BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE - WATFORD MINIATURE RAILWAY
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WATFORD MINIATURE RAILWAY
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
September 2019
SOUTHERN MINIATURE RAILWAYS LTD
Watford Miniature Railway: Building for the Future (Public Edition)
CONTENTS
Executive Summary................................................................................................................................................................................. 2
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 3
Timeline of the Railway ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Storage ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Maintenance .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
Staff Welfare ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Customer Experience ............................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Full Steam Ahead! ................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
A Transport Concern .......................................................................................................................................................................... 10
The Way Forward: Option One - Do Nothing ............................................................................................................................ 11
The Way Forward: Option Two - A Holding Operation ........................................................................................................... 12
The Way forward: Option Three - New Storage and Rolling Stock ...................................................................................... 13
The Way forward: Additional Option – Heritage Trust ............................................................................................................ 15
Finance ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
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Watford Miniature Railway: Building for the Future (Public Edition)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Watford Miniature Railway is one of the town’s cultural institutions and has been operating in Cassiobury Park
for sixty years. However, the railway’s facilities are not fit for purpose and need to be developed to secure the
railway’s future.
There is a need to develop improved storage, maintenance and staff welfare facilities – and to make other
developments to improve the customer experience. It is proposed to undertake the works and erect replacement
buildings to achieve this, and it is anticipated that this can be accomplished within the next ten years.
Additionally, it is proposed to establish a supporting Heritage Trust which can lead development on a dedicated
museum and heritage restoration building for the railway, reflecting its national historical significance and
developing the educational aspects of the railway.
This report is an abridged version of one presented to Watford Borough Council Parks Department in June 2019.
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Watford Miniature Railway: Building for the Future (Public Edition)
INTRODUCTION
The Watford Miniature Railway first opened in Cassiobury Park in 1959. It has since become a firmly established
park facility and is widely considered to be an integral part of the social fabric of Watford.
The railway has been gradually expanded and developed since it first opened – starting with one locomotive, one
carriage and a short length of track in 1959, there are now six locomotives, twenty-four carriages and 2/3 a mile of
track. However, the last developments occurred 30 years ago, and there is a need to bring the railway up to a
suitable modern standard to both secure it for the long-term future and reflect its historical and cultural
significance.
The railway is currently operated by Southern Miniature Railways Ltd (SMR), who hold a 10-year site lease from
Watford Borough Council (WBC) from July 2017. All railway equipment on site is owned by or specifically on
loan to SMR.
There are approximately 160 miniature railways in local authority parks in the UK. Discussion within the industry
leads to the belief that the Watford Miniature Railway is one of the oldest and busiest park railways in the UK, but
also has some of the worst on-site facilities.
This report outlines the issues facing the railway at present and ways that these could be dealt with.
TIMELINE OF THE RAILWAY
The miniature railway first opened in 1959 as an L-shaped track in a triangular area adjacent to the River Gade.
The station was situated on the opposite side of a path to the park’s paddling pool, and near to an area of play
equipment.
In 1963 the railway was extended to form a circuit of track.
In the 1980s the paddling pool was closed and relocated around 100m north east. Play equipment was also
relocated at this time. The railway was therefore extended in 1987 to a new station on the site of the original
paddling pool. At this time a mains water supply was installed to the new station.
Proposals for developing improved storage, maintenance and welfare facilities were pursued by one of the railway’s
previous operators from 1985 to 1997. These included the option for a building to display historic miniature
railway equipment and document the history of park railways. Negligible progress due to a lack of support from
WBC caused these plans to be shelved in 1997.
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Watford Miniature Railway: Building for the Future (Public Edition)
STORAGE
Overnight storage of the locomotives and coaches are provided in three sheds of corrugated iron construction,
situated in the south western corner of the railway. Two were built in the 1980s, whilst the third dates from the
early 1960s (although extended in the 1980s). The total undercover storage area is 81.05m 2.
Storage facilities of comparable railways in local authority parks are as follows:
Railway Undercover area
Eastleigh Lakeside Railway, 300m2
Hampshire
Royal Victoria Railway, Hampshire 259m2
Rudyard Lake Steam Railway, 290m2
Staffordshire
Ruislip Lido Railway, London 465m2
Moors Valley Railway, Dorset 1000m2
Swanley New Barn Railway, Kent 225m2
Ferry Meadows Railway, 108 m2
Cambridgeshire
Rhyl Miniature Railway 420 m2
Littlehampton Miniature Railway, 220 m2
Sussex
Saltburn Miniature Railway, 216 m2
Yorkshire
Echills Wood Railway 485 m2
The storage space available is currently insufficient to hold all the locomotives and rolling stock, plus the grounds
equipment, maintenance tools and sundries required to operate the railway. The poor conditions within have also
led to deterioration of historic equipment stored there.
Two of the sheds shed cannot be walked in and would be unable to store any equipment of a larger size than the
current carriages. They can also be prone to flooding, currently exacerbated by a number of trees fallen towards
the river (first reported to WBC as requiring attention in February 2018).
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Watford Miniature Railway: Building for the Future (Public Edition)
Ultimately new purpose built sheds should be constructed to replace the existing sheds. These would provide
enhanced and expanded storage facilities for the locomotives, rolling stock, and all other equipment necessary to
undertake the day to day work necessary to run the railway.
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Watford Miniature Railway: Building for the Future (Public Edition)
MAINTENANCE
There are no facilities on site for carrying out maintenance or repairs. Running repairs to the equipment must be
undertaken outside in all weathers, often by lying in the mud, and utilizing hand tools only as there is no mains
power on site.
Repairs underway to locomotive utilising current facilities
Any significant maintenance or repairs require the equipment to be taken to a 120m2 off-site workshop, currently
rented in Leighton Buzzard. The workshop also provides storage for any parts and equipment unable to currently
be stored on site.
Loading and unloading equipment for workshop repairs is challenging (or impossible) in the winter months due to
the poor ground conditions.
As far as has been ascertained to date, the WMR is the only park railway in the country without provisions for
mains electricity and water supply.
A new maintenance and repair area could be constructed as part of or as an adjunct to new storage buildings or a
station building, with mains utilities and appropriate maintenance tools and machinery. This would also help to
secure year-round employment for some of the railway’s staff.
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Watford Miniature Railway: Building for the Future (Public Edition)
STAFF WELFARE
The Health & Safety Executive recommend that staff should have access to a toilet and washbasin, drinking water
and a seating area with means to heat food and water for hot drinks.
Since the demolition of the nearby public toilets (80m and 130m away from the station), the nearest toilet facilities
are provided in the Hub building (220m away from the station). The nearest hand washing facilities are also
located here. It has also been noticed that since the provision of the Hub the number of children using the river,
trees, fences, bins and staff cars adjacent to the railway and play area as a make-shift toilet has dramatically
increased.
There is no mains drinking water supply available for the staff since it was cut off by WBC in June 2017 (a breach
of Human Rights legislation by WBC).
There is no seating area for the staff and without mains electricity or water no provision for heating food or
heating water for drinks.
It should also be noted that the nearby bouncy castle facility suffers from the same lack of staff welfare facilities,
and they would benefit immensely from the provision of mains utilities at the same time as the railway as part of a
joint approach.
The only protection from the weather available for the staff is a small marquee which can be erected at the station.
As a short term measure a small container could be provided at the station, connected to mains power and water,
to provide basic staff welfare facilities. When a new storage or station building was constructed, more permanent
staff welfare facilities could be provided in this.
SMR are accredited with the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage employer - the only accredited organisation
in the park.
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Watford Miniature Railway: Building for the Future (Public Edition)
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
The carriages currently in use are constrained in size for current passenger carrying requirements. They also
provide no protection from the weather (e.g. short summer showers) and it is not possible for someone in a
wheelchair to be accommodated in them. Replacement larger coaches are physically unable to be housed in the
current storage sheds.
The station has two platforms for loading/unloading. Platform 1 (side adjacent to the playground) is narrow due to
on-site errors caused when the adjacent playground and path were constructed.
There is no seating or undercover area at the station for those waiting for a train. Consequently, there is no
protection for waiting passengers in inclement weather such as sudden showers.
Events have previously been held on the railway such as Ghost Trains at Halloween, Bonfire Night, Santa Specials
in December and most recently a 60th Anniversary Weekend. All have proved to significantly increase footfall in
the park and benefit other businesses and stakeholders. However, these events are significantly restricted in scope
by the limited facilities currently on site.
Due to the lack of mains power the railway is currently unable to take payment via credit/debit cards. This means
a small number of customers each day are turned away. Without exception all express surprise that The Hub
building does not contain a cash machine despite a number of cash-only businesses being based in the park.
The railway is located in a central area of the park but the poor general signage in that area is an issue regularly
raised by members of the public. As part of development of the station a sign board could be erected, to include a
map of the park showing where key facilities are located, plus a notice board providing details of events and
activities occurring in the park.
In conjunction with the reconnection of the railway’s water supply a drinking water fountain could be erected,
being of significant public benefit.
The railway runs through a semi-wooded area which has become established within the last sixty years. The area
has had no active management in this time. Therefore, some areas would benefit from tidying up and more
formalised planting to improve the appearance. With the restriction of public access to the area it is also a haven
for wildlife; consequently, some other areas would be left with appropriate management to further encourage the
wildlife.
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Watford Miniature Railway: Building for the Future (Public Edition)
FULL STEAM AHEAD
The operation of steam locomotives is a nostalgic experience and popular with members of the public.
Comparison of passenger numbers shows a notable increase when a steam locomotive is in operation.
The railway currently has three resident steam locomotives.
Current water supply for the steam locomotives is via a mobile water bowser. This constricts steam operation as
it is reliant on park rangers being available to fill the bowser when required – there have been several occasions
when they have been unable to or not present in the park. Steam operation is therefore currently undertaken on
a significantly restricted schedule. On a significant number of occasions it has still been necessary to bring water in
from a local off-site source to fulfil this restricted schedule.
Therefore, the absence of a mains water supply is making a significant impact on the operation of the railway to its
full potential. An established mains water supply to the station was disconnected without notice by WBC in June
2017.
Two of the steam locomotives are of historic interest it would not be appropriate to use them intensively.
Therefore, it is intended to commission, purchase or hire a further ‘workhorse’ locomotive to share the daily
workload, alongside the development of a ‘working museum fleet’ of historic steam locomotives.
9Watford Miniature Railway: Building for the Future (Public Edition)
A TRANSPORT CONCERN
Although the railway is successful as it stands as a pleasure ride, a number of park railways have been constructed
or expanded to provide a transport facility.
A ¼ mile extension could be constructed to link the railway to the park’s recently expanded and refurbished car
park. This would allow the railway to provide an easy transport link within the park and it is anticipated would be
popular with visitors, particularly young families. An extension on a similar basis was considered in the early 1980s
and planning permission applied for at this time.
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THE WAY FORWARD – DO NOTHING
The railway could continue operating as it stands for the eight years remaining on its current lease. This is both
the least preferred option of SMR but also the current default.
If the development and improvement of the railway at Cassiobury is not pursued, it is likely that the operating
company would seek to develop operation of railways in other parks, noting that we have been approached by a
number of other nearby parks recently, all of which have offered significantly more support and facilities than
WBC. There is no intention to leave Cassiobury without a miniature railway, but a low-key operation does not
befit a park of Cassiobury’s reputation and national importance.
Without a mains water supply being installed shortly the continued safe operation of steam locomotives is
extremely challenging in addition to the legal staff welfare issues. If activities elsewhere are developed it is highly
likely that all steam operation will be withdrawn in 2020 and the public fully informed as to the reasons why.
It would also be likely in this situation that the operating dates would be cut to the bare minimum required under
the current lease (weekends and school holidays from Easter to the end of September). This would lead to an
approximate 35% reduction in passenger numbers.
11Watford Miniature Railway: Building for the Future (Public Edition)
THE WAY FORWARD – A HOLDING OPERATION
Some work could be undertaken to stabilize the railway. The investment would largely be focused on assets which
could be removed by the operating company on the expiry of the current lease in July 2027 if desired at the time.
2019/2020
– Installation of fourth temporary corrugated shed for storage
– Installation of maintenance loading ramp
– Installation of small staff container at station
– Widening of Platform 1 and erection of public information noticeboards
2020 onwards
– Repair and renewal work on existing track
– Acquisition of further steam locomotive
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THE WAY FORWARD – NEW STORAGE AND ROLLING STOCK
The preferred option is to work to replace the current storage sheds in addition to the activities outlined in the
previous section.
The volume of equipment necessary to operate the railway is such that it would be appropriate to have two new
storage buildings:
1. A 6-road carriage shed located on the site of the current sheds (A)
2. A locomotive shed and stores located in area B, adjacent to the established access road and in an area of
low flood risk.
It is proposed to undertake the construction in phases:
1. Erect 4th corrugated shed in area between A and B – to be removed after completion of Phase 3
2. Erect locomotive & stores shed in area B
3. Demolish existing sheds in area A, raise ground level and erect new carriage shed
Once completed the Locomotive & Stores Shed would have provision for some basic undercover maintenance
facilities.
The wooded area for the proposed sheds at sites A and B means that they are screened from the wider park view.
It is intended for the buildings to both be steel framed and clad industrial type buildings as this is a cost effective
and straight forward solution. Both would be finished in a green colour and further tree planting conducted as
appropriate to minimise their visual impact.
Once the new carriage shed has been erected, we will have the space to introduce a new set of wider coaches,
with provision for weather protection and wheelchair access, similar to those pictured overleaf.
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14Watford Miniature Railway: Building for the Future (Public Edition)
THE WAY FORWARD – WATFORD MINIATURE RAILWAY HERITAGE TRUST
There exists at Cassiobury Park the opportunity to make the railway an industry leader and a site of national
significance.
It is proposed to establish a Charitable Incorporated Organisation – Watford Miniature Railway Heritage Trust
(WMRHT). This would act as a support organisation for the railway and lead on the development of many
beneficial non-commercial activities. The objectives of WMRHT would include:
• Heritage and Educational aspects of the Miniature Railway heritage relating to Watford through displays
and presentation.
• Support for the Miniature Railway in Cassiobury Park to enable promotion of non-commercial activities
and events.
• Promotion through education of traditional engineering, and training for these skills for the future
combined with promotion of modern methods and practices.
As a CIO the WMRHT would be eligible to apply for grant funding. This would allow the WMRHT to pursue a
scheme for a new station building as ‘Phase 4’ development which would include:
• Museum area with displays on the history of miniature railways, particularly with reference to Watford
and its role as a pioneer in the area
• Display area for historic locomotives and equipment not in use
• Heritage Engineering Restoration Centre with viewing area
• Event Space able to accommodate birthday parties, STEM educational classes in connection with
museum/restoration centre, Santa’s Grotto etc
• Staff welfare facilities
• Souvenir and light refreshment kiosk to generate funds for WMRHT
Any future operators would have the WMRHT as a support organisation in place, thus helping secure the long-
term future of the railway as an integral part of Cassiobury Park.
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FINANCE
The works to provide basic station improvements (without Heritage Trust building), relayed track, new storage
buildings and improved rolling stock are estimated to have a value of £250k. It is anticipated that, excepting the
reconnection of previously established mains utilities, these improvements would be funded privately over the
course of the next 5-10 years. This would be one of the largest (if not the largest) ever private investments into
Cassiobury Park.
The development of a Heritage Trust would allow grant funding to be accessed to cover part or all of the costs of
a Heritage Station Building and Museum. It is anticipated that the WMRHT would also generate funds through
trading activities such as the organisation of events.
Any extension of the railway to provide an in-park transport service would also be privately funded in a similar
timescale.
SUMMARY
The Watford Miniature Railway is one of the town’s cultural institutions – most residents brought up in the
Watford area in the past 60 years will have enjoyed the railway as part of their childhood. As one of the oldest
continually operating park railways in the country, it is also of national historic importance.
However, the facilities on site are little different to those established on a short-term basis in the 1960s and are
not fit for purpose. There is a need to bring the railway’s facilities up to date and in line with all other park railways
in the country.
It is proposed to replace the current storage buildings with an expanded facility which allows all the railway’s
equipment to be stored on site, and the ability to conduct routine maintenance under cover. Staff welfare facilities
also need to be developed to comply with health and safety legislation and best practice. It is anticipated that along
with other investments to improve the railway and customer experience, this will see a £250,000 private
investment in the railway over the next five to ten years.
Additionally, there is the opportunity to develop a supporting Heritage Trust with its own building to further
promote the heritage and educational aspects of the railway. This would make the railway an industry leader and
really put Cassiobury on the map – a world class facility for a world class park.
Without improvement it will be increasingly challenging to keep the railway running in a satisfactory manner to
comply with modern regulations and best practice, and in extremis may cause the loss of the railway to the park in
the near future.
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