PENSIONER Nev Boulton started his working life in the Royal Navy before moving to aircraft with the Fleet Air Arm but now devotes much of his life to a miniature railway.

Mr Boulton, 83, who in the past year has raised £1,000 for Wiltshire Air Ambulance, will next be running The Great Bulkington Railway in the garden of his home in the village on August 29 from 1pm to 4.30pm.

He said: "The Great Bulkington Railway (GBR) is a miniature sit-on-and-ride railway built in a large private garden at the side and rear of Bulkington village hall.

"There is about 1000 feet of track, an automatic electronic signalling system and a 40 foot long tunnel. The railway is normally open for public running twice a year at spring and autumn bank holidays when we often welcome 200 to 300 visitors."

He is helped by a group of volunteers who drive the handmade model diesel, and sometimes steam, engines. He said: "We also control the signalling system and make sure that all our visitors are safe.

"Rides cost £1.00 for twice around the track and all our profits go to Wiltshire Air Ambulance. The ladies from Christ Church, Bulkington provide teas and sticky buns for our visitors to consume on the lawns. Toilets are available in the village hall."

Mr Boulton, a retired aircraft engineer who worked for BOAC and British Airways, was helped by friends and neighbours to build the railway over a four year period.

It was completed in 1988 and to date more 19,000 trains have been recorded going around it. He said: "The track is constructed on re-cycled plastic made from used discarded supermarket plastic bags. There are over 1,600 of these sleepers each with six stainless steel screws securing the rails."