Rhyl Miniature Railway

Joan. Gareth Hacking (Atlas Obscura User)

Located next to Rhyl harbor and encircling the town’s Marine Lake, Rhyl Minature Railway is Britain’s oldest miniature railway. From the station house built in 2007, small steam engines carry visitors on a one-mile route during the summer months.

The brainchild of W. J. Bassett-Lowke, the railway opened in May 1911 and has been in continuous use ever since, except between 1969 and 1978, when a dispute over land leasing resulted in its closure and the tracks were removed.

Run today by Rhyl Steam Preservation Trust, a registered charity, the railway is home to a variety of miniature locomotives, with some such Joan and Railway Queen being over 100 years old. There is also a small on-site museum, giving visitors a chance to delve into the railway’s history.

Know Before You Go

Trains run from April to September. Check the website for the timetable, and which days that steam trains are running. The trip takes around five minutes. The booking office and platforms are level, although some with mobility issues might have trouble with the small carriages.