland Railway

Kew Bridge Steam Museum see The Steam Museum website

At Kew in London you will find this museum where you can find out all about the history of London's water supply and see the worlds largest operational beam engine with a 100inch cylinder. Round the edge of the site is a narrow gauge railway, There is a steam engine which you can see on the website. Unfortunately it was locked up when I visited. However there is a neat little LISTER loco and some open coaches. The engine is amusingly called ALISTER (get it?). All together a facinating place to explore.

ALISTER aat Kew

Leighton Buzzard - for details see The railway website, Leighton net

Pages Park

Trains start at Pages Park which is about a 10 minute walk from the centre of Leigton Buzzard, a pleasant enough quiet town about 40 miles from London, served by Chiltern Railways. This is the Alan Keef diesel running round it's train.

As it turned out the next train, which I was on, was pulled by DOLL a nice little Scottish built locomotve with an interesting history.

Doll waits in the shed for the service train to arrive

The railway runs through built up areas and crosses several roads. Here DOLL sets out over an ungated crossing.

DOLLS ID card and the end of the line on your leighton Buzzard journey

Stonehenge works

Highland Light Railway - web site details are on the Highland light railway website

A railway being built in the Scottish Highlands just North of Perth. You can get the train on the highland line to Pitlochry or Dunkeld and Birnam and then have a pleasant longish walk or take the bus to Logierait where this 10 1/4inch railway is well under way. Steam is a possibility later and it is the same gauge as Mull Rail so keep checking. This is the first motive power.

A view from the train heading back to the main station/event centre/display building

On site is an ex BR coach which it is hoped will soon be a holiday home you can rent

At the edge of the site is this beautifully preserved ex-railway bridge. Used to be part of the Aberfeldy Branch

Another attraction is the "Station Cat Pottery" powered by two horses...

...and here are the two horses, also at Logierait

Heatherslaw Light Railways between Ford and Etal, Scottish Borders - check the Ford and Etal website

The steam locomotive waits at the Ford station to travel the (I think) about 4 miles to Etal village where you can visit a castle. At Ford station is a G scale railway

The station at Ford is beside a river and there is a pleasant cafe and mill across the bridge

One of the best features of this railway is that it is out of site of roads for all of the journey. There is a lot of wildlife to see

Out on the (15inch gauge) line

Mull Rail, Scotland only Island Railway. Just a ferry trip away from Oban. Check - The Mull Rail website UNFORTUNATELY THIS RAILWAY HAS CLOSED BUT MAYBE IT WILL BE REBUILT ELSEWHERE?

A short walk round the bay from the ferry terminal at Craignure (just look for the railway signal) past the campsite brings you to Craignure station and the train to Torosay castle. The 10 1/4 inch gauge railway is about 3 miles long and you will almost certainly be steam hauled