Click on map to view more detail

The line was to have been extended right round the Hall, but the 1914-18 war came along, Sir Robert was sent abroad, and the railway forgotten for a time. However, as I have said before, Sir Robert was a man of vision, and his vision now, on returning to Sand Hutton was not a toy railway, but a line that would serve his estate and its inhabitants. Transport from Sand Hutton to York was poor, the nearest railway station, Warthill or Holtby, more than a mile distant, and Sir Robert conceived the idea of linking up to one of these stations by his miniature line.

This was put in hand in 1919 and the necessary Light Railway order obtained in 1920. The line was to run from Warthill station, this being accessible by a level line. Holtby station, although slightly nearer would have meant a great deal of engineering work, cuttings etc. This line was completed in 1920 as a 15" gauge line and the little loco proved equal to all tasks.

Slide 6