Barrow Hill round house

[M7R]

Can anyone give more info on what there is to see and do at the Barrow Round house? I am thinking of taking my little boy there (Nearly 3 now) as he loves trains, and when we visit the National Tramway museum he always makes a B line for the dept first as he loves it in there.

The Barrow Hill website is a little thin on what there is actually to see and do there, and I don't want to take my little boy there only for him to be bored, or see it all in 5 mins, but if it is worth the trip then I will happily make a day / afternoon of it, (I know they had their Gala last weekend but we had other plans so that was out I am afraid).

Cheers

 

[rick pike]

If you look on Flickr it will give you an idea of what diesel and electric locos are there, which is usually a bit of everything from class 03 to class 89. In the Deltic Preservation Society shed you should see D9015 under restoration D9009 and 55019 should also be present to (unless they are visiting a preserved line) 37372 is there been turned into a baby deltic. HNRC class 20s ie the locos that are used on the tube stock moves are serviced there, plus 20096 and D306.Colas class 37s can turn up too 37207 is there at the moment. DRS class 20s and class37s inc 37510. GBRF class 47s and WCRC class 37s often turn up. The AC loco groups class 81,82,83,84,85 and 89 are based there. There's not normally many steam locos, I can only think of Blue Peter and Butler Henderson. There's also numerous ex industrial steam and diesel locos dotted about. There is a cafe that's open on gala days but I don't know if its open every weekend. The best bit however is that It is free to get in on none gala/event days.
I can't think of anything else at the moment.
You could also drop in at the Ecclesbourne vally railway, Midland railway centre, Peak rail and or Toton if your little man gets bored

 

[gazthomas]

I would recommend you go when there are events on and usually shuttles on the short running line - have a look at the website for more details but when I just checked it was only current to last week'a "Ticket to Ride" steam event which the OP was aware of

http://www.barrowhill.org/events.html

 

[M7R]

Thanks Guys, sounds like there's a fair bit to see (the little one isn't fussed if it's steam, diesel or electric, any train is a bonus to him!) I'll see about taking him up this Sunday for a look around.

We went on the Ecclesbourne last Dec for the Santa special and will prob do that one again this year as it was a brilliant day and made a nice change being on a mk1 diesel rather than a steam train.

I haven't taken him to Toton yet, it's only down the road for us so I have that one in the back pocket (normally it's a walk down to Attenborugh if we have a hour or so spare to go and wave at the EMT drivers - XC drivers don't seem to want to wave back or give a little toot much to my little lads disappointment).

He will be having a Steam overload at the end of the month as we are off to Llangollen railway for the Day out with Thomas, the poor lad won't cope! Thomas and other trains! It's his idea of heaven!

 

[rick pike]

Forgot to mention the HNRC workshop shed doors dont seem to be open much on a weekend so might be hiding a loco or two. They have an ex Midland Railway signal box there now, I think they were restoring it to opperational condition.

 

[theblackwatch]

The DPS depot is normally only open on Saturdays (but not this Saturday, as D9009 is out on a railtour and 55019 at the Severn Valley, which means the volunteers are busy elsewhere).

 

[alexl92]

Iirc, it's not too bad for steam. The NRM's 42500 (LMS 2500 which has been in York for years) is there in its new BR livery, and there are some old LMS locos as static exhibits such as a Johnson-designed Midland 1F 0-6-0. I'd lvoe to visit some day.