East Herts Miniature Railway facts for kids
General Info
The East Herts Miniature Railway (EHMR) is situated in the Van Hage Garden Centre, Great Amwell near Ware, Hertfordshire.
It opened in 1978 and by 2006 had carried 1 million passengers. The railway is open from 11:00–17:00 on Saturdays and from 11:00–16:30 on Sundays and Public Holidays. Its primary purpose is to give mainly steam-hauled train rides to the general public on a 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) gauge track. £25,000 has been donated to Amwell View School from the EHMR.
The current length of the track is around 1/4 of a mile and the journey time is 3.5 minutes. There are five steam locos, two petrol hydraulic, one diesel hydraulic and one battery electric locomotive belonging to the company which are in regular use. The site comprises a station with canopy and booking office, bridge, engine shed, tunnel, turntable, signal box (with ex London Underground Westinghouse 'B' style lever frame from Hyde Park Corner), steaming bays, level crossing, water tower and workshop. Colour light signals and electro-pneumatic points operate every time the railway operates and are entirely computerised so that the railway can be used without a human signaller required. A manual override function is included.
Locomotives
| Operational: | ||||
| Steam | ||||
| Samson | 0-4-2 + 6 Wheel Tender | Thomas 2 | Lined Blue, Black edging, White lines | Currently out of service, awaiting an overhaul |
| Ellan Bee | 2-4-2 | Lynton and Barnstable derivative | Lined Mid - Green, Orange and Black Lines | |
| Ettie Faith (Previously Robert Snooks) | 0-4-4 | Ex Moors Valley Railway Tinkerbell class | Black | Sold by owner. |
| Petrol Hydraulic | ||||
| John A Pattern | 2-6-2 | Sit In | Blue with Maroon and Silver band | |
| H G Harrison | 0-4-0 + 4 wheel tender | Roanoake with Tender | British Racing Green | Currently undergoing an overhaul. |
| Diesel Hydraulic | ||||
| Lee Endeavour | Bo-Bo | Cromar White U-Boat | Black with Yellow band | |
| Battery Electric | ||||
| Lady Amwell | Bo-Bo | Ride on Railways Sit In. Based on Ruislip Lido, "Lady of the Lakes" | Maroon with Yellow band | |
| Not Operational: | ||||
| Steam | ||||
| Peter N Brown | 0-4-2 | Tinkerbell Class | Lined Maroon, Black and Straw lines | |
| TCB Miller | 0-4-2 | Tinkerbell Class | Lined Blue, Red and White lines. | Named after the designer of the High Speed Train, a former member. |
