East Herts Miniature Railway facts for kids
The East Herts Miniature Railway (EHMR) is a fun place to ride miniature trains! You can find it at the Van Hage Garden Centre in Great Amwell, near Ware, Hertfordshire.
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All About the East Herts Miniature Railway
This railway first opened in 1978. By 2006, an amazing one million people had enjoyed a ride here! The railway is open on Saturdays from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. On Sundays and Public Holidays, it's open from 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
The main goal of the EHMR is to offer exciting train rides to everyone. Most of these rides are pulled by steam trains. The tracks are 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) wide. The railway has also helped the local community. It has donated £25,000 to Amwell View School.
What's the Ride Like?
The track is about a quarter of a mile long. A full journey takes about 3.5 minutes. Along the way, you'll see many cool railway features. There's a station with a roof and a ticket office. You'll also go over a bridge and through a tunnel.
The railway also has an engine shed and a turntable. A signal box helps control the trains. This signal box uses parts from the London Underground! There are also steaming bays for the steam engines. You'll see a level crossing and a water tower too. A workshop is on site for repairs.
How the Signals Work
The railway uses modern colour light signals. It also has special electro-pneumatic points. These points help trains switch tracks. Everything is controlled by computers. This means the railway can run without a human signaller. But don't worry, there's always a way to control things manually if needed!
Meet the Locomotives!
The East Herts Miniature Railway has many different trains. They use five steam locomotives regularly. There are also two petrol hydraulic trains. You'll find one diesel hydraulic and one battery electric locomotive too.
Steam Locomotives
- Ellan Bee: This steam engine is a 2-4-2 type. It's painted a lovely mid-green with orange and black lines.
- Samson: This engine is a 0-4-2 type with a 6-wheel tender. It's blue with black and white lines. It's currently being worked on.
- Ettie Faith: This 0-4-4 engine used to be called Robert Snooks. It's black and was once at the Moors Valley Railway.
Other Locomotives
- John A Pattern: This is a petrol hydraulic train. It's blue with maroon and silver bands.
- H G Harrison: Another petrol hydraulic engine. It's British Racing Green. It's also getting some work done.
- Lee Endeavour: This is a diesel hydraulic train. It's black with a yellow band.
- Lady Amwell: This is a battery electric train. It's maroon with a yellow band. It's based on a train from Ruislip Lido.
Locomotives Not Currently Running
- Peter N Brown: A steam engine, 0-4-2 type. It's maroon with black and straw lines.
- TCB Miller: Another steam engine, 0-4-2 type. It's blue with red and white lines. It's named after the person who designed the High Speed Train.
