the TEN AND A QUARTER
railway society

Mull Rail Press Release Possible new location for award winning Mull Rail?
Mull Rail could become Loch Lomond Rail. Talks are underway with Scottish Enterprise over an exciting proposal to rebuild the railway at Balloch at the southern end of Loch Lomond. The new line would link Balloch‘s mainline railway station with the steamer pier and the popular Loch Lomond Shores Visitor and Retail Destination.

The future of the railway on Mull has been uncertain since Torsay Castle was put up for sale. Mull Rail director Nick Dodson said, “This is a really exciting opportunity. The proposed railway fulfils a real transport need and would give the equipment, engines and rolling stock a fresh lease of life.” “We are shortly to embark on a formal feasibility study with Scottish Enterprise but meetings with them and extensive field work shows that the scheme could be extremely viable. We’ve already held meetings with Scottish Enterprise, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, West Dunbartonshire Council and the Loch Lomond Shores complex and the response was very encouraging.” Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park has been identified as one of Scotland’s key tourism destination that will help to drive growth within the wider tourism industry. In collaboration with industry and other public sector organisations, Scottish Enterprise supports the development of these key destinations to ensure they provide the foundation for future, sustainable growth of Scottish tourism. This area recently benefitted from a new £3.5 million ‘’Surprise Yourself” VisitScotland advertising campaign. Nearly half of the population of Scotland lives within a 90 minute drive of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and Loch Lomond Shores and its attractions already bring in over a million visitors each year.
A further boost is likely when the historic paddle steamer PS Maid of the Loch, the last paddle steamer to be built in Britain, hopefully returns to operation in 2013 after a 31 year restoration project.

The proposed line initially runs close to the alignment of the line from Balloch Central to Balloch Pier which closed in 1986. It will then continue onto the Loch Lomond Shores Visitor and Retail Destination and the complex’s extensive car parks. Nick Dodson added, “We realise there is much work still to be done but the response we’ve had from our new partners in the scheme is most encouraging. Once formal agreements have been reached progress could be extremely rapid.” Allan McQuade, director of business infrastructure at Scottish Enterprise said: “We are currently in discussion with Mull Railway regarding this very exciting opportunity to relocate the railway to Balloch and Loch Lomond Shores. This proposal could help fulfil much sought after transport links between Balloch Village and Loch Lomond Shores as well as serve as a tourist attraction. The project is subject to financial and technical feasibilities which we are now progressing with Mull Railway."

In the meantime Mull Rail will run on five days a week with a reduced service until the start of September. Details can be found on the railway’s website www.mullrail.co.uk. Recently Mull Rail was honoured by an award presented by the 10¼” Gauge Railway Society marking its “continuous service to the public since its opening in 1984.”

open evening for enthusiasts

As in previous years, the Knebworth Miniature Railway is having a special open evening for enthusiasts. This year it will be on Wednesday 15th June. The evening should follow a similar format to previous years including the running of ex-Wells & Walsingham 'Pilgrim'. As Knebworth Park will be closed to the general public at this time it will be necessary to be at the main entrance gate (off the A1(M) junction 7) between 19.00 and 19.30 to gain access to the park. For more information contact me here or off list at antony.everett@googlemail.com or telephone the railways proprietor, Stuart Madgin, on 07972 585527. There will probably be a small admission charge. There should also be liquid refreshments, barbeque and a raffle.

important News for us all

As you all know we held the AGM on the 14 of May and at the meeting we took onboard four new committee members, one of those is Rick Osman and he ownes and runs a website development company and has very kindly offered to build us a new website, this makes my life a lot easier as the website at the moment is very hard to manage. We will stick with this one for a couple of weeks until the new one is ready and then I will bring it up to date, there are quite a few things that need to go on the site both in the public and members only area, there are new items for sale and forthcoming events to announce.
I thank you all for your patiance but in the end it will be worth the wait, in the meen time if you have any news to add to the site or items for sale then please email me david@ferrymeadowsrailway.co.uk

obituary

On Friday 20 May a man well known to all in the miniature railway world David Curwen passed away, he will be very sadly missed but will always be remembered for his work and the legacy he leaves behind in the form of his locomotives.
The society members send their sincere condolences to his family and share in their loss.

The website will be expanded as fast as we receive information from our members.

1. Membership is now growing steadily. A members only area will open soon and a members e newsletter will be circulated several times a year.

2. The miniature railway magazine  features us  in recent editions. We recommend this as an excellent source of information on miniature railways past and present. the latest edition has excellent coverage of trains in the winter snow

Some views of the Stapleford Railway on a visit by the Heywood Society in 2008

3. We will have small display stands at some Model Engineering Exhibitions in 2011. Posters are being printed for the society if you can display one please contact us and We will send you some.

4. Giles Favell has kindly allowed us to add information from his website whilst it moves location. The resource  pages are here

and the first building a 2-6-0 'The Priest' page is here

5. News items have also appeared in various Magazines. Membership is growing steadily The members only area is now open.

A Facebook page has been opened click this link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ten-and-a-Quarter-Railway-Society/113899315354293 Please then Like the page when you get to it

6. See steam, diesel  & rolling stock for sale here includes a Complete 12.25 inch gauge steam railway

7. Sadly the 10.25 inch gauge railway on the Isle of Mull has had to suspend train services and may well close permanently due to the sale of Torosay Castle. A final day of operation took place on December 4th 2010 . An update is set out here of the latest position at 18th February2011.

Suggestions for any realistic alternative site for the railway would be welcome. email mike@rlsr.org and I'll pass suggestions to the right place.

8. Nominations for the 2010 best miniature railway award are now closed. The winner will be announced shortly. Its intended to give a plaque to the winning railway for them to keep & display. Members can see the result in the members area.

9. The Littlehampton Miniature railway 12.25 inch gauge has a new operator in 2011and services start on April 16th with new rolling stock.
 

10. A new operator is being sought for the Beale Park Railway 10.25 inch gauge at Pangbourne.

11. The society agm will be at Rudyard Lake Steam Railway on May 14th 2011 at 2.15pm. See the members page for more details.

12. Can you help? a recent email that came to us. Please reply to sealand7@tiscali.co.uk if you can. and copy us in so we can put the information on the supplier pages.

Hello.

I am in urgent need of a set of six 12" dia spoked driving wheels for a new build locomotive based loosely on the LNER J39 - Any help would be most greatfully received. I have attached hereto a GA of the loco.

I will keep you posted on progress.

Thanks and kind regards

Vince Free
 

We intend to provide a source of information and support for those interested in railways principally of 10.25 inch gauge but also covering those from 8 inch gauge and up to an including 12.5 inch gauge.
We will provide information on sources of materials and hopefully items for sale or wanted.

Membership enquiries email:  membership@ten-and-a-quarter-railway-society.co.uk

For other information email: info@ten-and-a-quarter-railway-society.co.uk

or write to

The Ten and a Quarter Railway Society
6A New Park Gardens
Trentham
Stoke on Trent
ST4 8LW