The History of our Society
Believe it or not, one of the first working miniature railways in the world was on Grove Road in Dore, about a mile away from our location! Click on Brookhouse Miniature Railway above to see a rare collection of photos of this railway.
Model steam locomotives had been made right from the invention of the real thing in the 1840's and many examples can be seen in places like the National Railway Museum at York, but complete, working miniature railways did not appear until the early 1900's, and one of the first (if not the first) belonged to Guy Mitchell of Grove Road. It was called the 'Brook House Miniature Railway' and photos of the railway and the Mitchell family are featured elsewhere on our website. It was in the back garden of his house, which after the family left, became part of the private school for girls run by Miss Trott. Guy Mitchell was a true pioneer in the history of miniature railways, owning one of the very first of Northampton based W. J. Bassett-Lowke's 7¼" gauge LNWR Precursor class 4-4-0 live steam locos, designed by Henry Greenly.
Many residents of Dore, Bradway and Totley are familiar with our miniature railway, situated alongside the Limb Brook next to Ecclesall Woods, but perhaps just as many are not! "I've lived here all my life and never knew this existed!" is a typical comment from people who find us by accident. Those who do know the secret of the little railway (often second generation visitors now, bringing their children) think it's the best value for money in town.
The site of the miniature railway (once known as Dr. Marshall's field) is owned by us - the Sheffield and District Society of Model and Experimental Engineers. We moved from Chelsea Road, Nether Edge to Abbeydale Road South in 1978 at the invitation of Sheffield Council Parks department who originally used our land as a nursery. Since that time the land has been purchased by the Society, the railway expanded to make it more interesting, and the ancillary buildings vastly improved with all the money from fares and selling refreshments being ploughed back into development. After a great deal of hard work by members, March 2003 saw the completion of an extension to the clubhouse which contains new toilets (including facilities for disabled visitors and baby changing) and an engine shed, the cost being partly funded by an 'Awards for All' lottery grant. Since then other buildings have been added to the infrastructure, including carriage and engine sheds, a workshop and a ticket office. The original turntable has been enlarged to meet the requirements of the large locomotives used nowadays for passenger hauling and two raised 7¼" gauge steaming bays were installed in 2022.
The first recorded meeting of our Society was on 10th December, 1900, when a branch of the London-based Society of Model Engineers met at the YMCA, Fargate. Model steam boilers were discussed. Following that discussion, members were entertained with a number of ‘exceptionally clearly reproduced selections’ on a phonograph! Two weeks later the Society visited Sheffield Corporation Tramways’ power station at Kelham Island (now the Industrial Museum) and saw the 400 HP steam engine with Corliss valve gear and 'marine' boilers in action generating electricity for the trams. The ‘Model Engineer and Amateur Electrician’ magazine mentions meetings in 1903, but then nothing is known until 1937 when the society was reactivated with between twelve and eighteen members. In 1945 the Society was a founder member of the Northern Association of Model Engineers, to which we are still affiliated and under whose stringent safety rules our inspectors test boilers and issue certificates. Membership currently stands at over one hundred and is steadily growing as more people become interested in model engineering.
Prior to moving to our current location our elevated track and wooden clubhouse were at Chelsea Road, Nether Edge. Before that the Society had a small track at Birley Moor. Today we have an extensive, fully signalled dual gauge (7¼" and 5") ground level railway together with a multi-gauge (7¼", 5" and 3½" gauge) raised track. We have loco unloading facilities, covered steaming bays with compressed air and electricity, carriage shed, turntable and an engine shed. Signalling is controlled either automatically by the loco drivers, or by a signalman from a scaled down signal box. The system is fully interlocked using electronics and pneumatics. There are two stations, two level crossings, two footbridges and one overbridge, with some challenging gradients. The Society owns a 7¼" gauge petrol hydraulic locomotive, called ‘EDWARD’ and a Tinkerbell style 0-4-2 sit in loco called ‘SEPTIMUS’. It also owns two 7¼" gauge battery powered locos used on the elevated track, as well as a 5" gauge battery powered loco and a 3½" gauge steam loco. Some members operate their own steam locomotives, whilst others build and operate traction engines and stationary engines.
The Society has a clubhouse with a meeting room, kitchen, and adjacent workshop. We open to the public for train rides (weather permitting) on alternate Sunday afternoons throughout the summer months and hold two Santa Specials in December. During winter months members meet on Sunday mornings and in the evening on the first and third Fridays of the month to hear presentations on various topics. A 'retired contingent' gather on Wednesdays to carry out maintenance and development work.
Model steam locomotives had been made right from the invention of the real thing in the 1840's and many examples can be seen in places like the National Railway Museum at York, but complete, working miniature railways did not appear until the early 1900's, and one of the first (if not the first) belonged to Guy Mitchell of Grove Road. It was called the 'Brook House Miniature Railway' and photos of the railway and the Mitchell family are featured elsewhere on our website. It was in the back garden of his house, which after the family left, became part of the private school for girls run by Miss Trott. Guy Mitchell was a true pioneer in the history of miniature railways, owning one of the very first of Northampton based W. J. Bassett-Lowke's 7¼" gauge LNWR Precursor class 4-4-0 live steam locos, designed by Henry Greenly.
Many residents of Dore, Bradway and Totley are familiar with our miniature railway, situated alongside the Limb Brook next to Ecclesall Woods, but perhaps just as many are not! "I've lived here all my life and never knew this existed!" is a typical comment from people who find us by accident. Those who do know the secret of the little railway (often second generation visitors now, bringing their children) think it's the best value for money in town.
The site of the miniature railway (once known as Dr. Marshall's field) is owned by us - the Sheffield and District Society of Model and Experimental Engineers. We moved from Chelsea Road, Nether Edge to Abbeydale Road South in 1978 at the invitation of Sheffield Council Parks department who originally used our land as a nursery. Since that time the land has been purchased by the Society, the railway expanded to make it more interesting, and the ancillary buildings vastly improved with all the money from fares and selling refreshments being ploughed back into development. After a great deal of hard work by members, March 2003 saw the completion of an extension to the clubhouse which contains new toilets (including facilities for disabled visitors and baby changing) and an engine shed, the cost being partly funded by an 'Awards for All' lottery grant. Since then other buildings have been added to the infrastructure, including carriage and engine sheds, a workshop and a ticket office. The original turntable has been enlarged to meet the requirements of the large locomotives used nowadays for passenger hauling and two raised 7¼" gauge steaming bays were installed in 2022.
The first recorded meeting of our Society was on 10th December, 1900, when a branch of the London-based Society of Model Engineers met at the YMCA, Fargate. Model steam boilers were discussed. Following that discussion, members were entertained with a number of ‘exceptionally clearly reproduced selections’ on a phonograph! Two weeks later the Society visited Sheffield Corporation Tramways’ power station at Kelham Island (now the Industrial Museum) and saw the 400 HP steam engine with Corliss valve gear and 'marine' boilers in action generating electricity for the trams. The ‘Model Engineer and Amateur Electrician’ magazine mentions meetings in 1903, but then nothing is known until 1937 when the society was reactivated with between twelve and eighteen members. In 1945 the Society was a founder member of the Northern Association of Model Engineers, to which we are still affiliated and under whose stringent safety rules our inspectors test boilers and issue certificates. Membership currently stands at over one hundred and is steadily growing as more people become interested in model engineering.
Prior to moving to our current location our elevated track and wooden clubhouse were at Chelsea Road, Nether Edge. Before that the Society had a small track at Birley Moor. Today we have an extensive, fully signalled dual gauge (7¼" and 5") ground level railway together with a multi-gauge (7¼", 5" and 3½" gauge) raised track. We have loco unloading facilities, covered steaming bays with compressed air and electricity, carriage shed, turntable and an engine shed. Signalling is controlled either automatically by the loco drivers, or by a signalman from a scaled down signal box. The system is fully interlocked using electronics and pneumatics. There are two stations, two level crossings, two footbridges and one overbridge, with some challenging gradients. The Society owns a 7¼" gauge petrol hydraulic locomotive, called ‘EDWARD’ and a Tinkerbell style 0-4-2 sit in loco called ‘SEPTIMUS’. It also owns two 7¼" gauge battery powered locos used on the elevated track, as well as a 5" gauge battery powered loco and a 3½" gauge steam loco. Some members operate their own steam locomotives, whilst others build and operate traction engines and stationary engines.
The Society has a clubhouse with a meeting room, kitchen, and adjacent workshop. We open to the public for train rides (weather permitting) on alternate Sunday afternoons throughout the summer months and hold two Santa Specials in December. During winter months members meet on Sunday mornings and in the evening on the first and third Fridays of the month to hear presentations on various topics. A 'retired contingent' gather on Wednesdays to carry out maintenance and development work.