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Butlins Miniature Railways Back

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At one time or another seven of the Butlin's camps were home to passenger-carrying miniature railways, only Barry and Mosney being the odd ones out. Most of these lines were simple amusement rides, offering short trips around the camp grounds. The line at Filey criss-crossed the boating lake, the line at Ayr ran beside the beach and the line at Clacton gained fame for appearing in the credits of the BBC sitcom 'Hi-de-Hi'. The exception was at Pwllheli, where the line fulfilled a genuine transport need by running some 3/4 of a mile from the centre of the camp to the beach. Some of these lines remained pretty much the same for their entire lives, but others saw various changes, notably the Minehead railway which operated on three totally different sites within the camp. The locomotives used on each line were also subject to change and were often swapped around between the different sites.

The tables below gives brief details of these locomotives, including info on where they are now. The information comes from the excellent book by Peter Scott entitled "A History of the Butlin's Railways" which contains extensive information on the miniature railways, chairlifts, monorails, steam locomotives and general history of the camps themselves. Contact Peter direct at pe.scott@ukonline.co.uk

Ayr

Railway operated from 1956 to 1988

Locomotive
Number/Name

First Season

Last Season

Where is it now?

No. D611
Princess Elizabeth

1956

1963

Midland Railway Centre
Derbyshire

No. 31
C P Huntington

1964

1973

Clyde Valley Country Estate
South Lanarkshire

No. 476106
Sue

1974

1976

Threlkeld Quarry Museum
Cumbria

No. 145
C P Huntington

1977

1988

Glendale Forge
Essex

Bognor

Railway operated from 1987 to 1991

Locomotive
Number/Name

First Season

Last Season

Where is it now?

No. 1
Prince Edward

1987

1991

Privately owned
Surrey

Clacton

Railway operated from 1939 to 1985

Locomotive
Number/Name

First Season

Last Season

Where is it now?

No. D611
Princess Elizabeth

1939

1954

Midland Railway Centre
Derbyshire

No. D612
Princess Margaret Rose

1939

1952

Midland Railway Centre
Derbyshire

No. 3232

1959

1976

The Lynbarn Railway
Devon

No. 148
C P Huntington

1977

1985

Sold abroad
(Denmark)

Filey

Railway operated from 1953 to 1983

Locomotive
Number/Name

First season

Last season

Where is it now?

No. 3235

1953

1975

Privately owned
Lancashire

No. 141
C P Huntington

1976

1983

In storage
Hereford & Worcester

Minehead

Railway operated from 1964 to 1989

Locomotive
Number/Name

First season

Last season

Where is it now?

No. 30
C P Huntington

1964

1974

Sold abroad
(USA)

No. 31
C P Huntington

1975

1985

Clyde Valley Country Estate
South Lanarkshire

No. 30
C P Huntington

1985

1986

Sold abroad
(USA)

No. 31
C P Huntington

1987

1988

Clyde Valley Country Estate
South Lanarkshire

No. 7002/0967/6

1989

1989

??

Pwllheli

Railway operated from 1953 to 1996

Locomotive
Number/Name

First season

Last season

Where is it now?

No. D612
Queen Elizabeth

1953

1970

Midland Railway Centre
Derbyshire

No. 487963
Old Sparky

1971

1977

Derbyshire Dales Railway
Derbyshire

No. 157
C P Huntington

1978

1996

Private Storage
Oxfordshire

Skegness

Railway operated from 1962 to 1986

Locomotive
Number/Name

First season

Last season

Where is it now?

Princess Anne

1962

1974

Windmill Farm Railway
Lancashire

No. 30
C P Huntington

1975

1984

Sold abroad
(USA)

No. 141
C P Huntington

1985

1986

In storage
Hereford & Worcester

Additional railway photos/postcards most welcome!


Skegness. Princess Anne in 1971

Skegness. Princess Anne in 1971


Skegness. Chance 30 running in 1979

Skegness. Chance 30 running in 1979


Pwllheli. Queen Elizabeth in the 1960s

Pwllheli. Queen Elizabeth in the 1960s


Pwllheli

Pwllheli


Pwllheli. Train at the main station 1990s

Pwllheli. Train at the main station 1990s


Pwllheli. Disused trackbed 2002

Pwllheli. Disused trackbed 2002


Pwllheli. Disused beach station 2002

Pwllheli. Disused beach station 2002


Pwllheli. Disused main station 2002

Pwllheli. Disused main station 2002


Ayr. Chance 145 seen in 1982

Ayr. Chance 145 seen in 1982


Ayr. Chance 145

Ayr. Chance 145


Ayr. 1960s postcard

Ayr. 1960s postcard


Filey. Baguley 3235

Filey. Baguley 3235


Filey. Baguley 3235

Filey. Baguley 3235


Filey. Baguley 3235

Filey. Baguley 3235


Filey. Riding the train in 1959

Filey. Riding the train in 1959


Filey. Early view of train

Filey. Early view of train


Filey. Chance 141

Filey. Chance 141


Filey. Remains of trackbed 2001

Filey. Remains of trackbed 2001


Filey. Remains of trackbed 2001

Filey. Remains of trackbed 2001


Minehead. Chance 30

Minehead. Chance 30