If you had have told me 3 years ago I would spend this evening contemplating which are the best miniature railways locally and why, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. And yet that’s exactly what I am doing… and loving it! Toddler adores trains. Some of them only run until the end of October. Some are just on selected days. So what makes a good miniature railway for us?

  1. It has to be a reasonably good journey – at least a few minutes round the track
  2. It’s good to see stuff on the way round as the journey progresses
  3. It shouldn’t be too pricey – toddlers have to be accompanied so at most £2 each
  4. Ideally under 2s will be free
  5. It’s good to reach a destination – or if not go a couple of times around the track

So which are the best we’ve tried and why? Well these are our favourites. Several of them are running this weekend so you could even do a tour of them if you wanted.

  1. The miniature railway at A day out with Thomas the tank engine – good long journey, lots of gnomes, diggers and toys to see on the way, goes through a tunnel, included in the price of your day out, someone takes your picture before you go which you can buy at the end, next running 28th/29th Nov.

2. Summerfields Miniature Railway – feels like you’re going on a journey, you can stop at the end before coming back again, good on price – £2 a go and under 2s are free, fun model train to look at when you get there, tractor rides there as well, next running 11th Oct.

3. Fancott Miniature Railway – has a nice station, £2 a go, bridge to view the train from, nice journey, climbing frame to play on (runs weekends subject to good weather)

4. The train at Willen Lake – £1.50 a go, nice setting, lasts a good few minutes, play areas there and ducks to feed as well  (runs weekends in Oct subject to good weather)

5. Caldecotte Miniature Railway – only £1 a go, goes around in a circle, stuff like Winnie the Pooh stuffed toys to look at, park and lake there as well (runs weekends until 25th October)

And the prize for the miniature railway with the shortest track goes to the one at the Flamstead Scarecrow Festival. It was temporary with a short track and just on for the day in August – still good fun though!

(Please check with each place that they are running before travelling to them)

Don’t forget you can follow me on facebook as well as instagram and twitter for previews about what we’ve been up to.

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