Thorne Memorial Park Miniature Railway facts for kids

The Thorne Memorial Park Miniature Railway is a fun, small railway located in Thorne, South Yorkshire, England. It has two different track sizes, 7 ¹⁄₄ in (184 mm) and 5 in (127 mm) wide. This railway was built in 1998 and runs on two loops inside Thorne Memorial Park.

History of the Thorne Railway

How the Railway Started

The idea for this railway began in the late 1970s. People who loved model engineering wanted to create a club. They formed the "Doncaster Model Engineering Society". This group first built their track behind the famous "Doncaster Plant Works". This was a very important place for railways. Many famous trains, like Mallard and Flying Scotsman, were built there.

The group laid about 900 feet (274 meters) of track. It had two sizes, 5-and-7+1⁄4-inch gauge (130 and 180 mm). But only five years later, they faced a big problem. They found out that the ground under their track had safety issues.

Moving to Thorne

Because of the ground problems, the group had to move. The entire track disappeared, taken by unknown people. The society then met in different places. Finally, in 1996, they asked Thorne Parish Council for help. The council was happy to have a miniature railway in their park.

The council offered them a strong brick building. It was an old Second World War air raid shelter. It had power and water nearby. This building became the railway's locomotive depot. They added a new steel door to it. This door helps move the trains in and out easily.

Building the New Tracks

The first part of the railway in Thorne was finished by July 1998. It had a 600-foot (183-meter) loop of track. This track also had both 5-and-7+1⁄4-inch gauge (130 and 180 mm) sizes. There was also a 100-foot (30-meter) branch line. This line led to the preparation area and the train shed.

In 2000, the society changed its name. It became the Doncaster & District Model Engineering Society Limited. A second loop of 7+1⁄4-inch gauge (180 mm) track was added in 2003–04. The two loops were connected by a special crossing. More work was done to the loco shed. A new steel door was put in. This allows trains to go directly onto the track. A new central platform was also built at Thorne Central Station.

When to Visit

The train service is now a regular part of the park. Many local people and visitors enjoy it. The railway runs on Sundays. This is from Easter until the end of October. It does not run during winter. You can also ride the trains during the annual Thorne Festival weekend. The society has a website for more information.

Locomotives and Rolling Stock

The Thorne Memorial Park Miniature Railway has several cool trains. These include steam, electric, and petrol-powered locomotives. They also have coaches for passengers to ride in.

Club Steam Locomotives

• Koppel: This is a large, red steam train. It was built in 1985. It is now named "RON" to honor Ron Smelt.
• Princes Sarah: This is an industrial-style steam train. Paul Tattersall owns and built it.

Club Electric Locomotives

• John L Stokes: This is a battery-powered electric train. It is named after a club member. He gave many parts for this train. It is painted red with white cabs.
• The Duke: This is another battery-powered electric train. It is painted blue with yellow ends.

Club Petrol Locomotive

• There is a 7+1⁄4-inch gauge (180 mm) shunter train. It is powered by a Honda 90 petrol engine. This train is waiting to be fixed up and run again.

Rolling Stock (Coaches)

The railway has several passenger coaches.

• 2001 Coaches: There are two 8-foot (2.4-meter) long coaches. They are painted a dark red color.
• Coach No. 3: This coach was built in 2016. It is also painted dark red.
• Coach No. 4: This coach was built in June 2018. It is also painted dark red.
• There is also a special driving truck. Paul Tattersall designed and built it.
• A brake truck is used by the guard.
• Another driving truck was built in 2018. It is painted green.