Devon Railway Centre and the self drive train

My wife & I have just taken the children to The Devon Railway Centre.

The boys enjoyed it, the prices were good etc etc

BUT they had something I have never seen before, a self drive train - I kid you not, a 7.5 inch gauge ride in Toby, put a pound in and drive it up & down a short track.

Why hasn't anyone else done it??

Its all set up with an automatic stop at each end, minimal risk to tiny fingers etc etc.............

 

There was (is?) a similar one at the Conway Valley Railway Museum about 20 years ago.

 

Brookside garden centre and miniature railway had one of these back in the 90s, no idea whether it's still there mind.

 

There was a similar one at the miniature railway in Grosvenor Park, Chester a couple of years ago.
Over here, at the Curraghs Wildlife Park, we occasionally switch out the inner loop and operate our 7 1/4"g. 'Drive it yourself' train. We have a lower age limit of 8 yrs but have even had octagenanarian 'drivers' - and are always accompanied by one of our drivers - in this case my 'better half'.
Ray.

 

Also there is one at Pecorama in Devon. They are very good and my kids love them.

There is a broken one just outside Holmes chapel in Cheshire.

I often look at the play barn and the miniature railway at the Devon railway centre and think if only some heritage railways looked outside the box and made the railway more enjoyable for kids then they would see an increase in visitor numbers.

 

Still there. Use it every so often.

 

Yep also still there. It's looking a bit old now.

 

Used to be one on Weston Super Mare sea front next to the minature railway that allowed you to do a short drive yourself run - was a straight out and back run but still fun for kids.

 

Can adults go in this? Only To accompany child of course

 

... And instruction on driving techniques!

 

How about getting someone from Southern to go to the Devon Railway Centre to recruit the best drivers?

 

I thought that Southern's problem resulted from conductorless trains, though self-drive trains could actually be the solution. Something else for Google to apply their ingenuity to?

 

A bit like the Docklands then?
I think these things are great, and more for kids generally is always a good thing. The IWSR has a static Calbourne with cab controls linked to sound effects, even coal you can throw into the box!