The Moseley Railway Trust (MRT) has had a long and valued collaboration with the Frankfurt Feldbahn Museum (FFM) in Germany. Members of the FFM facilitate a pan-European meeting each October, known as the International Feldbahntreffen. The meeting has taken place in many European countries – but had never been hosted in the UK.
Members of the MRT felt this omission should be corrected, and so offered to host the 34th such meeting. This offer was accepted, leading to a group of well over a hundred delegates from eight nationalities arriving in the UK in October 2026. The group including individuals and members representing many well-known and respected narrow gauge museums, railways and associations from across Europe. MRT arranged a programme of visits so that the group could make the most of their time. Thursday 8th October saw the group at the West Lancashire Light Railway at Hesketh Bank. Locomotives “Sybil” (a Bagnall saddle tank) and “Montalban” (an Orenstein well tank) were demonstrated for the group, along with a wide variety of internal-combustion locomotives.
On Friday 9th October, the Statfold Barn Railway hosted. Two locos were in steam, but the main attraction, as ever at Statfold, was the amazing Roundhouse, with its world-beating collection of narrow gauge locos. People who had never been to Statfold before were left in awe. A visit to Statfold Engineering showed modern engineering at its best, including the construction of two new-build steam locos. Statfold hosted the group in the National Fairground Museum building – where the Ghost Train and the Moon Rocket rides proved very popular – even with some who should have been old enough to know better!
Saturday 10th October dawned with the group at the MRT’s Apedale Valley Light Railway. The event was based in the new museum building. Through some serious hard work, the building had reached the point where it could be occupied and used as an impromptu events space – but was not yet filled with exhibits. So, it wasn’t necessary to empty the building before moving in with tables, chairs, a stage and AV equipment to facilitate the meeting.
The MRT took the opportunity to demonstrate the operation of as many locomotives as possible during the day. In addition to four steam locomotives in use, no fewer than 43 diesel, petrol and battery locos were operated. One of these was a “day visitor” – a very rare German “Struver” loco, which was brought on a trailer by its owner. This was greatly admired by many of the German visitors. During the afternoon, a Grand Cavalcade took place around the Apedale Field Railway to demonstrate these locos for the event participants. MRT suspects that having 47 different locos all operating on a heritage railway site during a single day must be some sort of record – unless anyone knows better?
The event was concluded on Sunday 11 October, being hosted by the Staffordshire Narrow Gauge Railway Society at their Amerton Railway. The team at Amerton also went for a “operate anything that goes” approach; highlights for the party were the Deutz diesel loco making a rare excursion on a passenger train – and a train double-headed by a pair of battery locos.
Simon Lomax, speaking for MRT, said “This event has been a major success for MRT and also for our colleagues at all the venues. This goes to show what can be achieved when smaller organisations work together. We are incredibly grateful to all our volunteers and supporters who worked incredibly hard to deliver this event. We have made many memories this weekend, and really put all four venues ‘on the map’ of European narrow gauge railways.”
