Due to poor weather which effected the Lincolnshire and our part of South Yorkshire the train service had to be cancelled. However 27 miles away at Wortley Top Forge on the far side of Sheffield the weather was somewhat kinder enabling the electric locomotive "Mufuta" that used to be seen on the Sandtoft Miniature Railway and from 2000 at Thorne was able to provide a regular train service. It is the first time since 2nd June 2002 that "Mufuta" has operated beyond the tracks at Thorne.  P.S. That is not the steam locomotive "Remus" approaching that once used to operate at Thorne.

Some more photographs taken at the museum. To the left is the mixed gauge track arrangement. The 15 inch gauge track is from the original forge layout. Middle upper inside one of the many buildings containing some of the exhibits in the forge buildings as below. Upper right on of several model traction engines at today's event. For more details of the Museum and the Miniature Railway click here Further photographs can be seen as from Tuesday 6th September 2011 on http://www.sandtoftminiaturerailway.co.uk/page12.html

Left "Mufuta" at Wortley Top Forge next to "Romulus" at Wortley Top Forge 4th September. Middle better days for "Remus" at the Sandtoft Miniature Railway July 1999. To the right the electric locomotive "Mufuta" at Sandtoft for the official opening of the new locomotive shed in 1995. The locomotive will be attending the 2012 event at Wortley Top Forge.

Drivers eye view from Mufuta on Sunday 11 September 2011. A week earlier Mufuta had been hauling passenger trains at Wortley Top Forge railway. Today ahead of the remains of the Hurricane Katrina the weather was bright warm and sunny and an ideal day for operating trains in the park. Soon to get an haircut is myself in the middle photograph at the controls of Mufuta. Why an haircut besides looking rather untidy is that I have to make a brief appearance at the Civic Theatre in Doncaster as an ARP Warden. My lines are very simple "Put that light out" Go to page 12 to see me dressed for the 1940's Event in the same outfit that I shall be in this coming Saturday in the show "Twice Nightly 5". To the right we see some members studying the question forms for train driving and guard duties. 

Our expanding sales department being staffed by Jordan (left Photo) and James to the right. If you have any donations you would like to make please contact our sales department by E-mail or call in at the park. All proceeds go towards rolling stock maintenance.

One day you are appearing even if only briefly at the Civic Theatre in Doncaster as an ARP Warden in the Twice Nightly show, then on the Sunday a chance to catch up on some work on Remus the steam locomotive that once graced the tracks at Thorne Memorial Park on opportunity that arose as a result of the cancelled train service  on Sunday 18th September 2011. To the right is the helping hand of James, sorry James I do not seem to have any other photograph of you.   

I do have a photograph of Jordan working away on the chassis as good progress continues. The weather as you can see to the right was ideal for a train service but with only one adult and two junior members due to Health and Safety regulations requiring that two adults are required for train operation at the time had to be cancelled so the nearest trains operating today were those at the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft for their Model weekend.

Graham Bilby with his "0" scale layout which had both clockwork and steam locomotives. Behind Graham are trolleybuses from Edmonton and Reading.

In the former Immingham Docks managers house was one of several model displays including this model tram display featuring trams from all over the UK many which were those of Blackpool.  Click here  http://www.sandtoftminiaturerailway.co.uk/page12.html for more photographs of the event at Sandtoft including view of the trolleybuses. 

The last operating day of the Summer Season 25th September 2011 was a lively event in the park very colourful with the trains and the Green Top Cheerleaders form the Green Top School in Thorne. A day enjoyed by the visitors to the park, the threat of more general rain just managed to hold back long enough until a short while after the event closed.

After putting on the Green Top Cheerleaders had put on their show the train service was kept very busy carrying the children, well most of them as young lady here decides to keep fit by running and keeping up with the train for the last stretch into the station. 

The Cheerleaders doing one of their routines whilst Malcolm Ley from TMCR FM our local community radio station donates his winnings from the previous nights lottery.

Meanwhile back in the depths of the shed more work continues on the chassis of Remus and the boiler so that one day the locomotive can return back to the tracks in the park and hopefully for a guest visit to Wortley Top Forge Railway (see above) "the home of the Romulus Type Locomotive" as members call it.  To the right Remus still in service at Thorne in September 2004