Sandown Minature Railway

A Memory of Sandown.

I was in the kindergarten at Carisbrooke Convent when we had a day trip to the zoo. I remember after visiting the animals and eating the peanuts we had bought for the monkeys, we went to a play ground and those of us with a sixpence(2.5p) could buy a ride on the train. It ran on an elevated track pulled by a small black painted tender locomotive, and ran for about 80 yards in a straight line,then reversed and pulled you back again.The grass was quite long and brushed your feet at the end of the line.The driver seemed to run the show on his own, collecting the fares. I only had 4d and had to watch my friends enjoying themselves.