MR60: Walsall Steam Railway, Portable Rail, Barn Well Hill

Description

Miniature Railway 60

Barn Well Hill Railway
A very unusual 10.25″ railway, and that’s putting it mildly. At 1:8, it’s claimed to be the second steepest adhesion railway in the world, of any gauge. But it won’t be for long. And why not? Because the 1:8 section is being equipped with a rack and pinion, and the 1:10 section too. Then there’s the current locomotive, which started life as 0-4-2 Exmoor Steam frames and became a diesel. And if that’s not unusual enough, the second locomotive will be a pinion-equipped bo-bo electric. You don’t get many of those on the 10.25″ gauge

Walsall Steam Railway
If you lived in the West Midlands in the 1970s, you will have known this railway well, but like the exquisite gem of a park it ran in, the line was almost unknown elsewhere. Double track, a fleet of iconic steam engines (how about two 9Fs?) and a brutally short life. Always leave your public wanting more.

The Portable Railway Show
The most fun you could have in Telford in July 2023, the portable railway show was held at Abbots Model Engineering, where – for just one weekend – a complex 71/4″ circuit sprang up and entertained us all. There is a serious purpose too, because if you are buying or hiring portable equipment, this annual shindig is the go-to event.

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