All aboard! Miniature Railway returns for Walsall Arboretum’s 150th anniversary

The rides will be operated by the Portable Railway Club and will run throughout the celebratory event on Saturday 4 May 2024.   

An array of activities will be on offer on the day including a long list of live musical acts, for which the running order on the day has been finalised.   

At the bandstand, the Mayor of Walsall, Councillor Chris Towe, will officially welcome visitors before The City of Birmingham Brass Band kicks off the day of performances at 12 noon. 

Proceedings will be brought to a close by headliners Slady, the world’s first all-female Slade tribute band, paying homage to Walsall native, lead singer and guitarist of Slade, Noddy Holder.  

Main Bandstand 

• The City Of Birmingham Brass Band: 12pm – 12:50pm 

• West Midlands Concert Band: 1:00pm – 1:50pm  

• Voices Entwined Choir: 2:00pm – 2:30pm  

• Noise Candy: 2:45pm – 3:30pm  

• Inareko: 3:45pm – 4:30pm 

• Midnight Crossing: 4:45pm – 5:30pm  

• Slady: 6:00pm – 7:00pm 

Acoustic Stage 

• Liam Dawson: 12:00pm – 12:30pm  

• Steve Wigley: 12:40pm – 1:10pm 

• Clarke Trio: 1:20pm – 1:40pm  

• Notion of Fortune: 1:50pm – 2:20pm 

• Gavin Medza: 2:40pm – 3:10pm 

• Jessie Desai: 3:20pm – 3:50pm  

• Aayushi: 4:00pm – 4:30pm  

• Maxx England ft Adrian Shaw: 4:40pm – 5:10pm 

• Amanda Veranda: 5:20pm – 5:50pm  

• Chris Crompton: 6:00pm – 6:30pm  

Admission to the event is completely free, with something for everyone on offer on the day. 

There will be children's rides, food stalls and bars, traditional games and boat rides on the lake (payment needed). 

Fairs for all rides on the miniature railway will cost £2.  

ENDS. 

Notes to Editors:  

About Walsall Arboretum 

Walsall Arboretum is a rural retreat at the heart of Walsall town centre. First opened in 1874, it now spans 170 acres and includes Hatherton lake, the country park and the extension. 

The site attracts over a million visitors a year, with people of all ages enjoying events such as the annual bonfire and fireworks, funfairs, fun runs and activities such as: cricket, tennis, bowling, informal football, walking, cycling, and running. The Sunday parkrun attracts hundreds of people every week. In summer, the splash pad and children’s play area also attract thousands of visitors. With a trim trail, skatepark and multi-use games area there really is something for everyone. And, in amongst all this activity, there are spaces for quiet contemplation and opportunities to enjoy the vast array of plants and animals that inhabit the space. 

The Arboretum will mark its 150th anniversary in 2024 with celebratory events throughout the year. https://www.go.walsall.gov.uk/parks-and-green-spaces/visit-our-parks-and-play-areas/walsall-arboretum Find out more about Walsall's parks and green spaces here: https://go.walsall.gov.uk/parks-and-green-spaces   

Arboretum facts and figures: 

• Attracts over 1 million visitors each year. 

• It spans 170 acres and includes the heritage core of the park, the extension as well as Walsall country park. 

• The Arboretum is part of the UNESCO Black Country global Geopark with spans the region. It was formerly the site of limestone mines that were active between 1770-c.1835 

• Holds a place on Historic England’s National Heritage List for England, a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites 

• Home to 10,000 different species of trees and shrubs. A report published in July for the Ancient Tree Inventory revealed that the Arboretum boasts the highest concentration of ancient and veteran trees in the entire region 

• Home to the ‘Devil’s Toe’ – a glacial ‘erratic’ boulder which was carried from North Wales on an ice sheet around 400,000 years ago