Dudley Garden Railway

By robert millard

The start of the Dudley Garden Railway began with the design and construction of a suitable loco. I decided on certain factors:

1. Narrow Gauge, in order to achieve a large locomotive
2. 6 driving wheels, with additional pony and trailing wheels
3. Outside frames
4. Tanks for adhesion
5. A large boiler and firebox to allow for stopping and starting on a short railway and still have lots of steam

The chosen prototype was the Lynton & Barnstable locos – these were also chosen because I was familiar with Yeo on the FR as a volunteer.

[[No Image]]Track had to be laid on the ground and 16mm high aluminium rail was used. The points were built from scratch. Each is 48” long, screwed to softwood sleepers. In total the line is 50 ft long with a two road shed measuring 7ft x2.5ft.

[[No Image]]Rolling stock is a driving carriage on two 4 wheel bogies with brakes,and a recently built balcony carriage modelled on the Fairbourne Railway carriages, measuring 6ft long by 16” high, on which two people can ride.

[[No Image]][[No Image]]A petrol loco has been built but the size of the engine restricted the locomotive’s size. It has pulled two people, and is controlled by forward & reverse gears and a clutch. A third loco is 0-4-0t Katie, started by my grandfather and is quite small when seen alongside L&B locomotive Exe![[No Image]]