WORLD’S TINIEST RAILWAY

Manawatu Times, 25 March 1926, Page 5

WORLD’S TINIEST RAILWAY

“LILLIPUT” trains to run. A miniature railway which, the promoters declare, will have the smallest gauge, locomotives and rolling stock of any public railway in the world, may shortly bo in operation on the Kent coast between New Romney and Hythc. Two of the engines have already been built and delivered at Now Romney, and the promoters Captain J. E. I'. Howcy, the Brook, lands motorist, and Captain J. A. Holder—hope to open the line about the end of June. Nine miles long, the line will have four stations —one at New Romney, one at Hythc and two at Dymchurch, one of which will serve Jthc Duke o£ York’s camp there. The guage is to bo only 15in., and the width of the carriages 3ft. 4in. A tall man could easily overlook .the lops the the carriages, which arc but sft. Gin. high. “Open-air” coaches will be but 9ft. long and accommodaftc eight people, while closed coaches will bo 147-ft. long and will scat 12 people.

Each train will consist of about 30 coaches, ami tints acommodatc 250 people. The locomotives arc of the same design as the famous L, ami N.E. Railway "Pacilic” new typo, but arc only one-third their size. They are but 4 ft. Tin. high, 3ft. lin. wide, and 291'L Oin. long.

But tlie J.illiput. Railway promises to be as mighty as it is small. “Everything connected with it will be modelled on trunk lino principles,” Mr. Henry Greenly, engineer and manager of thfi new railway stated, recently.

"We shall have express trains, with slip coaches, that will run non-stop between New Romney and Hythe in about 23 minute.;, representing an average speed of ever 30 miles an l our. Stopping trains will take about I 30 minutes. The carriages will bo heated by steam, from the engine. “Dymchurcii, which is at present | lour miles from the nearest station i will be brought into railway com- i inimical'ion with London, as people will lie el;O' to travel by the new line to New Romney, where by jus: walking across a yard, (hey will be able to change on to the South-Eastern.”