Blenheim Park Railway is a 15 in (381 mm) gauge miniature railway operating in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, in Oxfordshire, England.
History
The railway opened in 1975[1] as a tourist attraction within 'The Pleasure Gardens', an area of visitor facilities inside the grounds of the Palace, but some distance from the house itself. Miniature railway operating company 'Pleasurerail' operated the service on a short out-and-back line. There were no passing loops or run-round loops, so the line was push-pull operated. The original locomotive was named 'Sir Winston Churchill' (not to be confused with the current locomotive of the same name), and was later joined by locomotives 'Muffin' and 'Tracy-Jo'.
Later Development
The facilities at The Pleasure Gardens include a maze, a plant centre, a cafeteria, the popular butterfly house, and the main car park for visitors. The railway was adapted to provide an actual transport facility between the Pleasure Gardens and Blenheim Palace itself, and during the tourist season trains run in each direction every half hour.[2] The line is now an end-to-end operation laid out roughly in the shape of a figure '7', and extending over a distance of 1,000 yards (910 m). There are run-round loops at each terminal station, and there was a central passing loop allowing the operation of two trains. This loop has now had one set of points removed, thus changing it into a siding. The line also has a three-road engine and stock storage shed.
Rolling stock
The passenger carriages are 16-seat semi-open vehicles, painted dark green, with canvas canopy type roofs. A train is usually formed of three or four such coaches. Two locomotives are based on the renewed Blenheim Park Railway, as shown below.
| Locomotive Name |
Locomotive Type |
Year of Building |
Builder |
In service? |
Notes |
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| Anna |
4-6wDM |
1960 |
Guest (G&SLE) |
Yes |
Diesel outline, painted green, reserve engine. |
| Sir Winston Churchill |
0-6-2 DH |
1992 |
Alan Keef |
Yes |
Steam outline, painted red, principle engine. |
References
World railways and tramways of 15 inch (381 mm) gauge |
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United Kingdom | | |
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United States | |
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| | Others | |
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