The Exbury Gardens Steam Railway - "The Rhododendron Line"
21st June 2024
In: Short Stories
Alan Humphries' article and photographs tell us the fascinating story of the little railway.
Exbury Gardens Steam Railway - ‘The Rhododendron Line”
During Easter 2024 when visiting Barbara’s family in the New Forest, we were taken to Exbury Gardens, which is famous not only for its collection of rhododendrons and azaleas but its variety of other collections. The Gardens were originally created by Lionel de Rothschild in 1919 and are still managed by the family today.
Included in the attractions is a wonderful narrow gauge railway, the brainchild of Leopold de Rothschild, who had had a love affair with steam trains since his child-hood. He had desperately wanted an electric train set “but my parents would not allow me to have an electric train set, believing, I would electrocute myself, as it was run off a six volt accumulator.”.
Leopold de Rothschild made several unsuccessful applications to the New Forest Dis-trict Council, which had a policy of not supporting new attractions to the Forest. In 2000 permission was eventually given provided it was an adjunct to the gardens and it was built in 2001.
The railway was designed by the architect Sir James Dunbar-Nasmith. To facili-tate the build, which included a new garden, a former landfill site had to be re-claimed. Great care was taken that the railway did not impinge on the tranquil char-acter of the existing gardens. Construction started immediately on the 12.1/4inch gauge track which runs a meandering one and a half miles and includes a tunnel. Dur-ing the 19th and 20th centuries the Rothschilds had funded many railways around the world but this was their first in the UK.
Exbury Central Station was also designed by Sir James, who based the design on the station at Aviemore in Scotland. The station’s ornamental roof supports which incor-porate the Rothschild’s’ five-arrow coat of arms, were specially cast by the Bal-lantine Bo'ness Iron Company, one of the last iron founders in Britain.
Two narrow gauge 0-6-2 tender tank locomotives were built specially by the Exmoor Steam Railway, together with a diesel locomotive “Eddy” which is used for shunting duties. Eventually the railway proved so popular that trains had often to be double-headed, hence a more powerful 2-6-2 tender locomotive was commissioned from Ex-moor Railway and entered service in 2008.
Over the years Exbury has had its fair share of famous visitors in 2008 it wel-comed our late Queen who named the newest Exbury locomotive “Mariloo” after Leo-pold de Rothschild’s mother. In 2011 the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall visited, help-ing to celebrate the railway’s tenth anniversary. Other well-known visitors have in-cluded Michael Portillo of “Great British Rail Journeys” fame.
This little railway, the result of one man’s dream may be short, but it’s an absolute delight, if you are in the vicinity of the New Forest why not visit the wonderful gar-dens and take a trip on a wonderful little railway.
Photos: Panasonic Lumix FZ200/Leica Vario Elmarit 25/600mm.
Exbury Station
Last Checks
Naomi
Rosemary
© Alan DW Humphries. 2004
Exbury Gardens Steam Railway - ‘The Rhododendron Line”
During Easter 2024 when visiting Barbara’s family in the New Forest, we were taken to Exbury Gardens, which is famous not only for its collection of rhododendrons and azaleas but its variety of other collections. The Gardens were originally created by Lionel de Rothschild in 1919 and are still managed by the family today.
Included in the attractions is a wonderful narrow gauge railway, the brainchild of Leopold de Rothschild, who had had a love affair with steam trains since his child-hood. He had desperately wanted an electric train set “but my parents would not allow me to have an electric train set, believing, I would electrocute myself, as it was run off a six volt accumulator.”.
Leopold de Rothschild made several unsuccessful applications to the New Forest Dis-trict Council, which had a policy of not supporting new attractions to the Forest. In 2000 permission was eventually given provided it was an adjunct to the gardens and it was built in 2001.
The railway was designed by the architect Sir James Dunbar-Nasmith. To facili-tate the build, which included a new garden, a former landfill site had to be re-claimed. Great care was taken that the railway did not impinge on the tranquil char-acter of the existing gardens. Construction started immediately on the 12.1/4inch gauge track which runs a meandering one and a half miles and includes a tunnel. Dur-ing the 19th and 20th centuries the Rothschilds had funded many railways around the world but this was their first in the UK.
Exbury Central Station was also designed by Sir James, who based the design on the station at Aviemore in Scotland. The station’s ornamental roof supports which incor-porate the Rothschild’s’ five-arrow coat of arms, were specially cast by the Bal-lantine Bo'ness Iron Company, one of the last iron founders in Britain.
Two narrow gauge 0-6-2 tender tank locomotives were built specially by the Exmoor Steam Railway, together with a diesel locomotive “Eddy” which is used for shunting duties. Eventually the railway proved so popular that trains had often to be double-headed, hence a more powerful 2-6-2 tender locomotive was commissioned from Ex-moor Railway and entered service in 2008.
Over the years Exbury has had its fair share of famous visitors in 2008 it wel-comed our late Queen who named the newest Exbury locomotive “Mariloo” after Leo-pold de Rothschild’s mother. In 2011 the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall visited, help-ing to celebrate the railway’s tenth anniversary. Other well-known visitors have in-cluded Michael Portillo of “Great British Rail Journeys” fame.
This little railway, the result of one man’s dream may be short, but it’s an absolute delight, if you are in the vicinity of the New Forest why not visit the wonderful gar-dens and take a trip on a wonderful little railway.
Photos: Panasonic Lumix FZ200/Leica Vario Elmarit 25/600mm.
Exbury Station
Last Checks
Naomi
Rosemary
© Alan DW Humphries. 2004
Comments
By David Askham: What an unusual garden railway, Alan. I hope you are teasing us and intend to show us the train meandering through the wonderful gardens in a future article. But you gave us a fascinating background story to the railway. Rail buffs will be delighted. Seizing on your technical point, I would be greatly shocked to learn that a human being had been electrocuted by a 6 volt battery! By Cled Lewis: Hello Alan,
Another enjoyable article with a lot of interesting details, it seems a delightful place.
Your comment on the electric train hit the spot with me. I did have a20volt O gauge Hornby engine and the transformer internals were easily accessed.
My father in the army meant that I “knew more than my mother “
I am still here and still have the engine (4wheels) and the transformer.
Better be born lucky than rich.
Cled By Keith Walker: Nice pics! Have not been there since way back. Must visit this Summer, or the Spring when gardens are at their best. There is a similar railway (same gauge) at Bicton Gardens near Budleigh Salterton, so virtually on your door step!