The Original H&DLR

Construction of the original H&DLR began in late 1993 and, like most garden railways, continued up until closure in 2006. The basic shape was a single track loop around the lawn, with a spur off into a shed. There were three main stations, all equipped with a passing loop and a siding for the small amount of goods traffic along the line. The largest station was Forsythia Junction, where the line from the shed joined the main line. There was a triangle there, useful for turning trains, and a loco shed. Heading south from Forsythia Junction over Ash Bridge, we reached Quince Bottom. This was originally just a halt on the main line, but after a couple of years was extended. The former route behind the new station was retained, and was known as the “old road”. Beyond Quince Bottom, there were a couple of sidings and a small halt at Greaves Croft. The line continued on to Wood End station, which had a long platform and a loop capable of holding the longest trains on the line. From here, the line continued through the flower bed back to Forsythia Junction.

Sadly, a decision to move house in 2005 meant the closure of the line in early 2006. This section of the website records the history of that version of the H&DLR, before the move to the present site. We hope you enjoy the archive photos!