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Welcome to the new Woodhorn Narrow Gauge Railway website

The original Railway formed as a joint venture between “QE2 Country Park Railway Society” and Wansbeck District Council in 1993.

The railway then ran under various guises until its eventual closure in 2018.

In 2023 a new wellbeing group formed. Initially as a “Monday Club” tinkering in the engine shed and generally putting the world to rights!.

As the group grew in numbers and diversity so did our ambitions to restore the derelict railway in its entirety. With our extensive knowledge and skills and with support and funding we knew this was an achievable goal.

And so, the ‘new’ Woodhorn Narrow Gauge Railway (WNGR) began its journey and with the drive and determination of the volunteers “the Phoenix will rise from the ashes!”

Our diverse group tick many skills boxes, ranging from administration, mechanical and electrical engineering. We also have welding engineers, carpenters, plumbers, track installation engineers and mental health counsellors, skills gained from experience in HM Forces, local industry, Network Rail, NHS and even the Nuclear industry!.

Other tasks we are continuing to work on are the upgrading of the electrical installation to the ticket office to ensure safe operation, recommissioning of the 3 available engines and various electrical modifications. Repairs to the passenger carriages including electrical systems and the replacement of various signals and lights which have suffered from vandalism during the railways dormant era.

By far the biggest and costliest job is to completely re-lay the 1km of track from the Museum Halt to the Lakeside Halt to conform with current rail safety standards.

The challenge is to raise the considerable funds required to carry out essential repairs before we can run any trains and to then be able to carry on the service for many years to come.