Brookside minaiture railway.
 

Brookside minaiture railway near Poynton is my favourite small scale line.
I do realise that there has been an accident on the line which resulted in hospital visits for two children but on the whole the line is good.

Why is it so amazing?
The line goes round a garden centre and is 7.25 inch guage.
The line was recently extended to a mile in length as the garden centre expanded and now the line is being recognised as a needed transport link around the site.

It being so large that on the huge loop a new third single platform station has been constructed.
I have heard that new passenger vehicles with space for the shopping are being built and will certainly add a new feature.

This is probably the most amazing working railway in the world and to the smallest guage.
It takes about 10 minutes to get round none stop and 15 minutes if the trainstops at the stations.


Here is a guide.
The main station with an overall roof has three platforms and is situated at the car park and main entrance.
The first station along the route is single platform jsut afet a tunnel under the entrance roadhis is about a quarter of a mile along next you travel along the shed and summerhouse section and go over several level crossings each with a siren.

Now there is a unique rail/ path section about 50 yards long with tramway style track. A low running speed is applied.

Now in a cutting if you look to your right you see where the picnic area was- now converted to sidings for the extension.
On the left is the engine sheds and workshopste large.

Now you leave the old section for the new section over the river and includes a waterfall and second tunnel and rockery.

The new station when I last went had yet to open because of stock being put in place which would include rockery plants.

This station has delighful benches and a small shelter and is well cared for.
This is about half way (.5 a mile)
now you travel next to the river past the real standard guage signal box and enter woods.

Now the track doubles and two bridges over the river take you back to the central station where the journey began.


There is a full size andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST on display and a nice restraunt which is open all day.
Well worth a visit.:)
Now you leave the new section and cross a river

Here is some pictures.

http://www.klondyke.co.uk/files/imag.../brookside.jpg

This one is of central station:
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/7719035.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3517/...335aca6427.jpg


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2552/...84b48d3a9c.jpg

PS: the second part of the description should include another tunnel AFTER the third station as well as the one before.
The above pic shows this.
The website has not been updated to show the extension so still says the line is half a mile.
Please note that tickets can only be obtained at central station (also known as brookside/ brookside central and poynton brookside and then the other stations can be used when wished.

We haven't visited Brookside since the line was extended but we will certainly be paying a visit when the weather improves. Even if the trains aren't running it's a great day out with plenty to see (including lots of railway relics) and the food in the Romany restaurant is fantastic. Is the model shop still there?
P.S. Did they recover the track etc. from the closed garden centre in Knutsford in order to carry out the extension?

Without sounding ignorant, as far as I know, this is near Chester. My sister lives that way, as I did for a short spell in the late 1970's, but can't recall this area. Any website please?

Thanks for the info SFE, I will certainly have a look when I'm down that way. Try this website.......................

http://www.brooksidegardencentre.com/

I am not quite sure of what garden centre in Knutsford you are talking about swiss as the town is garden centre heaven.
The model shop is there and I recently bought a guards van from them.
You ay wish to knwo that the second station just after the tunnels can be stopped at.
I did say this but the station is not advertised as a stop at all but if you stand on the platform and put your hand out or ask the driver before the trip starts then the train stops.
Thats what happened when I was there anyway.

The new bit is very good and I think the station is open now.


As the central station has four platforms there may be yet another line but this time end to end and use the turntable which has not been used since the original loop was finished.

When I next get to visit my Sister, I will have to visit this as well. Thank you for the info.

I am not sure whether it has reopened after the accident.
Better ring them before you visit.

The original owners of Brookside also ran Hills Garden Centre which was situated on the A50 going into Knutsford. They also had a miniature railway at Hills but nowhere near as extensive as the Brookside one. When the company went bankrupt the Brookside Garden Centre was taken over by Klondyke/Strikes but I'm pretty sure that the Hills Garden Centre remained closed. Maybe Klondyke/Strikes obtained the track from Hills and used it to extend the Brookside system?

No in a word.
I visit Hills more often than Brookside and there never ceases to be trains running.
The website is still going althought it has not been updated for a year or two.
I was there last summer to get a new shed and an orange tree. While I was there I had a ride (or ten) on the railway behind the steam loco.
Hills is smaller with only a two platform station and no halts but the two platforms serve two loops now.

When did the company go bellyup?

Brookside and Hills went into administration in November 2008. As Klondyke/Strikes only bought Brookside I assumed that Hills remained closed but apparently it was bought by a local businessman and reopened as you so rightly pointed out.

Hills is a nice railway and arguably nicer on a sunny day.
The mini golf is fun and right next to the running line.
I was nearly flattened but still a nice extra attraction.
The second loop is long enough I feel for a halt to serve the other parts of the site.
The main station though needs another platform tough and they need to be lengthened.
You really have to be determined to get on a train on a busy day as it only consists of a few cars.
The rolling stock is much better though as they are all small scale Pullmans with roofs and all.
Proper seats are included wich have four in a car. There are two compartments each with two seats that face each other.
They don't have much in the way of sides except by the seats but it is a lot from such a small gauge.
Access to the sheds is better than at Brookside as well and can be walked up to and not just seen from the train.

Oh and here is a pic of the train.
The man is just bending down for a photo not just for lack of headroom.
There is plenty of that and I'm 6 foot 1!
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/4679987.jpg

I see the carriages at Hills are carrying the BMR logo which I assume is Brookside Miniature Railway. One fine day it could be Bollington and Marple Railway :D

Had know the line was for sale I would have bought it without a pause for thought.
These two lines were constructed in a way which really strains the small gauge and to me seems a bit too small for such long railways and for such large locos and stock.
It was very stable when I have ridden them though.

A thing about Miniature railways- over a short distance they are better for seeing the sights if you know what I mean. You feel more at one with the landscape.
The Wells- Walsingham light railway is a 10.25 inch gauge line that runs for a huge 4 miles!
The powerful garratt loco is a wonderful piece of engineering.
I will put a guide to that line on the forum as well once I can find the 2007 diary.

PS. There is a pic I put on here of the WWLR loco at Walsingham- see gallery.

Hi chaps, its been a while since I updated this thread, but today I went down again and things have changed.

The new extension is now open all the time, but the new station (with signs and benches from Bridge of Orchy) is only open occasionally when they bring the fun fair a few times a year.

Brookside central, is a little strange.
The station had, until recently four platforms. This number has decreased to three. The platform 4 appraoch line on the bridge has been lifted to allow boarding on longer trains on platform 3. The track in platform 4 is still there, but not connected , and the track is degrading and simply walked over.

Platform 1 is still a fine affair. Platform 2 is a bay platform, which in recent years has not been used much. it is still used to shunt the loco coal wagon to the end where it is accessable to arriving steam locos.
The odd shed tour train may depart from here, but only when no other trains are running, as signalling is not bi directional.

The passing loop at Brookside halt is becomming less used, with the rails now rusty and grass and moss finding home.

The locomotives are always in fine shape, and today was no different, and two first class coaches have been put into service with padded, backed steats, a roof and a table in the middle. Each coach can take 2 passengers.

All in all a few ups and a few downs, but all in all good. Central station has degraded somewhat, but still a great day out with great food.

P.S, if you go in spring a bluetit often makes a nest in the old Ciggarette machine! It comes in and out at the dispenser. :D
Cute. :)

I have here a good picture of the station, taken from platform 4. It is fairly recent because in the far right the track in platform 4 is not connected. It is a shame really because behind the photographer there is a turntable that can be operated, so turning is no longer a public feature. The remaining track on the large bridge has been slewed slightly. The station is modelled on Dunster WSR.

Since the change in ownership, the hills mini railway locos are now at Brookside, with other non exmoor locos now taking the Hills stage.
http://www.ukattraction.com/north-we...986KSU-0-1.jpg

The loco on the right was on the reopening train at Hills.