Thorne Memorial Park Miniature Railway

Born in the late 1970s out of an idea to form a society to further the aims of those with an interest of model engineering. The then "Doncaster Model Engineering Society" built its track at the rear of the most famous railway place on earth, "Doncaster Plant Works". Birthplace of Mallard, Flying Scotsman, Green Arrow, Cock of the North to name a few. The group laid 900 feet of ground-level track. Only five years later, they were dismayed to be told after all this hard work had been done that below the top soil, underneath the track bed lies "The Works" dumping ground of blue asbestos boiler lagging. At the end of the 1984 operating season, and with winter approaching the opportunity arose to consider the next move. Well somebody moved it, the track that is. Only problem was they forgot to tell the group about it, the whole of the track disappeared, removed by a person or persons unknown. The group then met at a local factory, a members home and a country pub until an approach to Thorne Parish Council in 1996, to see if they wanted a miniature railway in their local park, was welcomed by the council. Plans were submitted and the appropriate permission was given. The council offered the use of a very solid brick building a former Second World War air raid shelter, with power and a nearby water supply, a better start could not have been wished for. The building is now the locomotive depot, which was recently adapted by the addition of a steel end door for the rolling stock to gain access to it. The service also runs on the annual Thorne Festival weekend. The society has a new web site, www.thornerailway.webs, this is now the official website of the Doncaster & District Model Engineering Society. ==Locomotives==