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Bentley
Miniature
Railway

Jasmine with a short train

Click to see movie of train departing (679k)

A train departs from Bentley Central
Click to see movie of train departing (679k)


The Bentley Miniature Railway is the name of the Club's miniature passenger carrying railway.



In the early 1980's the Uckfield Model Railway Club operated its portable track in the grounds of the Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum at Halland, just south of Uckfield.


Work was started on a permanent ground level track at that time by a small team of people, caught in the photograph below during an early working party. It is interesting to note that two of the four are still regular attendants at the railway. The first part of the railway to be officially opened, in 1984, was the circuit next to Bentley Central Station. This was for all three engineering gauges, 7¼", 5" and 3½". However the 3½" circuit was not actually completed due to the difficulties of operating this gauge at ground level.


The infrastructure has gradually been improved over the intervening years, including the extension to Glyndebourne Wood. The railway now has a run of some 830 yards (758 metres).


This means that the passenger joining a train at Bentley Central Station (located near the childrens play area) is taken on a leisurely trip all the way to Glyndebourne Wood Station before returning, via a loop and tunnel, to Bentley Central. The ride takes approximately 6 minutes to travel the half mile circuit.



A track plan is shown below:-

Bentley Track Plan


More Pictures

Carriage Sheds at Horsted Sidings

Carriage Sheds at Horsted Sidings

Bentley Central departure road

Bentley Central departure road

The approach to Bentley Central

The approach to Bentley Central

Bentley Central platform

Bentley Central Platform

The station approach!

The station approach!

The steaming bays

The steaming bays

One of the original multi gauge turnouts

One of the original multi gauge turnouts

The level crossing into the

The level crossing into the "Railway Field"

Bentley Central Signal Box

Bentley Central Signal Box

Glyndebourne Wood Signal Box

Glyndebourne Wood Signal Box

Glyndebourne Wood Station

Glyndebourne Wood Station

The tunnel exit

The tunnel exit

Bentley Miniature Railway
Chiltern Model Railway Association
Scalefour Society, Wealden Area Group

This Website Copyright © 2009 by Adrian M. Colenutt. All Rights Reserved. Published on behalf of the Uckfield Model Railway Club Ltd.
The Uckfield Model Railway Club Limited is a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales, No. 3824818.