Events
Events 2022
With things returning to something like normality after the corona virus pandemic and the associated lockdowns, we are planning a programme of special events for 2022. Details of each of these events are given below, and we expect to be adding others soon, so please watch out for these.
If you are interested in some of the previous events that we have run, then details of selected ones are available, and a separate page describes these.
Mince Pie Specials
Sunday 1st January 2023
Mark New Year's Day
The ideal way to celebrate New Year 2023 (and perhaps even to recuperate from New Year’s Eve).
Trains will depart from our Moor Road Station at: 12:00, 12:45, 13:30, 14:15 and 15:00.
Fares: Adult £7.00; Children £3.00; Family £18.00 (2 adults and up to 3 children). (Note: single tickets are not available for this event.)
New Year tickets include unlimited rides (and a mince pie), and you do not need to return from Park Halt on the same train, so that if you wish to get off the train and go for a walk in the Park you are welcome to do so (but please don't miss the last train back!).
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What's On
Special Events
A special event train on the Balm Road branch
Train Services with Special Features
We run a series of special events during the year, with train services plus extra features. Some of these will be special attractions such as events for children, or family walks in the park, or our model railway exhibition.
Others will involve special trains, such as mixed trains (with goods wagons as well as coaches), or gala events with several locomotives in use.
Click here for details of these events.
Heritage Diesel Services
Two of our heritage diesel locomotives at Moor Road
Our Historic Diesel Locomotives
We have an interesting collection of heritage diesel locomotives, meaning ones that are pre-1950s. Indeed, several of them are real pioneers of diesel traction, dating back to the 1930s.
For this reason they are not in regular use, but we try to run a series of special days when they operate our normal train services, so as to give visitors opportunities to see them in action.
Click here for details of these services.
Previous Special Events
A train on the Balm Road branch as part of a previous special event
Important Events that We Have Run
As described above, in each year we normally run a significant programme of special events. Some of these are sufficiently memorable that we think that they are worth recording, and so we have kept the information that was used to publicise them.
In some cases we have added photographs of the significant features of the events.
Click here for details of these previous events.
More Information
Other pages of our web site will provide more information about:
First and Last Chance Weekend 2021
This Gala weekend was held on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th September 2021, and provided:
- a first chance to see the newly-overhauled HL 3860 "No. 6", in service for the first time in 45+ years; and
- a last chance to see NER 1310 before it retires from service.
The event featured a variety of operating patterns, with both passenger trains and goods trains, some of which carried passengers in the brake van. All the locomotives were drawn from our own fleet, and as well as "No. 6" and 1310 they included:
- HC D1373 "MD&HB No. 45" (which was replacing HC D577 "Mary", since unfortunately this had developed a problem with its brakes); and
- HC D631 "Carroll".
The event also featured a large O gauge model railway, based on the Slough Estates railway system, which was operating on our mezzanine floor, thanks to Jaye Isherwood and colleagues. This layout featured a model of Slough Estates No. 3, for comparison with the real thing.
NER 1310, waiting in the Moor Road loop at a previous gala.
Picture © Tony Cowling 2016.
Saturday and Sunday Services
On both days a special timetable was operated, providing a fairly intensive service (since this was our first gala for two years we were trying not to make it too hectic!). Trains ran over both our main passenger line and the little-used Balm Road branch. As described above, two train sets were in operation: one a passenger train and the other a goods train, where for some journeys passengers were able to travel in the guard's brake van.
There was a variety of patterns of operation, including some trains that had a locomotive at each end, and some that were double-headed. The first train departed at about 10:30 am and the last one arrived at about 4:30 pm.
The key feature of the timetable was two passenger-carrying goods trains at the beginning and the end of each day (departing from Moor Road at roughly 10:40 and 16:00 respectively).
Special fares applied for each day, namely £10.00p for an adult and £1.00p for a child: there were no family tickets for this event. Also, most of the various travel concessions that are offered for our normal train services did not apply for this event: the only exception was that the normal concessions for registered carers still applied.
Our usual range of refreshments was available on each day, including hot and cold drinks and sweets and a range of sandwiches.
HL 3860 No. 6, pictured during a steam test.
Picture © Tony Cowling 2021.
Whilst every effort was made to provide the advertised services, The Middleton Railway Trust Ltd. reserved the right to amend or cancel any service without prior notice and accepted no liability whatsoever for any inconvenience, loss or disappointment caused, including travel expenses.
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Model Railway Displays 2021
During August and September we had a series of small "pop-up" model railway displays, each with just one or two layouts, on the following dates. Visitors could admire the models set amongst the real thing in our Engine House, and could travel on a full size train as well.
Details of which layouts were on display on each date are as follows.
Saturday 14th August and Sunday 15th August: Millfield Yard (N gauge) and Ilkley (T gauge), thanks to members of Bradford Model Railway Club.
Saturday 21st August and Sunday 22nd August: Watson Street (EM), thanks to some of our own members, and Dolwyn (OO9), thanks to Dave & Barbara Holmes.
Saturday 28th August, Sunday 29th August and Monday 30th August: Middleton Estates and Colliery Company (OO), and Swiss Cottage (OO and OO9), thanks to our own modelling group.
Saturday 4th September and Sunday 5th September: Slough Estates (O), thanks to Jaye Isherwood and colleagues from the Slough and Windsor Railway Society. This featured a model of Slough Estates No. 3, for comparison with the real thing.
Saturday 11th September and Sunday 12th September: various OO9 layouts.
Saturday 18th September and Sunday 19th September: Hokane Tozan (N), thanks to members of Aire Valley Model Railway Club.
Saturday 25th September and Sunday 26th September: O gauge battery-powered trains of all shapes and sizes!
On each day the site was open from 10:00 until 16:00, and our usual train services were operating. Drinks and light refreshments were available as usual in our shop/café (but we were not able to make sandwiches available).
Most of the layouts were displayed on our new mezzanine floor.
All areas where the layouts were displayed, and the train rides, were accessible to visitors with disabilities.
The Middleton Railway's modeller's group layout, based on Middleton Colliery.
Picture © Tony Cowling, 2019
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Star Rails 2019
Following the success of last year's event, our second "Star Rails" event was held on Saturday 19th October and Sunday 20th October 2019. The train operations for this were as follows.
- Our usual train services operated to the normal timetable;
- Steam trains were operating on each day; and
- Footplate rides on the locomotive were available: more details of this are given below.
As well as our train services, the event featured at least the following activities in the Engine House:
- a replica landspeeder;
- ewoks, stormtroopers and other characters, thanks to the contribution of the Sentinel Squad UK; and
- a model starship display.
Special fares applied for each day, namely £8 for an adult, £3.50p for a child and £20 for a family ticket (covering up to 2 adults and 3 children). The various travel concessions that apply to our normal train services did not apply for this event.
As well as our normal range of refreshments, including hot and cold drinks and sweets, we had a range of sandwiches available on each day.
Whilst every effort will be made to provide the advertised services, The Middleton Railway Trust Ltd. reserves the right to amend or cancel any service without prior notice and accepts no liability whatsoever for any inconvenience, loss or disappointment caused, including travel expenses.
The replica landspeeder
Footplate Rides
A footplate ride gives you the opportunity to ride in the cab of a steam locomotive, for one return journey from Moor Road to Park Halt and back again. See for yourself just what has to be done to make these historic machines work!
There are a number of special conditions that do have to apply to this, however, and these are as follows.
- For a footplate ride you must be at least 18 years old, and not older than 76 years.
- You also need to be in reasonable health - at least up to the level that is required to drive a motor car - and at the time of the experience you must not be under the influence of either drink or drugs.
- No prior booking is needed: rides will be available on a first-come-first-served basis.
- A special charge will apply of £20.00p, in addition to the usual fare, and this special charge will go towards the efforts of the Sentinel Squad to raise funds for the charity "little hiccups", which they are supporting. If you are willing to make a donation on top of this minimum charge, this will be much appreciated.
- You will need to wear suitable clothes. Elaborate costumes are not recommended - they are really not compatible with steam locomotive footplates!
- In particular, you will need to wear reasonably stout shoes. Trainers are not sufficient - they would not protect your toes if a lump of coal dropped on them!
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