Littlehampton Miniature Railway

All copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing 17.6.1973

FACEBOOK - MINIATURE RAILWAYS

Thye miniature railway at Littlehampton has had a long and fascinating history. Opened in 1948 it runs from Norfolk Road to Mewsbrook Park - 760 metres of running line. It uses the very rare gauge of 12¼" and was steam worked well into the 1970s. It used a number of ex-Surrey Border and Camberley engines. It has also been extended around 50 metres towards the town centre in recent years, the trains run through the overgrown platforms of the original Norfolk Road station shortly after leaving the new one.

The line was in trouble a few years ago but under new ownership it has rebranded itself and is now more like a miniature heritage line with big plans for the future.

I was brought up in LA (as the locals call it) and this line was a big part of my life back in the 60s and 70s. These pictures from 1973 show the line when it was diverted during building works, needing a  new temporary route for a year or two. They may be the only pictures of this temporary route that have surfaced so far!

The new route veered sharply from the platform line at Mewsbrooks station, skirted the putting green then rejoined the original line close to the sea road. I seem to remember this new route included a bridge over a stream, I may have a photo of this bridge somewhere but it will need another trip up to the attic before I can find it!

The pictures show the line during this period. The original main line is overgrown and the second picture shows the diversion veering sharply from the platform road. Pictures 3 and 4 show the steam loco on the new line and the train skirting the putting green.

 Littlehampton Railway official website

More info

The Littlehampton Railway first opened in 1948, to the unusual gauge at the time, of 12 ¼ inches. Two 4-6-4 steam locomotives built by T.J.Thurston, a former employee of famous miniature locomotive builder H.Bullock. The line has gone through many changes, both stock wise and line wise, but is now a similar formation to that built. Trains run from Mewsbrook Park Station where there is a large engine shed, footbridge and turntable, through woodland and past a mini golf course, tennis courts and bowling green to reach Norfolk Road Station, a simple run round station with turntable. The line has recently been refurbished by TIR Ltd, and new stock introduced to the line, comprising of a heavy duty Bo-Bo diesel locomotive and two enclosed coaches.

Address: Hendon Avenue, Mewsbrook Park, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN16 2LX
Telephone: 01460 221303
Operator: TIR Ltd

Line Length: 800 yards, End to End
First opened: 1948

Website: Littlehampton Railway Website

Locomotives

No	Name	Type	Builder	Built
1		4w-4wDH	B.Whalley	2009

Opening Times: Please see website for details

Fares: Adults £3.00, Children £2.00, Under 3's Free.

Littlehampton Gazette Article 12.4.2011

where it all began ...

 

(Photo copyright Peter Martin)

 

 

It's hard to pinpoint exactly when I got interested in railways, but it was mainly disused lines that captured my attention first, with regular trips towards London crossing over the old Midhurst line at Fittleworth and holidays westward crossing the Bishops Waltham branch and, perhaps most importantly, the S&D.

 

I was brought up in Littlehampton and remember the early green electrics, and this photo says a HUGE amount to me! I used to practice in a band in a house behind the second carriage above, my uncle's company painted that big gasholder and in later years I took loads of pictures from the footbridge in the background. I travelled to school in these older units between 1967 and 1972, getting off at Durrington-on-Sea.

 

Perhaps a boring commuter line electrified since the 1930s wasn't the usual inspiration for a railway enthusiast, but we also had a short docks line at Littlehampton and a unique gauge steam miniature railway on the seafront.

 

I also caught main line steam (just once!) on the outskirts of Littlehampton when I saw a big Merchant Navy or similar pulling the through train to Plymouth in around 1963.

fairbourne railway

(5.6.1978 Copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

RAIL THING - SPIRIT OF HEYWOOD

I've always quite liked the Fairbourne Railway. It has an interesting history and serves a genuine passenger need. It also has that rare feature in the UK - roadside running!

It's had a few changes since the above picture was taken, including (sadly) a change of gauge. I've always counted 15" as narrow gauge, rather than miniature. Anything under is miniature, and the Fairbourne is now 12¼" gauge, interestingly the same gauge as the Littlehampton Miniature Railway! However the original 15" is gradually being rebuilt out from Fairbourne, giving dual-gauge running along part of the route.

Since 2009 the line has been a charity so should now be secure, as it has been threatened at times in the past. It doesn't have the glamour (or length) of most of the other Great Little Trains of Wales, but it does have many other fascinating features, particularly the run through the dunes.

LINKS 

RAIL THING - MINIATURE RAILWAYS
RAIL THING - RAILS OF WALES/RHEILFFYRDD CYMRU

more littlehampton miniature railway

I love this video because it captures the atmosphere of the Littlehampton Miniature Railway, currently under threat due to the stupidity of the local council.

The Facebook group is rapidly aproaching 500 members! Please join.

save the LMR

Littlehampton Miniature Railway is under threat. The council want to throw the current tenant off the line and rip up the track. The LMR is part of my childhood as I was raised here. It was steam worked right up to the 1970s. It was also of a unique gauge (12¼"), being 2" wider than the more normal 10¼" gauge. It even had engines from the ill-fated Surrey Border and Camberley Railway running on it when I was a kid.

As a teenager I got wildly drunk and walked the whole length of the line at about two in the morning!

I have got photos (somewhere) of the diversion of the line from the early seventies when the new sewage works was being built.

In the 80s there was a serious proposal to extend the line along the prom to Smarts' Amusements, bringing it to the centre of the resort. The line was actually extended about 50 metres, as shown in the pic above. The original Norfolk Road station was in the bushes in the background.

What I've suggested is to set up a preservation society and propose this extension to the river again. This would give Littlehampton a superb 2 mile line serving a real transport need.

There's an excellent Facebook group set up for this line. Please join!