The Joys Of Life Railway

The Joys of Life Railway is a nice run of around 600yds, with a balloon loop layout. We start off from Stokerton, which is the railway’s terminus. This is a fully signalled station, controlled by the signal box at the station throat. The station compromises of two platforms, two integrated run-round loops and a siding. Alongside the station there is a 2-road loco shed, which is set below ground level, outside the shed, is a siding, and an ash road with a small pit. All of these sidings are accessed from the turntable. The station is particularly ‘scenic’, as the loco shed is set below ground level, this provides the opportunity for a scale station building, which is a very nice feature. This ‘scale’ world feel is carried through as the shed doors are barely 3ft tall (you access the shed from a gate which leads down some steps, behind the small station buildings).

From Stokerton the railway progresses through a cutting round a left-hand bend, (crossed by a footbridge) before reaching Bangor Road Level Crossing (actually a level crossing on the drive to the house). This used to have a driver-operated bell warning system, but this, like many other features on the railway, no longer works. After the level crossing the line takes a right-hand bend and re-enters a cutting. It’s then a fairly straight run up to Moles Hill Station, which has a passing loop with a platform either side, and a signal box, which operates the points and signals. After going through Moles Hill the railway enters a tunnel, which doubles up as a stock storage shed, because it has lockable doors either side. Leaving the tunnel it passes through woodland, & before long, there is a point that faces against the current direction of travel, this is described on a map as ‘Quarry Siding’. The railway continues in a straight line until we hit Highfield Junction, this is where the train used to stop to unload milk churns & parcels. It then progresses round a balloon loop, which is sat on a very attractive stone embankment. There are two high level bridges across a small stream on the loop. The railway then re-enters the other side of Highfield Junction, and the journey then returns back to Stokerton. Apparently in the past the passengers were requested to disembark the train at Highfield, because the insurance wouldn’t cover passengers on the train going around the balloon loop as the embankments are too narrow.

The Joys of Life Railway and other attractions around the complex (including a 16mm scale Garden Railway), were part of a commercial venture by Terry & Val Robinson, and was open from the early 1980s, to around 1999. After the business closed, the property was sold off by the Robinsons, generously leaving a loco and various items of stock behind. The premises were then purchased by Drs Ieuan & Wendy Jones who were not railway enthusiasts, but appreciated the work that had gone into building the railway and were anxious to rejuvenate it. Over the next 6 years vegetation was cleared from the track periodically with great help from a family from Hull, ‘Glyn’ pulled a train around the track but little maintenance was done to the trackwork, as the rest of the Joys of Life complex was re-developed into accommodation for tourists.

Early 2007 William High e-mailed Dr Ieuan Jones showing an interest in helping to revive the railway, one thing developed in to another, and before long a re-ballasting program was in progress, this program has worked the areas at Stokerton Bank Summit, Moles Hill Cutting & far side of Highfield loop back to life, more similar work now needs carrying out on the rest of the balloon loop.

'Faith' departs Stokerton (Photo (C) Steve Milns)

Steve Milns' 'Lady Madcap' at Moles Hill with the driver passing his token (Photo (C) Steve Milns)

'Faith' and 'Lady Madcap' in an atmospheric scene (Photo (C) Steve Milns)

Stokerton station in August 1998, pure 5in gauge magic

Moles Hill Station in 1998

Prior to installation of Moles Hill Signal Box taken in 1996

Running through what is now the railway's woodland section, its surprising how fast the trees have grown