Miniature railway to remain in historic tunnel

The miniature railway takes visitors through the Glenfield Railway Tunnel

A miniature railway inside a historic tunnel will reopen next year after the experience was "more popular than any volunteers could have possibly imagined".

Glenfield Railway Tunnel was one mile (1.6km) long when it opened in 1832 and was the longest in the world.

It opened to passengers for the first time in almost 100 years after the miniature railway was installed earlier this year.

Leicestershire Industrial History Society (LIHS), which runs the railway and guided tours of the tunnel, said it had welcomed thousands of visitors since June and opened in October for the first time.

When the railway closed in the 1960s, the tunnel was bought by Leicester City Council for £5.

It had been used to transport coal into the city, and, according to the society, passengers last rode through it in 1928.

Tickets for the miniature railway experience are free but visitors are asked to make a donation.

In a statement, the society said: "The generosity of our visitors has humbled us and we thought it appropriate to share some of the money with a charity.

"To this end we presented a cheque for £500 to LOROS who were most appreciative of our donation.

"Thanks to your generosity we can continue with our tours next year during July and September and we will keep the miniature railway for everyone to enjoy."

The society said it also used donations to provide safety equipment for visitors, and had received a grant from Glenfield Parish Council to provide a defibrillator on site.

The tunnel will be vacated at the end of October until May so long-eared brown bats can hibernate for the winter.