Longleat Miniature Railway in 2008

(All 14.8.2008 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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My garden used to back onto the grounds at Longleat when I lived in Wiltshire. Back in 2008 I visited and photographed the miniature railway there.

It was (and still is) a 15 inch gauge line with excellent infrastructure, rolling stock and permanent way. It's about a mile long, with one main station and a route that takes you through the woods, back along the lake and into the main station again.

The line is generally always busy as it is one of the 'free' attractions once you've paid the entry charge.

All in all a lovely example of a line that almost borders on narrow gauge in the Heywood style. It would be great if the line was extended to actually serve a transport need through the estate, as well as offering a pleasant ride!

a glimpse into the future

(Copyright Tim Hall)

RAIL THING - SPIRIT OF HEYWOOD

This is a lovely shot from the fantastic Perrygrove Railway in Gloucestershire. Whilst the less aware amongst us may think of this as an image from the past to me it's very firmly and uncompromisingly an image of the future. The Perrygrove line uses the principles of Sir Arthur Heywood, a man so far ahead of the curve that we still haven't caught up with him! He promoted the 15 inch gauge as the minimum for real railway work. The costs are far lower than for standard gauge or indeed two foot, yet using careful engineering principles trains can carry worthwhile loads.

Unfortunately the brief petroleum interlude stopped development in the bud, but it's clear that as we leave that age then we will simply take off from where we left it, and 15 inch gauge lines will fill a very useful transport need in many parts of the UK.

The beauty of steam power of course is that it can use WOOD as a fuel source. Wood is infinitely sustainable and packs in almost as much energy as the sort of coal that's left. Any half decently managed railway in the future will, with careful woodland management, be able to provide all its own raw materials for energy (and sleepers, building materials etc), making any such line resilient and very profitable.

This is the future. Heart warming isn't it?