Quick Visit To Echills Wood Railway...
After deciding to take a midday stroll "somewhere" we finally chose Kingsbury Water Park which lies on the outskirts of Tamworth. The park is largely wooded and features numorous expanses of open water. (This allows sailing during the summer months). However, since early 2005, the park has had yet another attraction: The Echills Wood Railway. The EWR is a 7.25" gauge miniature railway which runs from it's "Harvesters Station" base, located near the visitor centre. We had already checked that the railway would be running on their website and so left knowing that their would be something to see when we got there! After 25 minutes or so of motorway driving we reached Kingsbury Water Park and quickly parked up. We then took a gentle stroll across the main car park to the station. I was firstly glad to see a train in the platform but was then, admittedly, a little dissapointed to see that it wasn't steam. I suppose the railway wasn't planning it to be busy enough for steam, though there seemed to be many people already on the train. We payed our fares before boarding the small, but comfortable, 7.25" gauge coaches.
Train services were in the capable hands of the EWR's diesel locomotive, named "River Avon". (This engine is generally seen on maintainance/works trains). With a blast on the Guard's whistle the diesel began to move. Leaving "Harvesters", the line crosses a seemingly busy access road via a level crossing with barriers. It then passes through the main yard. Here can be seen the engine shed's, turntable, sidings and steaming bays. once through the yard, the line changes to single track and heads into one of the deeply wooded sections. The scenary on the line is very nice. The sound of the locomotive is seemingly the only thing that can break the sounds of birdsong and rustling leaves. After meandering its way through the trees the line passes "Picnic Junction" where there is a triangle. When the EWR extension to "Far Leys" is complete, trains will use the triangle to allow a non-stop return trip but, for now, trains pass along the bottom edge of the triangle and then proceed through a small station without stopping. The triangle is then left behind as the train follows another access-road which runs parrallel to the left of the track. Views of the surrounding woodland can once again be appreciated. 
After the straight the line then curves right again before meandering through the woodland once more. Trains cross a small bridge over a creek before arriving on the last section of line back to "Harvesters". After a few more twists and turns trains approach the signals which control operations at "Harvesters Station". Passengers are then asked to "All Change"(!) as the train pulls carefully back into the platform. I must say I enjoyed the ride very much, even though it was diesel! I found that it was nicely wooded and very scenic indeed. The best bit of the ride for me was that you couldn't see where you were going until you got there. The next section of track was always hidden, making the ride much more interesting! Great value for only £1 each! After leaving the train we took a stroll to Kingsbury Village where we enjoyed a nice bag of fish & chips each (highly recommended!). On the return walk I took a detour to "Far Leys" to see progress on the extension:-
This is the scene at "Far Leys" at the present time. The double-tunnel is 72ft long and has been made with the help of many EWR members. I believe that the plan is to create an extra loop, beginning and ending at Pincic Junction Triangle on the current loop (discussed earlier). The view of the tunnels is from the Picnic Junction end. I believe that the track doesn't go very far on the other side so far but, in time, it will be a fantastic train ride! The current loop is long enough, let alone with this massive extension plan! I'll certainly be back to see it in action! After leaving "Far Leys" we walked along the edge of the extension as far as "Picnic Junction" where the path rejoined the current loop. There was however, unfortunately, no sign of "River Avon" whilst we were there. Continuing down the heavily wooded path we made it back to "Harvesters" where I saw the track of the fantastic 32mm gauge "Station Masters Garden Railway". Looks like a good layout, especially for live steam!
Leaving "Harvesters" I found a location on the approach to the station from where to catch a shot of the next train. (You can see the shot that I caught above). The EWR is fully signalled using both colour-light signals and semaphore signals. There are also, I'm told, interlocking systems in the points to increase the safety of operations. So, I had a very nice little visit to the EWR. It was the first time that I had rode on the railway but it would be nice to go again when there is some steam running. For your information, the railway runs on selected Sunday's and during some school holidays. The railway's website is http://www.ewr.org.uk/ . For only £1 each I throughly recommend a trip! More posts coming soon! Thanks for reading!
After deciding to take a midday stroll "somewhere" we finally chose Kingsbury Water Park which lies on the outskirts of Tamworth. The park is largely wooded and features numorous expanses of open water. (This allows sailing during the summer months). However, since early 2005, the park has had yet another attraction: The Echills Wood Railway. The EWR is a 7.25" gauge miniature railway which runs from it's "Harvesters Station" base, located near the visitor centre. We had already checked that the railway would be running on their website and so left knowing that their would be something to see when we got there! After 25 minutes or so of motorway driving we reached Kingsbury Water Park and quickly parked up. We then took a gentle stroll across the main car park to the station. I was firstly glad to see a train in the platform but was then, admittedly, a little dissapointed to see that it wasn't steam. I suppose the railway wasn't planning it to be busy enough for steam, though there seemed to be many people already on the train. We payed our fares before boarding the small, but comfortable, 7.25" gauge coaches.
Train services were in the capable hands of the EWR's diesel locomotive, named "River Avon". (This engine is generally seen on maintainance/works trains). With a blast on the Guard's whistle the diesel began to move. Leaving "Harvesters", the line crosses a seemingly busy access road via a level crossing with barriers. It then passes through the main yard. Here can be seen the engine shed's, turntable, sidings and steaming bays. once through the yard, the line changes to single track and heads into one of the deeply wooded sections. The scenary on the line is very nice. The sound of the locomotive is seemingly the only thing that can break the sounds of birdsong and rustling leaves. After meandering its way through the trees the line passes "Picnic Junction" where there is a triangle. When the EWR extension to "Far Leys" is complete, trains will use the triangle to allow a non-stop return trip but, for now, trains pass along the bottom edge of the triangle and then proceed through a small station without stopping. The triangle is then left behind as the train follows another access-road which runs parrallel to the left of the track. Views of the surrounding woodland can once again be appreciated. 
After the straight the line then curves right again before meandering through the woodland once more. Trains cross a small bridge over a creek before arriving on the last section of line back to "Harvesters". After a few more twists and turns trains approach the signals which control operations at "Harvesters Station". Passengers are then asked to "All Change"(!) as the train pulls carefully back into the platform. I must say I enjoyed the ride very much, even though it was diesel! I found that it was nicely wooded and very scenic indeed. The best bit of the ride for me was that you couldn't see where you were going until you got there. The next section of track was always hidden, making the ride much more interesting! Great value for only £1 each! After leaving the train we took a stroll to Kingsbury Village where we enjoyed a nice bag of fish & chips each (highly recommended!). On the return walk I took a detour to "Far Leys" to see progress on the extension:-
This is the scene at "Far Leys" at the present time. The double-tunnel is 72ft long and has been made with the help of many EWR members. I believe that the plan is to create an extra loop, beginning and ending at Pincic Junction Triangle on the current loop (discussed earlier). The view of the tunnels is from the Picnic Junction end. I believe that the track doesn't go very far on the other side so far but, in time, it will be a fantastic train ride! The current loop is long enough, let alone with this massive extension plan! I'll certainly be back to see it in action! After leaving "Far Leys" we walked along the edge of the extension as far as "Picnic Junction" where the path rejoined the current loop. There was however, unfortunately, no sign of "River Avon" whilst we were there. Continuing down the heavily wooded path we made it back to "Harvesters" where I saw the track of the fantastic 32mm gauge "Station Masters Garden Railway". Looks like a good layout, especially for live steam!
Leaving "Harvesters" I found a location on the approach to the station from where to catch a shot of the next train. (You can see the shot that I caught above). The EWR is fully signalled using both colour-light signals and semaphore signals. There are also, I'm told, interlocking systems in the points to increase the safety of operations. So, I had a very nice little visit to the EWR. It was the first time that I had rode on the railway but it would be nice to go again when there is some steam running. For your information, the railway runs on selected Sunday's and during some school holidays. The railway's website is http://www.ewr.org.uk/ . For only £1 each I throughly recommend a trip! More posts coming soon! Thanks for reading!
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