Come and enjoy a trip down the line of the oldest continuously running 15" (381 mm) gauge railway in the world, Southport Lakeside Miniature Railway (Pleasureland Miniature Railway). This video is a short trip down the line on Rio Grande, a current Diesel-hydraulic wild west themed loco designed to keep up with the demands of high season at a seaside resort. Of course this was NOT filmed in the height of summer, the UK had just been battered by a couple of winter storms and the track did show some impact of this, although you can tell more care and attention is being spent on this railway than in recent years, and it is really on the up!
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This track was built by Mr GV Llewelyn in 1911 and was originally named ‘Llewelyn’s Miniature Railway’. The first steam train ‘King George V’ ran 17th May 1911 at 3pm. The track was sold to Harry Barlow in 1945 when it was renamed ‘Lakeside Miniature Railway’ and the first petrol-driven trains had started running. It is the oldest continuously running 15-inch gauge railway in the world and was sold to John Spencer in 1968, then to Don Clark and Graham Leeming in 2001. It was purchased in 2016 by Norman Wallis, who has now begun to refurbish and improve the track and surroundings, and hopes to create a heritage museum and improved facilities for everyone.
The railway originally consisted of a straight running line on the seaward shore of the Southport Marine Lake with a run-round loop at each end. In 1948 the line was extended northwards under Southport Pier, followed by a sharp 90-degree curve seawards into a new terminus next to and named after Marine Parade. This layout remains today with the round trip covering 1,500 yards (1.4 km).
Early photographs variously name the southern terminus White City, Marine Drive and Lakeside, but it has been referred to as the Pleasureland terminus for many years. In 2020 there were two workshops and an engine shed here, with a single island platform serving two running lines with run-round loops which converge to form the running line alongside the lake. There is also a third siding for stock storage. In 2020 Pleasureland made significant investment in this terminus, adding a short platform on the eastern runround loop, a refreshment kiosk, a traditional roundabout and a helter-skelter, all aimed at the families with young children market.
At the northern, Marine Parade, end of the line there are two platforms, though one has been taken out of use and its track lifted. Locomotives change ends using a run-round loop. The original station building at Marine Parade was completely rebuilt around 2010 but was demolished in 2019, leaving the floor tiles in place to show it's outline. In Summer 2020 a temporary refreshment facility was installed to test the market.
The line is fully fenced and has no level crossings, it is unsignalled and operates on a one engine in steam basis.
The original northern terminus was named Princes Park, it closed when the line was extended. In 2020 the station building was still in good external condition.
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Негізгі бет Full Journey Down The Oldest Continuously Run Miniature Railway In The World At Southport [4k 60fps]
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