24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage
Gateway to Over 3,000 UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions
Skip to navigation
Museum Details
Leighton Buzzard Railway
Page's Park Station
Billington Road
Leighton Buzzard
LU7 4TN
Bedfordshire
England
Collection details
Industry
Land Transport
Weapons and War
Facilities
Parking: yes
Food: yes
Shop: yes
Guided tours: yes
Baby changing facilities: yes
Study area: yes
Wheelchair access: yes
Visual disability facilities: yes
Contact details
General information (Tel)
:
01525 373888
General information (Fax)
:
01525 377814
E-mail
:
info@buzzrail.co.uk
Website
:
www.buzzrail.co.uk
Open
2008 Dates: call for details
Admission charges
Adult £5.50
Senior Citizen £4.50
Child (age 2-15) £2
Child (under 2) FREE
Description
The Leighton Buzzard Railway is one of the few surviving narrow-gauge light railways in England. It was built in 1919, using materials and equipment that were surplus from the War Department Light Railways that had supplied the battlefields in World War 1.
Originally built to serve the local sand quarrying industry, the railway has carried a passenger service, mostly hauled by steam engines, since 1968. It is operated by the volunteer members of a non-profit society.
The track is 2 foot (610mm) gauge, and the return journey--from Page's Park on the edge of Leighton Buzzard to Stonehenge Works in the Bedfordshire country side--takes 65 minutes.
Collections description
The railway was originally built to carry sand from the extensive quarries to the north of Leighton Buzzard, and the collection of locomotives, wagons and quarry machinery reflects this heritage.
The military connection cannot be forgotten, either, and one of the stars of the collection is an armoured petrol locomotive, built for the trenches, and now on loan from the National Railway Museum. Similar machines hauled sand trains at Leighton Buzzard until the 1950s.
Working displays take place regularly during the operating season, while other items are on static display.
Articles
News In Brief - Museums, Galleries And Heritage News
Summer 2008 Holiday Ideas At UK Heritage Sites And Museums
Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway Fights Greenbelt Development
News In Brief - Week Ending August 19 2007
Heritage Railway Voices Concerns Over Regional Housing Plans
MGM 2007 - Seven Events For Seven Days At UK Museums & Galleries
News In Brief - Week Ending September 10 2006
Trails
Somme 90th Anniversary - Visit UK Museums With WWI Exhibits
All Aboard! Visit A Heritage Railway This Summer
General Information
Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
Pre-booking service for groups
Parking for coaches
Guided tours
Collections
General guide to collections available
Specialist publications on collections available
Object identification and/or written enquiry service
Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)
Disability Access
Events/teaching/resources for people with disabilities
Large print information and/or interpretation
Parking for disabled available
Toilets for disabled
Wheelchair access to all public areas
Children and Families
Baby changing facilities
Events and resources for children and families
Picnic area
General Education
Education facilities available
Reception and lunch facilities for educational groups
Schools Education
Primary school education service available
Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
Facilities
Cafeteria
Meeting room available
Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)
Picnic area
Refreshments
Shop
Search this site
Home Page
News Page
Exhibition Page
What's On
Trails Page
Website of the Week
Letters Page
Welsh Home
Graphical Version
Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.