The Original Line
When the current group took over operating the line it was located at the east end of Ropley Station in what is now the top car park. It utilised aluminium rail and ran from a small station up a steep 1 in 34 incline, terminating alongside a 40' container, configured as a 2 road engine and carriage shed. When we took over just a couple of weeks before the Easter 2009 Thomas event we were told we had two problems, no loco and no carriages! Some hurried phone calls later and we hired in a Western hydraulic loco and two coaches, And so we began!
We acquired an American outline loco later in 2009, Nevada, originally on loan but later bought but several group members. Two group members built two coaches which were named James and Victoria after the children of one of them. Later on in 2009 one of our group members acquired another American outline loco, Patricia, which was looking very sorry for itself. It has, however, been restored into a very fine looking loco. It was with these items of stock that we ran our services at the old site.
None of this line is visible now, having been completely obliterated by the new top car park.
