Saville Brothers, Garforth

Miniature Railways - Colin Peake's Photographs

7th July 2008

We called in at Saville's Garden Centre in Garforth between other visits on Saturday 5th July 2008, a wet day in West Yorkshire.

This line dates from the late 1970s and has been equipped from day one with a Severn Lamb 'Rio Grande' 2-8-0DH and open coaches. For many years the line was operated by the Garforth Lions Club, however it now appears to be under the control of the garden centre itself. Alas, it was not operating when we visited, due to the wet weather creating flooding over the line. The line usually operates at weekends and school holidays, weather permitting, all year round.

The line has the unique feature of that when in use the station is actually in the glasshouses of the garden centre. Out on the line there are several features including a girder bridge over a pond and the remains of a tunnel, which has sadly lost it's corrugated tunnel sections. Despite the wet weather it could be seen that this must be a very attractive line.

As the line was not operational we ventured to the far balloon loop to observe the layout of that part of the line, including the site of the tunnel.

The 'Rio Grande' in the shelter of the garden centre. 640x480	A view of the cab of the Severn-Lamb loco. 640x480	A view from the rear of the tender, the loco is in quite original condition. 640x480
The well engineered Severn Lamb wheels and motion. 640x480	At the back of the centre the line was under water and blocked by trollies. 640x480	Through the fence at the back of the site the coaches could be glimpsed. 640x480
At the other end of the glasshouse the door was open... 640x480	the track leading out headed straight for another flood! 640x480	A very attractive bridge over the pond. 640x480
On the other balloon loop the grass was well kept. 640x480	One of the former tunnel mouths. 640x480	The tunnel itself has vanished. 640x480
The other tunnel mouth. 640x480	Outside the tunnel mouth was the junction for the balloon loop. 640x480	Looking along the trackbed towards the main garden centre site. 640x480
The balloon loop heads off into the distance. 640x480