Miniture railway in Bognor expands

Another 220m of track has been added to the Hotham Park layout.

This means passengers can enjoy seeing the recently-created area of parkland formed by the removal of Rainbow's End theme park.

The extra distance along the park's north western perimeter has seen the journey time for the maximum 75 passengers pulled by Boris by 90 seconds to 12 minutes for a double circuit.

Operators Chris and Lis Lewis hope the enlarged layout will prove popular as the annual country fair returns to the park this weekend.

Mrs Lewis said: "We've had a good reaction from the passengers to the extra piece of track because it changes their experience of the park."

The additional length of the 12.25in gauge rail '“ coupled with the removal of part of the former layout '“ has taken the railway's total distance to 840m.

It cost Mr and Mrs Lewis nearly 20,000 '“ including the cost of sleepers and the equipment hire needed '“ to put in the extension two weeks ago.

The couple took over the railway through their company, CTS Narrow Gauge Railways, in May 2007.

They have a 15-year lease with Arun District Council with the option of a five-year extension.

Mr Lewis said passenger numbers had increased this summer, but the railway's fortunes fluctuated with the weather.

"We can have 150-200 passengers on a good day '“ and everyone comments on how much nicer the park is now looking '“ but it all depends on whether it is sunny or raining," he stated.

Depending on the success of the railway, Mr Lewis said this autumn would see a further 12,000 spent on installing a figure-of-eight loop into the layout.

This would enable passengers to see the park in two directions on the same journey of a pair of circuits. He also planning a third series of improvements.