This trip saw a lengthy chase across the UK to see a variety of gauges of locomotive from 00 gauge to standard gauge and an impressive range of sizes in between.
I had heard so much about this place from Fox that I just had to take a look and see for myself. So on what turned out to be an absolutely gloriously sunny day, we took a drive out to spend the day there.
A rather early 10am arrival and already the Garden loco was in steam ready to go
The Garden Railway –
- Loco name – Alan Bloom
- Gauge – 10 ¼ “
- Route length – Not much
The Fen Railway (Formerly the Nursery Railway) –
- Loco name – Gwynedd
- Gauge – 2ft
- Route length – Mile and a smidge
The Standard Gauge Railway –
- Loco name – Martello
- Gauge – 4ft 8 ½
- Route length – Enough to roll the wheels
The Waveney Valley Railway –
- Loco – St Christopher (Sadly not a Krupp)
- Gauge – 15”
- Route length
~ Fox
Though I will concede, the Krupp’s are mainliners they’re suited to something like RHDR where they can haul long rakes of coaches at high speed… rough rails and tight bends is branch line territory and a narrow gauge outline tank, like Christopher, works far better.
I just want my Krupp’s back!
Gardens and house –
Two words… ABSOLUTELY STUNNING…. I could say so many more but these two capture the gardens. They are out of this world and truly beautifully planted. As above, we were blessed with the weather, the sun was shining beautifully and everything looked so colourful.
Locos we want to chase following our trip here –
From seeing how sad Mannertreu looked in the loco shed, in parts, with a rusted boiler and then seeing how lovely Rosenkavalier looked in the museum.. This left us wondering what happened to the third of the Krupp’s locos.. Our questions were answered in that it is currently serving Romney Hythe and Dimchurch under the name “Black Prince” – Guess that’s one we have now added to our list of trains to chase…
So in conclusiong.. Bressingham is amazing and I would love to go again! I feel like there is still so much to see and do while there but time and the pressure to commence a lengthy journey home cut our time too short!
Fabulous day.. 10/10 would visit again!
~Wuff