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For many, much enjoyment is derived from being 'down at the track' and the opportunity to drive your own locomotive, or just watch them in action. Part of the driving enjoyment also comes from hauling real passengers, normally from the many youngsters that can descend on the tracksite when a locomotive arrives, and 'the trains are running'.
At Sandringham Park we had a reasonably interesting kidney shaped raised track running around a group of mature trees, the slightly 'wild' centre ensuring each part of the 660 feet length had it's own character, while featuring a good length straight, reverse curves, gradients, and a notional station area. Here some full sized concrete sleepers, acting as seats, defined the passenger station.
In addition, the deliberate gradients ensured that when driving steam locomotives, skill is required to haul your train load up the bank - without slipping, without running out of steam, or letting the water level fall too low - all the while keeping a sharp eye out for the track ahead !
This was a dual gauged track, allowing 3½" and 5" gauge locomotives to operate, sadly it's been some time since there was a demand for 2½" gauge, accommodating a maximum of 4 trains on the running line at a time.
A 6 road steaming bay allowed for preparing and maintaining locomotives, served by a traverser, which slid across the main running track. This has been re-used at the new site.
A lot of nattering takes place in such areas, with or without a locomotive present !
A nice feature was the mature trees in the centre of the track, causing trains running on the long straight to disappear, adding to the feeling of 'going somewhere'. The design deliberately included a reverse curve to provide interest, and to even out the wear of flanges on locomotive wheels.
The rails were 1/2" square mild steel bar, welded to spacer ties every 6 inches, supported by small wooden sleepers resting on full size concrete railway sleepers. The track was in regular use for over 15 years with no significant wear. Routine levelling was required using pieces of felt packing at the start of each season.
The track has now been lifted, and we hope to be running at our new site next year. Please check the Events page for announcements of any official running dates in 2008.
Quite often people mention that, as children, they were taken to the original track at Penn Inn, and reflect on fond memories of riding the little trains, quite a number of decades ago.
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