International Garden Festival Liverpool 1984 - 15'' Gauge Railway

I was at the RHDR at the weekend, and seeing Black Prince at the back of the shed took me right back to summer 1984, when (as a very small boy) I cam face to face with my first steam loco - it was Black Price, steaming at the Fulwood station on the 15'' gauge line at the International Garden festival. It seemed huge, and I was incredibly impressed! I've never quite been able to get the experience out of my skin - the smell, the sound of that loco storming up the steam grade through the middle of the park, the magnificent teak coaches, the superb little stations and footbridges. I guess it is as a result of that experience that I read this forum now...
I only saw the railway working on that one occasion - I did manage to ride in both the steam train and the railcar (the RER's Silver Jubilee, sadly no longer with us), and behind Shelagh of Eskdale. I also seem to remember seeing River Irt on another train (might be a false memory, as I have seen her since, and as I was only 3 it is difficult to be sure what is my own memories and what is from photos). I never saw Samson (in a jaunty red livery) or The Bug - they must have been in the shed.
I did visit the park several more times - but the railway had been lifted by then. I used to run up and down the line trying to emulate Black Prince... The stations were still there, and I even waited patiently for passengers to transfer to and from the branch at the junction!
The park itself languished, was partly built on, part became a not very successful theme park, the main dome was demolished, and the gardens decayed (not in a romantic way). Fortunately, the remaining gardens have just been restored and re-opened (Liverpool Festival Gardens / RHS Gardening). Sadly the railway is gone for ever.
It was a magnificent set-up for a temporary railway. Very well made (as was everything at the Festival), attractive, well thought out. There was a branch from Herculaneum to the junction (which had two platforms, the 'mainline' one being Festival Hall and the branch one, I think, Play Centre) which was worked by the railcar as a shuttle. The mainline was a loop, but 'pinched together' at the middle into a double-track line. There is a set of photos on Flickr (Liverpool Garden Festival Railway 1984 - a set on Flickr)
It was a serious undertaking, moving enormous numbers of people (it was free!), and the circuit was probably more demanding than any of our established 15'' gauge lines. I am only aware of one video (cine!) available, but just listen to these locos climbing that grade: The Miniature Railway at The International Garden Festival - YouTube
There are various other photos around:
Garden Festival in full swing in Liverpool
File:Samson at Lverpool Garden Festival - geograph.org.uk - 777010.jpg
Liverpool Garden Festival railway. Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway's River Irt works the festival railway.
File:Black Prince at Liverpool Garden Festival - geograph.org.uk - 777006.jpg
Panoramio - Photos by Howard C. Harrison
Does anyone else have happy memories, interesting photos, etc?
I believe there was also a 15'' gauge railway at the subsequent Gateshead Garden Festival, although not as ambitious.

 

There was also a railway at the Stoke on Trent Garden Festival (held in 1986 I think) which was operated by specially built stock. Also at the Stoke show was a short length of standard gauge track upon which newly restored Robert Heath No.6 ran.

Here's a set of the railway on flickr Stoke-on-Trent Garden Festival Railway 1986 - a set on Flickr

 

I remember going to the Liverpool garden festival as a child and greatly enjoying the railway. I have since read the line was so demanding as it had been set out by garden planners who took little account of minimum curve radius and gradients. River Irt had to be borrowed from the R&ER since it was more flexible than the Romney locos.

 

I remember it well. At the time I taught at the school adjacent to the Festival site and from my lab on the top floor I had a grandstand view of the railway. If I left the windows open the breeze off the river would waft the Welsh coal smoke through the room! ' Kids thought I was nuts but who cares - made going to work almost pleasant! Ray.

 

I think I have some photos somewhere but will need to dig deep to find them - 15'' gauge was not top of my interests.

 

Another interesting article:
Liverpool's Legacy

Is there anywhere on the contemporary 15'' gauge 'network' where scenes of big locos like these tacking fearsome gradients can be seen? The RHDR locos are marvellous, but their line is so flat they seem to be ticking along like sewing machines. The BVR and RER have more challenging gradients, but their locos always seem to take them in their stride with minimal fireworks.

 

Sorry to resurrect a long dormant thread but there is a terrific article in this month’s Narrow Gauge World about the Garden Festival Railway. Out of interest, does anyone know if there has been a book on the admittedly short history of the railway?

 

I don't think there has ever been a book, as such, but ISTR reading about it in Miniature Railways magazine or The Narrow Gauge or possibly Miniature Railway World http://www.miniaturerailwayworld.co.uk/ There were quite a number of these garden festivals so probably enough material for a book if one was to include several with, say, a chapter on each one. Looking forward to reading the article in NGW.
Cheers,
Ray.

 

Four of the Garden Festivals had narrow gauge railways. The first, Liverpool in 1984, seems to be the one everyone remembers and refers to as "the" Garden Festival Railway, with stock from RHDR and R&ER.
Stoke-on-Trent in 1986 used rather bland 2ft gauge Severn Lamb diesels; Glasgow in 1988 had three 2ft gauge Severn Lamb steam outline diesels modeled on Stirling singles; and Gateshead in 1990 reverted to steam with RHDR & R&ER stock.
There was a fifth and final Garden Festival at Ebbw Vale in 1992 but that used road trains for visitor transport, though there was a short 7¼" gauge railway.

 

If one wanted to write a book on the subject, perhaps it could be extended to include other "Festival" railways. Railways built to serve festivals, exhibitions or events, with no intention that they be permanent. The Far Tottering & Oystercreek Railway at the Festival of Britain, Battersea, 1951 to 1953, with its three "Emmett" style locos, springs to mind. And the "Never-Stop" railway at the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, 1924 to 1925. https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2015/03/28/wembleys-experimental-never-stop-railway-line/

Others?

 

There was a funicular railway at the Ebbw Vale garden festival but I can't remember if it was narrow gauge.

 

Yes you are right. 3'6" gauge. http://www.hows.org.uk/personal/rail/ngf.htm

 

River Irt from the Ravenglass & Eskdale at Liverpool Garden Festival in 1984.
Ray.

 

I always think the pony truck must have fallen off Irt at some point… it just looks a bit… wrong…

Simon

 

Fixed that for you...

 

Wonderful photo.

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Anyone seen any photos of The Bug on the Liverpool Garden Festival railway?
I think it was little used because the gradients were so formidable.
But I don't think I've ever seen a photo.

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A number of the carriages marked as "Liverpool Garden Festival 1984" are now at Statfold on the new railway line.

 

The Narrow Gauge 104, Autumn 1984, included the following: