We are celebrating our 10th Anniversary with a Saddle Tank Steam Gala on the 14 – 15 June.
Saddle Tank locomotives store their water in saddle shaped tanks sitting over the boiler.
There will be three locomotives in operation throughout both days (subject to volunteer availability):
One of the visitors, ‘Alice’, is based at the South Downs Light Railway at Pulborough. She was completed in 2001 and is an approximately half size model of the 2-foot gauge Bagnal 0-4-2 ST locomotives that were widely used on narrow gauge industrial and mining railways. She is named after the builders mother.
The other visitor, ‘Firefly’, is based at the Hastings Miniature Railway. She’s an 0-4-0 ST and is one of a pair built as doubled up versions of the 5” gauge Sweet Pea design.
And, last but not least, is our very own ‘Ivor’, also an 0-4-0 ST, which is loosely based on a Quarry Hunslet design. She was completed in 1991 for the Ferry Meadows Railway. It changed hands several times prior to ending up at the North Cornwall Railway which is where we acquired her from.
Our thanks to the South Downs Light Railway and the Hastings Miniature Railway for providing these fine locomotives.
This year marks 10 years since the re-opening of the Ropley Miniature Railway at its current location (we actually ran our first service during the Easter 2015 Day Out With Thomas event). So, we will also use this gala to celebrate the 10th anniversary of operations here.
