LAST UPDATED 19 Feb 12
Weather permitting we shall be open this coming Saturday and Sunday.
Over the next few weeks the station area will be undergoing complete redevelopment, we hope to keep distruption to a minimum. New exit and entrance gates will be installed with larger waiting areas clear of the expanded platforms. A new viewing area and dedicated buggy parking are also under development.
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North Wilts Model Engineering Society was founded in the 1960s in the grounds of Coate Water Country Park, Swindon.
Now we are planning an extension to the Richard Jefferies museum.
• Saturday 25th February - Public running
• Sunday 26th February - Public running
• Saturday 3rd March - Public running
• Sunday 4th March - Public running
• Friday 9th March - NWMES skittles night
• Saturday 10th March - Club member / visitor running, public running as usual
• Sunday 11th March - Public running
• Saturday 17th March - public running
• Sunday 18th March - Public running
• Saturday 24th March - Public running
• Sunday 25th March - Public running
• Saturday 31st March - Public running
Open most Saturdays, every Sunday and bank holidays (weather permitting) from around 11am to 5pm (or dusk in the winter) the Coate Water Miniature Railway runs for just under half a mile through a lovely wooded setting, with gradients of up to 1:57
19 February 2012
A new YouTube channel has been set up and will be administrated by Robert Brownsell, see the contacts page for the link - videos will be posted soon.
The history and future page has been updated with the recent progress on the track extension and new station frontage.
14 February 2012
NWMES members please access the members section to view a statement from the chairman on the progress of the extension.
Don't forget about the skittles evening.
10 February 2012
Unfortunately due to the freezing weather and heavy snow the proposed club visitors were unable to run today, we are sorry for any inconvenience or disappointment caused by things beyond our control. Weather permitting we plan to be open on the half-term Tuesday (14th February) in addition to our usual weekend running.
Minutes of the January committee meeting now available.
08 February 2012
Members skittle night booked for the White Hart, Wroughton for 7pm on Friday 9th March. See members page for more details.
07 February 2012
This Saturday should see a couple of visiting steam locos (subject to weather and availability) but we shall be open as usual, so come down and take a ride for only £1. We plan to be open on the half-term Tuesday (14th February)
Dave Jenner is assessing the feasibility of a members skittles night, let Hilary know please if you are interested in joining (see members page for more information).
31 January 2012
We intend to be open for running on the half-term Tuesday 14th February, in addition to our weekend Saturday and Sundays.
Party bookings are starting to come in for the summer, if of interest for your child's special day then drop us a line - more details on the Opening & Parties page of the website, or enquire at the ticket office when we are open.
23 January 2012
The 2012 rally and charity weekends have been changed to avoid clashes with Cardiff and Guildford. A new charity event on the 7th May will be held in memory of Sam Maisey, who sadly passed away late last year.
The new event is on the May Day bank holiday (7th) and we hope to have lots of visiting engines. Takings from the day will be donated to the Great Western Hospital.
The rally will now be on the 16th & 17th June. The charity weekend has been rescheduled to the 14th & 15th July.
16 January 2012
The hoped for club visit to the Fawley Hill railway and Museum this year will now not happen as they are fully booked, we hope for a slot in 2013. There are potential visits to the Isle of Wight and the Stapleford Park railway planned.
08 January 2012
Many thanks to Michael Smith for generously hosting the Christmas Party last night - a good time was had by all. The winners of the quiz were Derek, Mike and Tony, scoring 17/25 just beating a brave effort by Trevor, Roger, Mike and team.
Members and photo pages updated.
03 January 2012
Weather permitting we shall be open this coming weekend for train rides. It is the London model engineering at Alexandra Palace on the 20th-22nd January. Tappins coaches are offering transport from Didcot to the show for £19 (entrance extra), departing at 08.45am. The pick up is only a 10 minute walk from the station. See www.tappins.co.uk for details.
Hope to see NWMES members at the party on the 7th January (refer to members page for details).
02 January 2012
Happy New Year! We will be open tomorrow from 11am, come and have a ride on the train for only £1. If you have photos to submit to the gallery then please e-mail them to me, contact information provided on the photos page
29 December 2011
We will be open on New Year's Eve from 11am, come and have a ride on the train for only £1. There should be locos in steam over the weekend. Members page has been updated with the minutes from the December committee meeting
23 December 2011
We will be open on Christmas Eve from 11am, come and have a ride on the train for only £1. From all at the Coate Water miniature railway Merry Christmas and Happy New year. Website has been updated with new photos.
22 December 2011
Website has recently been populated with the events for 2012 and to update the opening and parties page. The members page is now fully accessible, contact me for the password.
19 December 2011
Welcome to the new website for the Coate Water Miniature Railway and the site is continually under development. Check back regularly and let me know of any suggestions you have for material.
We open every Sunday (weather permitting) and bank holidays where advertised. During the summer holidays, and ocassionally during other school holidays, we open on a Tuesday.
The railway is open most Saturdays throughout the year, unless there is a pre-booked birthday party or special event for our members and visitors (see panel to the right).
Opening times are from around 11am through to 5pm, or dusk during the winter.
The current fare for 2012 is £1 for passengers of all ages (babies in arms under the age of one can be carried free of charge).
Please note that steam haulage is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed, as it is reliant on members bringing their locomotives. Usually the resident battery electric locos will be the motive power.
Next public running (scroll down for more):
February: 25th, 26th
March: 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th, 24th, 25th
April: 1st, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 14th, 15th, 22nd, 28th (birthday party), 29th
May: 5th (birthday party), 6th, 7th (Sam Maisey charity event), 13th, 19th, 20th, 26th, 27th
June: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 9th, 10th, 17th (club rally), 23rd, 24th, 30th
July: 1st, 7th, 8th, 14th/15th (charity weekend - all takings will go to a nominated charity), 21st, 22nd, 24th, 28th, 29th
NWMES Events 2012 (scroll down for more):
9th March: Skittles night
10th March: Club member / visitor running, public running as usual (J. Thompson)
31st March: Steam and chips (sorry, no public running - viewing only) and quiz night
21st April: 5" open day (sorry, no public running - viewing only)
27th April: AGM
7th May: Sam Maisey charity event
12th May: Reserved (J. Thompson, sorry, no public running - viewing only)
16th / 17th June: Club rally weekend (sorry, on the Saturday no public running - viewing only)
14th / 15th July: Charity weekend
28th July: Family picnic and steam up
29th September: 5" open day (sorry, no public running - viewing only)
27th October: Steam and chips (sorry, no public running - viewing only) and race night
The Coate Water Miniature Railway is an ideal place to hold a birthday party. For 2012 the fee is £75 (non-refundable deposit) plus £5 per child attending.
For this you have secure and exclusive access to the site and its facilities, including the clubhouse and kitchen, and of course unlimited train rides throughout the party.
The usual time is 11am - 2pm and that is often plenty to enjoy the train rides and have a small buffet (unfortunately we cannot provide food).
Please note that trains will be hauled by one of the club electrics. It may be possible for a steam engine to be arranged by special request, and may be subject to additional costs.
Use the contact page to register your interest and we will get back to you, or pop down to the railway and ask at the ticket office.
The NWMES was founded in the early 1960s by a small band of enthusiasts interested in the building and running of miniature steam locomotives. The land was leased, and a small loop of track, with a steaming bay, was constructed on the present site at Coate Water Country Park, Swindon, Wiltshire. In the early days there was nothing else on the site and everything, including water, had to be brought to the track for each running session.
The original oval track of approximately 200 feet in length was raised and included both 3½" and 5" gauge rail. In the late 1960s a larger track was laid at ground level on a gravel base; this was later laid onto concrete and securely fixed.
In 1980 the 3½" track was removed and 7¼" rail added. Two tracks were added to the station area, with a motorised point to direct trains into either platform. The clubhouse was started in 1983 and officially opened in 1984, with water and electricity in situ rather than as previously hauled to the site, along with coal, for every running day. To complete the funding for the clubhouse a club locomotive, Nigel Gresley, was sold to one of the members.
Major track extensions between 1990 and 1993, in two stages, were undertaken with considerable help and support from Thamesdown Council. The final layout, including the bridge is more or less the current running configuration. A second steaming bay, carriage shed and brick built signal box were constructed about the same time and are still in use today, although have been supplemented by the extended 12 road original steaming bay and new carriage shed.
Finally to bring things up to date the clubhouse was extended during 2008-2009, and now includes a new larger kitchen area, toilets (one with disabled access), and new store and enlarged meeting room. The second, smaller, steaming bay has also been refurbished during 2011.
2011 was probably one of the most exciting years for the NWMES. Not only did we have our annualy rally and charity weekends, but this year we were proud to host the 7¼" society AGM over the weekend 24/25th September, a major and prestigous international event.
However, it is the long-term ambition of the society to double the running line length to around a mile by an extension towards the Richard Jefferies museum. This recently took a step closer as the new lease allowing access to the required land has been signed. The extension is planned in two phases; phase I to extend from along the outer circuit towards the museum and returning to near the club car park. This part of the line will include significant engineering works (cuttings and embankments) and a curved tunnel, and is estimated to take two years to complete. Phase 2 will be the doubling of the current avoiding line to create a full run around the new extension and the current layout. A lottery grant application is being considered.
Updated: 19 February 2012. Plans for the extension have been drafted and the route surveyed. Discussions will start shortly with the council. In the meantime we continue to develop the site and the new station area will start shortly which will provide a much larger waiting area, with new viewing area and dedicated buggy parking.
Scroll down to read the full article
There are two main routes, an outer circular route of 1013 feet and an inner figure-of-eight with a bridge of 1344 feet. The two routes can be combined using the avoiding line or by running through the station giving a total length of 2250 feet. The original old loop is rarely used as a running line and is mainly for access to and from the main steaming bay.
On leaving one of the three platforms (1), trains are usually signalled onto the outer circuit. A downhill start is followed by the long straight (2) before rounding the bottom curve (3). A rising gradient of 1:132 along the back straight (4) leads into a further right hand corner, still rising gradually. There is a short sharp gradient in the cutting (5) before it opens out near the carpark. Here you will be signalled straight ahead (6), or onto the avoiding line, crossing the track (7) from the inner circuit.
The avoiding line is slightly downhill (8) before you cross the track leading to old loop / steaming bay (9), and regain the main line; the line from the left leads in from the station area. Running downhill at around 1:50 the line curves right again and runs under Bailey's bridge (10) before the ascent of the bank, pitching to 1:57, for several hundred feet. The track can be quite greasy in this stretch as it rarely benefits from any direct sunlight, although recent pruning of the trees has opened up the visibility.
Towards the top of the bank the line swings left and over the bridge (10) before heading down grade towards the old loop / steaming bay exit and the crossing over the avoiding line (11). Beware of the signals at this point. A short climb at 1:60 leads towards the station (12) and you will be signalled into the platforms (13).
The track radius on the main running lines is mainly around 75ft with 60ft radius points. There are tighter curves of not less than 45ft radius on the station approach / exit, the old loop has a short length of 40ft radius on a 1:37 incline.
The layout is fully colour signalled with interlocks to the points and controlled from Lakeside signal box. The maximum line speed is 8mph, except near points and cross-overs where it is reduced to 4mph. A 3mph speed limit is in force within the station limits. All signals, speed restrictions and whistle boards must be observed. As the sections are quite large, several locomotives will be on the line at the same time, so speed must be maintained to ensure a safe stopping distance, and when driving on line of sight. On approaching the station, signals control the direction into one of the platforms, the direction of the point being indicated by the feather. Further signals permit access to the station; amber to proceed with caution and use of call-on lights to allow access to the station platform when it is occupied (most trains will be stopped here by the signalman).
GRADIENT A4.pdf
TRACK PLAN 2.pdf
YouTube video of a trip around the track (opens external site)
Flickr video of a trip around the track (opens external site)
If you have photos to submit please e-mail them to me at northwiltsmes (at) btinternet (dot) com. No more than 1MB per photo due to size restrictions - thanks, Mike
Coate Water Country Park is located in East Swindon, only a mile from the Great Western Hospital. A Texaco garage and Holiday Inn are opposite the site, and the Sun Public House is a local landmark. The main car park is well sign posted from the main roundabout (the postocode for the public car park is SN3 6AA but note that this is not very accurate!) The railway is in the corner of the site - follow the lake round from the diving board / kiosk.
Swindon itself is easily accessible from the M4 J15. Head North along the A419 briefly before following signs to the hospital. Head left onto the A4259 Marlborough Road until you see the signs for Coate Water. Visitors from the North should follow the A419 from Cirencester.
Note, The loading facilities for visitors with locomotives are located off Day House Lane. SatNav users for the loading facilities should use SN3 6AD.
First Great Western Trains run frequent services from London and Wales/The West. From the station a short walk to the Town Centre will allow several buses to be selected (use the Fleming Way stops)
Mon-Sat:
Sun
Bus Information (opens external site)
Useful Links
Site Details
Coate Water Country Park,
Marlborough Road,
Swindon,
Wiltshire
SN3 6AA
Seven and a Quarter Society
Coate Water Railway Photosite
Visit Swindon
Coate Water Country Park
Andy Harkness Photos
Mike Cole Photos
Free Train Games
Train Driving Game
Miniature Railway Magazine
Miniature Railway World
Narrow Gauge Net
Railway Herald
Railway Centre
Old NWMES site
YouTube Channel
