Stapleford Miniature Railway

[fsmr]

Hi all
the two public running dates on the private historic 10/4" SMR near Melton
LE142SF are:

Stapleford Steam 19th 20th June
Open weekend August BH Sun and Mon 29th 30th Aug 2010

Both also feature steam rallys and overnight camping options
as always supporting LOROS the local hospice

There should be 5 locos in steam on the nearly 2 miles of heavily engineered line although saddly not the jubilee as it is awaiting a brand new boiler during 2010
More info on the railway and events http://www.fsmr.org.uk

or visit my you tube channel which has loads of video of the line including new footage taken in the freezing Feb 2010 weather

http://www.youtube/stapleford

 

[Wyvern]

Funny to think that a previous owner was dead set against the railway, so opposed that it led to the "Battle of Saxby" The end result was the massive deviation in the Syston to Melton line known to this day as "Lord Harborough's Curve" It's a hilarious story from today's point of view but his lordship must be rolling in his grave!

See the Wikipedia article

 

[fsmr]

Funny to think that a previous owner was dead set against the railway, so opposed that it led to the "Battle of Saxby" The end result was the massive deviation in the Syston to Melton line known to this day as "Lord Harborough's Curve" It's a hilarious story from today's point of view but his lordship must be rolling in his grave!

See the Wikipedia article

Yes he was a canal owner so the railway arrival was bad news
Large sections or the Melton to Oakham canal were destroyed by the line as it ran across it on the level
On another note, a rarely known line was run to the south west of the park on the first attempt to detour, but the shallow tunnel being constructed under a fox covert by cuckoo hill collapsed causing more friction with Lord Harborough. This was abandoned and the line then tried to run east of the park with resulting battles! And the infamous curve till this was eventually abandoned for its present curve albeit not so tight

BTW the tunnel is filled in but still there if you know where to look

The Gretton family of Bass Gretton Radcliff brewing fame who bought the park and house, really got into railways when the miniature railway was first put down in 1958 by the second Lord Gretton with his son the late 3rd Lord John Gretton following the tradition through the 60s and 70s and having part ownership of Pendennis castle before she went to Aus. It was based in the 70s with the FS at Market Overton nearby. Funny old world LOL

The current 4th Lord John Gretton is also very keen on steam and drives occasionally at the railway as does his mother Lady Jennifer Gretton who is also a very accomplished steam loco driver. Causes bemused faces when the public get the Leicestershire Lord Lieutenant driving their train LOL

 

[Wyvern]

Hardly surprising Lord Gretton was a fan of the railway. After all the Midland had made his fortune transporting his beer all over the country.