Considered by many to be the finest 7¼ inch gauge railway in Britain, the Beer Heights Light Railway (BHLR) first opened to the public on the 14 July 1975. Given the location of Pecorama, high on the hillside above the village of Beer, a ride on the railway offers wonderful views over Lyme Bay and along the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to the distant Portland Bill.

Having been gradually extended over the years, the line forms a complex, convoluted circuit now one mile in length. Passenger trains start and finish at the terminus of Much Natter Station, just inside the main Garden entrance. The route starts off through the formal gardens, includes many bridges, extensive sidings and a lengthy tunnel. Following this, the train seems to go out into the countryside and passes the new Deepwater station. Here passengers may choose to alight to enjoy the tranquillity of Lake Charlotte, the beautiful wildlife pond in Wildway Park, where there is also a nature walk and fitness trail. The train then passes a branch line which zig-zags down very steep gradients to the Beer Mine.

At the very busiest times, train services can involve running up to three passenger trains and four locomotives at once. Smooth and safe operation is assured by the fully automatic, fail-safe signalling system which utilises both colour light and traditional semaphore signals. Much of the railway’s extensive fleet of locomotives and rolling stock is based on British narrow gauge railway practice such as the well-known ‘Great Little Trains of Wales’, but one-third of the size!

As you enter Pecorama, the Model Railway Exhibition and Model Shop welcome you to the home of the famous PECO brand of model railways, one of the last major model railway production facilities left in the UK. The factory, alongside Pecorama, produces a countless variety of items for the enthusiast every day, utilising modern specialist machinery with highly skilled local labour.

Since railways fascinate many adults and children alike, it is not surprising that such a large number of homes already have a model railway. Some enthusiasts are deterred from the hobby in the belief that they would need more space. However, our Model Railway Exhibition aims to inspire modellers by demonstrating a variety of practical small layouts to suit every home – with options for both indoors and out. All boast an impressive amount of detail and even those who don’t model will marvel at the craftwork involved. Many of the layouts have interactive features.