The Millerbeck Light Railway. Big modelling

[kevsmiththai]

The U.K railway scene is gradually opening up again with an emphasis on social distancing at preserved railways and on mainline steam tours. I'd promised the kids I'd take them to the Millerbeck light railway who had introduced booked time slots for families to arrive and depart as well as keeping family groups in bubbles when riding the train. I've lifted a lot of details from their brochure

 

The Millerbeck Light Railway is a private railway situated in the grounds of Millerbeck House, in the Lakeland village of Staveley-in-Cartmel, near Newby Bridge.

Visitors of all ages are welcome to enjoy this 7¼" gauge railway and grounds on a limited number of occasions each year. Offering a relaxed and family friendly, fun filled day out all within this beautiful Lakeland setting, running through meadows and woodlands, crossing the charming Millerbeck stream

 

Modelled as a 'narrow gauge' railway, visitors of all ages are welcome to join us and enjoy this beautiful location.

The railway likes to run 4 or 5 passenger trains at the same time, offering a selection of steam, diesel, and electric locomotives.

Visitors are taken on a long ride, of around a mile, through the curves and substantial gradients of this complex track, weaving through the meadows, woods and over the beck in this picturesque setting in the heart of the English Lake District.

Construction was started in 1985 by the then owner Arthur Bailey and a group of three local friends, as a private railway to track gauge measurements between the rails of 7¼".

This is one of several gauges for miniature railways, ranging from 3½" to 18" gauge... but 7¼" gauge is regarded as the most practical of the smaller gauges, where a person can sit 'in' as opposed to 'on' both the carriages and locomotives

 

Millerbeck was purchased as a family home by Arnold & Judith Gorse and their daughter Laura back in 2002.

Along with a group of volunteers, indeed friends, they have made this little section of the Lakes popular with adults and children alike whenever the Line is open.

Although non-commercial, visitor are welcome on our occasional open days to enjoy the beautiful grounds and ride a selection of different train

 

Locomotives

 

Poppy

A new addition to the regulars at Millerbeck, Poppy is a superb replica built by Paul Frank of a WW1 Andrew Barclay austerity 0-6-0 loco which were commissioned by the Ministry of Munitions in 1916.

These 2 foot gauge engines served in France during the war and were painted in Matt black so that nothing was shiny in the fields of war

 

Laura

Built c.1983 as a thwarted commission by Arthur Bailey and spent a year running on a track at Witherslack Hall before running here at Millerbeck on the newly emerging railway.

 

Originally 'Sybil', this is a miniature copy of the full size 'Sybil'. The owners of Millerbeck re-named her Laura after their daughter on her 21st Birthday, following a major re-build by Paul Franks.

 

Ailsa

A one third scale replica of an Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 Well Tank Loco. So called because the feed water was carried in a tank between the frames.

The original full-scale type was built in 1923 and used in a Scottish Lead Mine being christened – Wenlock. First steamed in 2008, and with extra weight added between the frames, Ailsa has proved very capable at hauling heavy loads around Millerbecks demanding track.

 

Alf

 

Formerly ALBERT, which was built in 2004-6, by Alf Case and Phil Rigby, A 5inch to 1foot scale Battery-Electric replica of diesel loco No. 1772, built by the famous Hunslet Engine Co. of Leeds in 1934, for the 18" gauge railway at the Woolwich Arsenal, London.

Another similar loco, Carnegie, was built 20 years later in 1954, and still exists.

Re-built in 2014 by the Eddison family, and other friends, but now as a petrol-electric engine, and re-named Alf in grateful memory of Alf Case, who died in July 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

[kevsmiththai]

 

Geoff

Built by the Eddison family in 2013, Geoff ran for the first time at Millerbeck’s Halloween Event. Geoff is a powerful, 4-horsepower battery/electric twin bogey loco, weighing just under 300kgs.

A family effort, everybody did their bit to build this ‘one-off’ loco. It was named and dedicated to the memory of Geoff Whitham, of Black Dyke Mills fame, who affected the lives of the Eddison family so much.

'Geoff' has now been joined by two matching coaches similarly dedicated to great

 

 

Geoof seems to be taking the covid restrictions seriously!

 

My favourite of the day

CP AC44Cws #9588 and 9651.

 

Standard gauge rather than narrow gauge but two big old units! The I.C engine is in the cab of the lead unit

 

 

Annie, posing as the 'Bat Train'

 

 

All in all a nice day out, the kids enjoyed themselves and with unlimited rides in the 2 hours we were there good value for money

 

 

Kev
 

[roadstar_na6]

That looks like a fun trip you had there 🙂

 

I‘ve operated a 5" SL from time to time years ago, fun but also very dirty 😄

[kevsmiththai]

Got a bit of form myself on that

 

 

This is a very old picture! Young Sally sat behind me is now married with kids. This pic was taken on the Chesterfield model engineers track that ran through Hady Woods in Derbyshire. At some stage i'll do a thread on that as well. My beard is a lot smaller and the hair a lot greyer now

 

Kev

[cteno4]

Wonderful photo kev! Love the look on both your faces.

 

jeff

[Martijn Meerts]

I need to win the lottery so I can build a train like that with stops at various stations, and each station will have it's own layout 😉

 

[Glad Pingvin]

Oh I love that idea! A miniature railway going to lots of layouts.

[marknewton]

On 9/6/2020 at 7:35 PM, kevsmiththai said:

Got a bit of form myself on that

So do I. I'll find some photos. In the meantime, some bigger live steam will have to do...

 

 

 

All the best,

 

Mark.

[kevsmiththai]

Is that one of those South Maitland Tanks?

 

I've seen the Southern Rail model advertised and it looks realy nice

 

Kev