Beloved attraction Bransbury Park Trains appeals for help in securing its future as it seeks funds to replace track
Bransbury Park Trains seeks help in replacing 50-year-old track
A Crowdfunder has been started to secure the future of a volunteer led attraction that has been entertaining families in Portsmouth for 50 years.
Bernie Welch has been involved in Bransbury Park Trains for the past 10 years, ever since he started taking his granddaughter to the fun and affordable miniature railway. He joined a workforce of volunteers who dedicate their time to keeping the attraction running, some of whom have been there for decades.
However, its future is now uncertain with the 50-year-old track showing its age and the infrastructure in urgent need of replacement. The main bulk of the maintenance work is done out of season during winter but due to being severely worn, it is becoming more and more time-consuming to maintain.
If the track is not replaced, Bernie fears the facility would not be able to continue for much longer. He and his fellow volunteers at the Portsmouth Model Engineering Society (PMES) have set up a Crowdfunder to ensure it is still there for generations to come.
Bernie said: “As it is our 50th anniversary we thought it would be nice to get the track sorted so it can be enjoyed for another 50 years. It is well supported in the area and people enjoy coming down and there seems to be an interest from people for it to keep going.
“I got involved with it because of my grandchild, it was somewhere to take her. It is not so much about keeping it going for us, we do it to entertain the children and give them something to do during the holidays.
“It costs a pound but that is just to cover the costs of the running of it, we don’t make a profit. Nowadays everything is so expensive for parents to find ways entertain children.”
The Crowdfunder has a target of £47,980 which is purely the cost of the materials needed as well as storage, with the club planning to wait until the winter time to undertake the laborious work of replacing the track. Once replaced, it will make maintenance easier and less gruelling for the volunteers.
As well as starting the Crowdfunder it is also in talks with council about applying for a community or heritage fund to help with the work. They have also had support from previous members of PMES. One of the original members of the group passed away and his wife chose to donate £1,000 to them.
Bernie said: “If we don’t replace it then I don’t it would be much longer before this facility is gone. As a club all of the members contribute but it is not sufficient to cover the costs. It is something that is supported by the local community and it is good for community spirit.”
At the time of writing the Crowdfunder has raised over £2,000. The message on the fundraising page states: “Our railway is entirely run by volunteers and has become a much-loved community attraction, inspiring interest in engineering, preserving traditional skills, and bringing generations together.
“Unfortunately, after five decades of continuous use, the track infrastructure is now severely worn and in urgent need of replacement. Without this essential work, we risk losing this valuable community asset.
“We are seeking support to replace the track so that PMES can continue to provide safe, accessible, and enjoyable experiences for the local community for many years to come. Your support will help preserve an important part of Portsmouth’s heritage and ensure future generations can continue to enjoy the magic of miniature railways.”
Further details on the project and how you can support it can be found at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/bransbury-park-trains.