Timed to celebrate the Father’s Day weekend, and joining the national celebration of Rail 200, marking two centuries since the dawn of rail travel in Britain, Exbury Gardens hosted a busy weekend of vintage rail, steam power and family fun activities on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th June.
Exbury’s famed narrow gauge steam railway was in operation throughout the weekend, winding its way through the beautiful New Forest gardens, with a visiting locomotive from Littlehampton Miniature Railway, ‘Christopher’ helping to pull carriages. Working miniature traction engines could also be found making their way around the grounds – a real treat for steam fans of all ages.
The event also featured a wide range of model railway layouts across different scales, gauges and eras, displayed by members of the New Forest Railway Society, and scaled-down model locomotives from Focus Model Engineers.
The event was well attended with steam aficionados, model engineering enthusiasts, and garden visitors enjoying the line-up of rolling stock of all sizes, and the sunshine that stayed for the whole weekend.
The highlight for many was the moment that Exbury’s three steam locomotives coupled up with the visiting engine to form a four engine powerhouse that then proceeded to pull the coaches round the track on the last journey of the day. This was a rare sight to behold, and a dream come true for many steam fans in attendance.
The event will return next year on the Father’s Day weekend of 20th-21st June 2026.
