RMweb Premium 45156 Posted June 5, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 5, 2011 (edited) I've not posted in this area before as I've not had much need to, but I thought that outdoor modellers might like to see the achevements of an acquaintance of mine. This is the culmination of a 16 year project, with extensive remodelling of the garden to accommodate embankments and a girder bridge, and a railway which somehow does not overshadow the fact that the garden itself is also superb. The garden is occasionally open to the public under the NGS (yellow book - Cumbria edition) and also is opened for charity events advertised locally. The railway has a very decent run with very challenging gradients and curves and the loco needs to be worked hard on the 1 in 23 climb to the front of the house. The loco is utterly superb! Edited September 25, 2011 by 45156 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noiseboy72 Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Stunning! My long term dream is to buy somewhere large enough to do something similar. More likely 5", 71/4 is just too expensive. Would love to see this railway, but don't get up to cumbria very often. I am next up there W/C 6th August, but it would be to much to expect that this coincides with an opening... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted June 5, 2011 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 5, 2011 but it would be to much to expect that this coincides with an opening... Unlikely, but I'll PM you if it does turn out that he's got something on. BTW he's actually just over the border into North Lancashire, not Cumbria - he's in the Cumbria Yellow Book because they NGS for some resaon put him in that book (to do, I think with the fact that most of the Cumbria entries are closer to him than the Lancashire ones most of which are in the Ribble area). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohmisterporter Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Excellent film there Stewart, although one has to see it live to appreciate the civil engineering that was involved in the construction. If the young chap driving is the son of the owner he was a nipper when I first saw the garden. I feel really old now. Geoff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
backofanenvelope Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Truly amazing!!! now if I win the lottery..... Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted June 5, 2011 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 5, 2011 Excellent film there Stewart, although one has to see it live to appreciate the civil engineering that was involved in the construction. If the young chap driving is the son of the owner he was a nipper when I first saw the garden. I feel really old now. Geoff. Geoff - that is indeed true - the importation of many tonnes of hardcore, and the use of the spoil from digging the pond to make the embankment was a mammoth task, and I remember seeing the work in progress when I walked the dog. The girder bridge which was made by one of the local farmers who had welding skills, is standing up well. Also I remember the owner saying that the embankment had affected the natural drainage of the garden, and he had to run field drains through the base to cope with the build up of water. I'd guess that this is one of the most ambitious garden railways in the North, if not in the UK. I am not sure whether the lad is the owner's son or not, but just to make you feel even older, I asked the owner where his son was today, and was told that he wasn't around as he had just bought a house, and was down there getting sorted out. Film's not mine, it was posted by the owner's son who said I could link to it from here, so I did. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted June 6, 2011 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 6, 2011 Film's not mine, it was posted by the owner's son who said I could link to it from here, so I did. Since found out that the person who posted was the young lad driving the loco, and who is the grandson of the guy who built the loco - so is not the owner's son, but the owner did, nonetheless agree to my linking to the video - I guess I misunderstood what he was saying Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohmisterporter Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Just found out that the next open day as part of the National Gardens Scheme is 19th June. Admission is £3.50 and proceeds go to a good cause. Train rides will be available so here's hoping for fair weather. Geoff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted June 13, 2011 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 13, 2011 Just found out that the next open day as part of the National Gardens Scheme is 19th June. Admission is £3.50 and proceeds go to a good cause. Train rides will be available so here's hoping for fair weather. Geoff. I too saw the posters in the paper shop, but regrettably will not be able to go on this occasion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hilton Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Now that's what I call a garden railway - incredible! Proper engineering there too Thanks for sharing! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted September 25, 2011 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 25, 2011 Just discovered that the original link has stopped working, as the person who posted it has closed their youtube account, so I've changed the link in my original post to the video that Chris (the owner's son) has put on instead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted June 10, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 10, 2012 (edited) Advance notice for anybody in this area - Heywood House (home of the Littledale Light Railway) is having an open garden day for NGS on 24th June from 11 am according to the Yellow Book, and that normally means that the railway is operating. If you are visiting, please be aware that this is NOT a railway open day, it is a garden open day with railway running, so it's not likely that there will be lots of like minded railfans there, but there will be the green finger brigade in large quantities. Admission is £3.50 and a ride on the train is usually £1.00 extra. Edited June 10, 2012 by 45156 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohmisterporter Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Thanks for the heads up Stewart, let us hope for decent weather. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
quavey Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Thank you for all the kind comments! As the "owners son" a very prestigious title!, I cannot take credit for the video posted at the top of the topic. That video was taken by a vistor although to this day I'm not sure exactly who. The previous video the topic refers to was taken by the builder of the engines gradnson as mentioned above, he did close his youtube account but has since reopened it. I have put some links below to some videos of the engine and railway. This years open days were on the 3rd and 24th of june, sadly the 3rd was cold and wet and so subsequently very quiet although it did improve towards the end of the day, the railway was of course running. The 24th fared much better and although we had a couple of showers by 2pm or so the sun was out and the weather most pleasant. Thank you for the advertisment, the charity days often do quite well but as the NGS is such a good cause we could always do with more visitors! Although the garden and railway are open publicly just two or three times a year the railway is run for pleasure much more frequently. Thanks Chris A video taken ont he 24th Our recent visit to weston park, including the odd shot of yours truly driving! I think this is the orignal video the topic was based around And a video of the 2009 7 1/4 AGM showing both engines http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN4sEo89rRs 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohmisterporter Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 (edited) Thanks for the videos and welcome to the forum. Edited June 27, 2012 by Ohmisterporter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted July 3, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 3, 2012 Great to have you aboard Chris, and thanks for all the updates - as I said before, it's some railway..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
quavey Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 To drag an old topic up... This years dates for the Littledale Light Railway public running are as follows. Please be aware these are garden open days where the railway will be running as well.This years dates are for the National Gardens Scheme and the RNLI Morecambehttp://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/gardenfinder/garden.aspx?search=type:advanced-pc:la46hb-d:10-dr:6&id=1877323rd June (NGS)11-5 - £3.50 Admission7th July (NGS)11-5 - £3.50 Admission14th July (RNLI)Times and prices to be confirmed!As ever at each event Teas, Coffee and Cakes will be available at additional cost however it is all for charity and for a good cause.Garden / Railway AddressHeywood HouseLittledale RoadBrookhouseLancasterLA29PW Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted July 7, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 7, 2013 Here's a few shots that I took this afternoon of the line in action Taking water in preparation for another run Getting to grips with the 1 in 40 up to the front of the house Approaching the girder bridge Coming back through the station after the first loop Passing the folly View across the garden to the tunnel mouth (train just about visible) - gives you an idea of how exensive the garden is General view of station area The railway is open to the public again next Sunday 14th as part of an open garden day for the RNLI and even without the railway is well worth a visit as it is an incredibly attractive garden, which the railway complements, rather than overwhelms. Admission is again £3.50 with once round the garden behind no2 being an extra £1.00 - and all for a very good cause indeed. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward66 Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 Well I'm blowed, I've lived a mile from this railway most of my life and I had no idea such a wonderful railway [and garden]existed! Not quite true, I have spotted track behind the front gate but never got round to approaching the owner to chat about it. It was Miss Heywood's house when I was a lad. What a splendid achievement! Edward Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ColinK Posted March 13, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 13, 2014 Does anyone know if there any open days in 2014? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted August 5, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 5, 2014 (edited) There was one on 13th July - which I missed as well - DOH. Sorry Colin - I didn't see your post. And heartbreaking - two locos in steam... Not sure whether they are planning any more Edited August 5, 2014 by 45156 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ColinK Posted August 5, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 5, 2014 Hi, The railway is quite close to where I live. I did have the open days in my diary, but was gutted that I missed them due to working those days. Are there any more open days this year? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted August 7, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 7, 2014 Not sure, and I haven't seen the owner recently - usually there are three open days a year - two for the NGS and one for a local charity (Lifeboats or similar) and the NGS are normally in June, and the charity one in July, so I'm guessing we've both had it for this year. Where do you live, Colin? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
quavey Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 Hi guys, Thanks for the kind comments. The open days have finished for this year, we did indeed do two for the NGS and one for the Lifeboats. They Heywood Society also visited us this year to see both Tarn Beck and Afon Glaslyn in steam. As yet we have not confirmed any dates for next year. However, the plan is for both engines to be at the 7 1/4 AGM this year down at the bath and west show ground. As some videos from this year have been posted above I won't repeat but there are least 3 if not 4 good videos taken by the Anderson brothers. Eagle eyed viewers will notice the addition of additional freight stock in the form of two tool vans and a brake van which takes us up to a nice rake of L&B style wagons. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 45156 Posted August 31, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 31, 2014 Thanks for the update. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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