Abbeydale Miniature Railway

We are a thriving, long established model engineering society, and a founder member of the Northern Association of Model Engineers. We are dedicated to promoting our hobby by building and operating steam and other types of powered models; by invention and experimentation; by tool making; by encouraging young people to participate in engineering; by maintaining links with model engineers in the UK and abroad; by furthering wider interest in our hobby with the local community who visit the Abbeydale Miniature Railway; and by supporting local charities. Model engineers and interested guests are always made very welcome. We usually serve refreshments, ice cream and souvenirs when the railway is open to the public, and our premises and toilets are wheelchair accessible. We have a special carriage funded by the Lottery which enables most wheelchair users to ride on the railway. We are completely non-profit making – all receipts are reinvested in developing, maintaining, insuring and running the railway and our clubhouse facilities.

We have an extensive, fully signalled dual gauge (7 1/4″ and 5″) ground level track together with a multi-gauge (3 1/2″, 5″ and 7 1/4″ gauge) raised track and a garden gauge (Gauge 1 and gauge 0) railway. We have loco unloading facilities, covered steaming bays with compressed air and electricity, and a turntable. Signalling is controlled either automatically by the loco drivers, or by a signalman from a scaled down signal box. The system is fully interlocked using electronics and pneumatics. There are two stations, two level crossings, two footbridges and one over bridge, with some challenging gradients. The Society owns a 7 1/4″ gauge petrol hydraulic loco, EDWARD a 5″ gauge battery electric HYMEK loco, built by the members and a 7 1/4″ gauge battery electric loco MERLIN supplied by Graham Prestwich Engineering. We also build and operate traction engines, stationary engines and machinery.