The Springfield Agricultural Railway was conceived in December 2006, when a house move led to the opportunity and requirement to move horse manure away from the stables across a couple of fields that needed dividing up into paddocks. In winter, the fields and access routes to the fields could get quite muddy if a tractor was regularly used. There was also a need to deliver feed and water to water troughs which were too far to be easily served by garden hose. A lightly laid railway made a great deal of sense.

The opportunity was taken to construct a 2ft gauge railway to serve the stables and paddocks. Phase 'A' of the trackwork was completed by May 2008. The railway has been completely designed, built, and operated by a single person. Initally it was 300-400 metres long, and lightly laid for the use of small (2 tonne/axle limit) locos. It allowed the transport and disposal of manure from the stables and from the fields, the movement of horse jumps, horse feed and any other equine equipment. In addition to this, it has proved useful for the maintenance of fencing for the paddocks and for the transport of fresh cut timber from the perimeter of the fields when trees and branches have fallen in bad weather.

There have been a number of enquiries about the railway and so it was felt that a few web pages outlining the origin, construction, and use of the railway may be of some interest. The railway has not been built for passenger haulage and it does not possess any passenger rolling stock. However, if anyone wishes to visit the railway they will be very welcome as long as they make contact beforehand (using the 'Contact' link above).

A number of changes to the trackwork have taken place since the completion of Phase 'A'. Finally Phase 'B' was completed in 2018 which extended the line to the bottom of the second field giving a total length of approx 0.5km. Further rolling stock and locomotives have been obtained over recent years as and when they became available. Some items requiring significant restoration back to working order. The railway now has sufficent stock to operate as was originally intended and continues to be regularly used.

I hope people find these webpages interesting, entertaining, and educational, as the record of the construction of a lightly laid 2ft gauge railway.