ALL Aboard for a Somerset home which boasts one of the county’s more unusual features.

Binhams, in the Chew Valley, is a five-bedroom home with a surprise feature - its own miniature railway.

The railway is offered as part of the sale of the country property, available through Savills Clifton for a guide price of £1,150,000

Set on the outskirts of Ubley, Binhams looks, from the front, every bit the traditional family home.

It is indeed a fine home.

Venture into the rear garden however and you will discover something rather special, likely to thrill children and railway enthusiasts alike.

Set within extensive gardens, adjoining the open countryside, sits a fully functioning miniature railway, complete with a station, turntable, bridge and engine shed.

Individually designed and constructed in 2014 by Peter Pearson, who owns and lives at Binhams, the railway is the realisation of a longstanding dream for the retired engineer.

He explained: “I’ve always been fascinated by engineering in action. I worked for many years in energy engineering, designing, building and operating very large steam boiler plant.

“The idea of building and running my own miniature steam loco took hold once I retired and so, when we moved house nine years ago, a large garden was at the top of my list of must-haves.

“With just over an acre of landscaped grounds, Binhams was ideal.

“After months of work on its design, I started constructing the railway in 2013.

“It was a painstaking process to lay all 140 metres of track and screw in its 900 sleepers by hand, as well as the work to build the turntable, 11 metre long bridge and the all-important purpose-built engine shed to house the locomotives and their trucks.

“The whole project took just over a year to complete.”

Peter runs a steam locomotive, which he built himself, and which pulls two trucks and can carry up to seven adults.

The railway is a prominent feature in the lives of Peter’s family and friends and the centrepiece of many a social occasion.

He said: “The railway has been the backdrop to many great memories over the last five years.

“It’s been a fantastic way to introduce my grandchildren to engineering and my four-year-old grandson, Ben, has even learnt to drive his own small, electric loco.

“Having said that, its appeal is by no means limited to children. Everyone who visits our home enjoys a ride.”

Peter and his wife, Claire, currently share Binhams with their daughter, Laura and her young family.

After many happy years, Laura and her family are now buying their own property, and Peter and Claire have therefore made the decision to sell.

He said: “I will miss Binhams hugely and, while the railway is removable, I very much hope its new residents choose to keep and embrace it as a unique and crowd-pleasing feature.

“Meanwhile, I will continue to run my locos at The Bristol Society of Model and Experimental Engineers at Ashton Court, which I have enjoyed doing for many years.

“Attracting up to 3,000 rides a day in peak season, the crowds certainly keep me on my toes.”

David Wild is marketing the property for Savills Clifton.

He said: “A spacious and secluded family home, Binhams offers all the benefits of a country lifestyle, while being very well-connected to Bristol.

“Originally built in 1974, the property has been significantly extended and remodelled in recent years, to create incredibly flexible accommodation, currently serving two households.

“The large, exceptionally well-maintained, rear gardens are a great asset, offering a beautiful and tranquil setting, with open countryside views.

“The railway, at the far end of the garden, could well be a dream come true for an enthusiast young or old.”

For further information, contact Savills in Clifton on 0117 933 5800.