London Transport Miniature Railway
Miniature railway
The London Transport Miniature Railway is a working miniature railway based on real London Underground locomotives, carriages, signals and signs. It is located at our Museum Depot in Acton and is open for rides only during our Open Days.
Maintained and run by volunteers, the Miniature Railway is a working 7¼ in gauge railway which runs from Depot Approach to Ealing End – a track around the side of the depot.
The stations are fitted out with authentic TfL roundel nameboards and signage, and the stock is based on real locomotives and carriages – mostly from the Metropolitan Railway.
Book your tickets to visit our next Open Weekend and experience the miniature railway for yourself!
The miniature railway trains
The two main locomotives are models of no 12 ‘Sarah Siddons’ and no 18 ‘Michael Faraday’ which were used on the Metropolitan Railway between 1922 and 1961. Amongst the London Transport Miniature Railway’s passenger coaches are models of ‘Mayflower’ and ‘Galatea’ Pullman dining carriages which were attached to business and post-theatre trains between Aylesbury and Amersham, Chesham and the City of London offering a full meal service on Underground trains.
Volunteers
The railway is maintained by volunteers throughout the year to keep it up to standard.
History
Construction on the Miniature Railway started in 2004 and was officially opened by our Director, Sam Mullins, in February 2005. Since then, it has carried thousands of passengers over our open weekends.
Extension work in late 2005 saw a servicing siding added to allow for more storage space, and 2006 saw a passing loop – now known as Wesley’s Halt – brought into service. In 2007 and 2008, new signals and a permanent signal cabin were installed and the Depot Approach area was remodelled. 2010 saw the track extended to Ealing End and more signalling improvements. In the future, volunteers hope to extend the Miniature Railway further into the museum yard, beyond Ealing End.
You might also like...
Explore the Depot on three open weekends each year. Discover rare road and rail vehicles spanning over 100 years, signs, ceramic tiles, original posters, ephemera, ticket machines, and more.
What's On at London Transport Museum
