We all love a steam train, and while the big beasts make occasional weekend trips through the city, there are a surprisingly large number of miniature steam trains chugging along little railways around parts of London as well.
Operated by local model railway enthusiasts, these miniature railways offer trips for the public for a nominal fee most weekends throughout the summer.
A couple of hours one day surrounded by the flinty smell of model steam engines will help to shake off your lockdown cobwebs.
They all closed for the pandemic lockdown, so this page will be updated as I become aware of confirmed opening dates.
Reopening dates confirmed
Havering Miniature Railway Club – reopens 12th April
A new 7¼” gauge miniature railway with a range of locomotives, including a miniature Metropolitan electric locomotive. The track is quite long as well, being 772 metres with a couple of loops.
Open on the 1st or 2nd Sunday of each month (check website) from 11am to 4pm.
Ruislip Lido Railway – reopening 12th April
A big railway for a miniature service – offering sit in carriages rather than the sit-on variety used by smaller model services. The two and a half-mile round trip on the 12-inch gauge service takes about 35 minutes.
Runs every weekend from April-November and during the week during holidays.
Brockwell Park Miniature Railway – reopens 18th April 2021
A decent-sized 7¼ inch gauge miniature railway offering round trips from Herne Hill Gates to the Brockwell Lido and return.
Opened in 2003 and runs for 240 yards along a single track with loops at either end. The railway has been relaid close to the formation of the original railway which ran between 1951-1961.
A range of diesel effect battery and steam locomotives.
Runs every Sunday from March to October with trips from 11am-4pm.
Epping Ongar Railway – reopening 22nd May
Not a miniature, but London’s closest full-size heritage steam service. Open most weekends with trips between Chipping Ongar and North Weald (bus link from Epping tube station).
Add in the heritage in Chipping Ongar and the ancient churches, and it is pretty much a whole day out.
Open dates to be confirmed
In alphabetical order
No update since 1st Jan
Chingford and District Model Engineering Club
One of the best-kept secrets in Chingford is the 2 model train tracks at the back of Ridgeway Park. There is a 1000 foot long raised level track and a 3000 foot long 7¼” ground level track.
Open every Sunday and Bank Holiday April to October in the afternoons.
Two newish railway tracks at this mainly model railway group.
Open on the first and third Sunday afternoons each month from May to October.
Only just on the outside of the M25, so included anyway. Two tracks offering trips of 15-20 minutes each on a huge selection of locomotives – they have 25 steam engines plus others.
Open every Sunday from May to November in the afternoons only.
This is a newly restored light railway associated with the steam pumping station. Currently a small loop, but they’ve just secured permission for a major expansion.
Built in what was once a back garden, this decent sized loop railway has several steam and battery locomotives, a single station, and one tunnel to travel through. The tea room also contains a small railway history museum.
Open April to October on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month.
Harrow and Wembley Society of Model Engineers
80 year old model railway society, offers a range of medium-sized locomotives with sit-on carriages and a number of tracks looping around the site. Sometimes known as the Roxbourne Park Miniature Railway.
Open Sunday afternoons from April to late October.
The small railway is located in the centre of Ickenham and has been giving rides to the public since 1970.
Open on the first Saturday of the month from April to December in the afternoons.
Ilford & West Essex Model Rail Club
A 7¼” gauge miniature railway in an irregular loop and featuring a 30 feet long timber viaduct across a lake. The clubhouse is also open with model railway layouts to watch.
Open on the first Sunday of the month from April to September.
This is a small light railway that runs along tracks laid for the original coal-carrying railway that serviced the steam engines in the water pumping station.
London Transport Miniature Railway
Only open when the London Transport Museum depot has its open weekends.
Trips usually £1 — although you have to have a ticket to the museum depot as well, which if you haven’t been is a very worthwhile place in itself.
Offers a mix of steam and diesel engines – and a miniature tube train.
Running since 1950, the live steam section has a continuous raised track suitable for 3½” and 5″ gauge locomotives. It is about 660 feet long and runs around the perimeter of the Community Centre site.
Open on the third Sunday of every month from April to September.
The sizeable railway that is also used as a cargo service for park visitors in addition to being a pleasure service.
The fleet includes a large range of battery electric locomotives and steam engines, and a couple of substantial stations.
Open most weekends from April to October, and every day in August.
Thames Ditton Miniature Railway – aiming to reopen in May
A venerable organisation that has been around for nearly 80 years, they operate two independent railways. The ground level railway is for the larger trains the other is an elevated railway for the smaller scale trains, both are used for passenger hauling.
Open in the afternoons on the first Sunday of every month April to October and also Bank Holidays.
Roughly 600 yards long, and apparently operational all year round. Has quite large locomotives with sit-in open air carriages.
Open weekends throughout the year in the afternoons only.
Welling and District Model Engineering Society – closed, moving location
Founded in 1945, the society has a 1,268 long miniature railway track with 3.5″ and 5″ gauge raised steel track. The track is electronically signalled and features a full anti-tip rail, level crossing, footbridges, mini-viaduct, signal box and tunnel.
The Holy Tree pub near the south-west corner of Wanstead Flats has a miniature railway too – just a simple oval track. They got it running just before lock-down, so I’ve yet to see it in action, but it’s visible here:
https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=51.55586&mlon=0.02031#map=19/51.55586/0.02031
You have also forgotten the North Weald & District Miniature Railway which opens on the 17th April
Its in the grounds of the Harlow Garden Centre (just down the road from the Epping Ongar Railway)
I wonder if I would more complaints by including it (as it’s not in London) or more complaints by excluding it?
I think that the Watford Miniature Railway mentioned must be the one in Cassiobury Park, pleasant walk from the Watford branch station of the Metropolitan line.
Nice park, good for a afternoon out.
Good news about re-openings.
Not forgetting the delightful ssme train park at leatherhead. Plenty of rides and refreshments.
http://www.ssme.co.uk
This is a great listing! I have stored it for future use and shared with other parents Bucket railway list 🙂
Very good list of min. railways, I’ll store this listing for when we come over from the colonies in 2022!