AFTER years of closure, a beloved miniature railway could reopen in Somerset.
It was once a very popular tourist attraction in a seaside town that’s also home to one of the country’s most .
The council wants to bring back the miniature railway at Somerset
Clevedon Pier is the only Grade I listed pier in the country
The council in the seaside town of Clevedon in North is hoping to bring back its tourist railway.
According to the council website, it wants “to find an operator who can revive the miniature railway at Salthouse Fields”.
Councillor Mike Solomon said: “Clevedon residents have told us how popular and important the miniature railway is and this a great example of the council listening to those voices, working with leisure providers and the voluntary and community sectors to ensure we deliver together for the benefit of our residents.”
It’s not just the railway either, also on the cards is a new shed, site and a mini-golf and children’s play area.
Details are in the council’s advert which is for a 35 year lease starting in 2026.
The 15 inch gauge electric railway looped around the Salthouse Fields next to Clevedon’s Marine Lake.
It’s a huge part of the town’s as it opened in 1952, but closed in recent years.
Salthouse Fields near the coast might not have the railway, but it still has plenty for children to do.
There’s the skate park, children’s play areas as well as courts and a bowls club.
As for Clevedon Marine Lake, it’s open to swimmers, paddle-boarders and kayakers.
The miniature railway in Clevedon could be brought back
It’s a popular spot too as last year, the natural spots.
It first opened in 1929 with a timber clubhouse, changing room, high diving boards, bathing huts, deckchairs and a bandstand.
Along Clevedon Beach, visitors will find which in 2021 was named ‘Pier of the Year’
It’s also the only pier in the country with a Grade I listing – the Victorian-era pier was built in 1869.
Entry to the pier cost £6 for adults and £4 for children with a family offer of £15 (for 2 adults and up to 3 children).
You won’t find an amusement arcade on Clevedon Pier, but there is the Glass Box restaurant which serves classic meals like fish and chips.
At the very end of the pier is The Victorian Pagoda where visitors can get a hot drink in the months, or ice cream during .
The Clevedon Pier Toll House is the gift shop selling all sorts from toys to hand-made souvenirs.
It’s also well-known for appearing in the music video for the song ‘You & I’ back in 2014.
Plus, this pier in one of the .
And discover our .
One writer visited Clevedon Pier - and here's what she thought...
“Even on a cloudy day, has a very special calm and charm to it.
“There’s not many of these still standing and those that remain are far removed from how they would have been in their heyday.
“There’s no bright lights, manic music or over-the-top attractions here, just a subtle slice of seaside nostalgia, standing tall against time and tide.
“Stripped back of stuff to do and sights to see, it’s simply a place to be, beside the .
“As we pay our entrance fee (family ticket £9) and head through the tollhouse onto the slippery wooden planks, the first sight to greet us is the modern-day Glass Box cafe, with its spiral staircase taking visitors down to a room with a porthole looking out below the pier to the newly restored iron and steelwork hidden from view up top.
“It’s a fascinating glimpse into the engineering that’s gone into creating the pier and how it overcomes the challenges set by the tidal waters of the channel.
“At the other end of the pier, an ornate glass pagoda with fancy fretwork, added 25 years after the pier was built, houses a tearoom and the old landing stage still sometimes welcomes a paddleboat steamer in the months for those who want to recreate popular day trips of the past.” – Catherine Lofthouse
In Clevedon is one of the prettiest piers in the UK 
