Audley End Miniature Railway

Address: Audley End, Wendens Ambo, Saffron Waldon, Essex CB11 4JB  Location Type: Miniature Railway Line
Postal Address: Audley End Estate Office, Bruncketts, Wendens Ambo, Safron Walden, Essex, CB11 4JL
Telephone: 01799 542134  Email: estateoffice@aee.eclipse.co.uk  Line Length: 1½ miles  Gauge: 10¼ inches
Route: Around Audley End House grounds  Station: Audley End
Service: Saturday & Sunday 27 March - 31 October, December / Bank holidays / school holidays / every day 17 July - 5 September
Tickets: Adult £3.50, Child £2.50, multi- ride tickets available  Parking: Audley End Station CB11 4JB
Website: www.audley-end-railway.co.uk     YouTubevideo     location map

 

Site Facilities: Refreshments, souvenirs, picnic area, walks

 

The Audley End Miniature Railway was opened on 16 May 1964 by Stirling Moss. To start with the track ran for just under one mile, an extension in 1979 added a further half mile. Trains go around the grounds at Audley End House which was originally owned by Lord Braybrooke but is now run by English Heritage.

 

A passenger travelling on the railway is taken through several tunnels, across the River Cam twice and past attractive woodland before returning to Audley End station.  A great deal of care has been taken with details on the line with everything to the correct scale including signal boxes, signals and gradient posts.

 

Steam power is used on most open days although in school holidays a diesel locomotive is operated on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

 

East Anglian Railway Museum

Address: Chappel and Wakes Colne Station, Wakes Colne, Essex CO6 2DS  Location Type: Working Railway Museum
Telephone: 01206 242524  Line Length: ½ mile  Gauge: 4ft 8½ inches
Open Days: Every day (except 25,26 December)  Steam/diesel days 7,8 August / 2,3 October
Tickets: Adult £4.00, Child £2.00, Family £10.00 (2 adults and 2 children) non-special event days  Parking: Museum CO6 2DS
Website: www.earm.co.uk     YouTubevideo     location map

Site Facilities: Refreshments, museum, picnic area, miniature railway 

 

The Stour Valley Railway Preservation Society was formed in 1968 with aim of running a steam operated railway line. At this time the Sudbury - Shelford route had recently closed so the Society proposed the purchase of the section from Sudbury to Long Melford. Unfortunately British Rail sold the track before sufficient funds could be raised.

 

In December 1970 the Society set up its base at Chappel and Wakes Colne station which was derelict and had suffered vandalism. On the positive side the site had the station building, signal box, goods shed and a large area where there were sidings. The Society still wanted to have a length of track and the station was on the Marks Tey - Sudbury route which was a possible candidate for closure. This line never did close with the passenger service currently operated by National Express.

 

Despite no track being left at Chappel and Wakes Colne station, track re-laying enabled train rides to be provided for Society members on 13 April 1971 by 'Gunby' 0-6-0ST War Department Austerity locomotive. All the buildings were restored, extra track laid along with the required points and signalling. A major improvement was the installation of a footbridge on 8 March 1981, this came from Sudbury and gives the benefit of access to the site without crossing the BR line.

 

In 1986 the name changed to East Anglia Railway Museum. Open most days the museum has a few steam/diesel days when passenger rides are available, for families there are 'Thomas' and 'Santa Specials.' 

 

Even on a non-operational day there is much to see including the station building which was built in 1880 by the Great Eastern Railway. There are three signal boxes, the goods shed dates from 1891. A restoration shed completed in 1985 is used for the maintenance and restoration of rolling stock. An interesting variety of goods waggons and passenger carriages are on display.

 

Operational steam locomotives are No.2532 Bagnall 'Jubilee' 0-4-0ST and No.54 Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns 'Pen Green' 0-6-0ST which masquerades as 'Thomas.' A number of DMUs and diesel shunters are also at the museum.

 

Mangapps Railway Museum

Address: Southminster Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex CM0 8QG  Location Type: Working Railway Museum
Telephone: 01621 784898  Email: info@bressingham.co.uk  Line Length: ¾ mile  Gauges: 4ft 8½ inches
Open Days: Every Saturday, Sunday, Bank holiday Mondays except November, January  Steam days 4 July / 1,29,30 August  
Tickets: Diesel days Adults £7.00, Child £3.00, Steam days Adult £8.00, Child £3.50  Parking: Mangapps Railway Museum CM0 8QG
Website: www.mangapps.co.uk     YouTubevideo     location map

Site Facilities: Refreshments, museum, picnic area 

 

Train enthusiast John Jolly had by the mid 1980s collected a range of small railway relics which were displayed in an unused barn on his farm. This was the beginning of the Mangapps Railway Museum, there followed a rather larger item, the waiting room from Brampton station on the East Suffolk line. Buildings from Horham and Laxfield stations both on the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway were erected later. 

 

In the museum there is an emphasis on railways in East Anglia and signalling. A variety of semaphore signals can be seen along with the lever frames required to make them work. Nameplates, posters and publicity material much of it from the Great Eastern Railway is also on display.

 

There are signal boxes that came from Berney Arms, Norfolk and Haddiscombe Junction with another awaiting renovation. A ¾ mile of track gives a ride across a pleasant landscape of Essex fields. Trains run every open day, usually diesel power is used, although there is the occasional steam day.

 

Six steam locomotives are located at Mangapps, although only one is operational it is No.2157 'R.O.F.8 No.8' 0-4-0ST built in 1943 by Andrew Barclay. A number on diesel engines, DMUs, EMUs and over 80 carriages and waggons make up the wide selection of rolling stock on site.  

 

Bressingham Steam Museum

Address: Low Road, Bressingham, near Diss, Norfolk IP22 2AA  Location Type: Working Steam Museum
Telephone: 01379 686900  Email: info@bressingham.co.uk  Line Lengths and Gauges: 4ft 8½ inches - 600 yards, 2ft - 2½ miles, 15 inches - 1½ miles, 10¼ inches -  ¾ mile
Open Days: March 27 - October 31, Steam Days Wednesdays to Sundays / Bank holiday Mondays / all school holidays / every day 19 July - 5 September  Non-steam days Mondays, Tuesdays  
Tickets: Steam Days Adult £12.00, child £8.00, Family £35.00 (2 Adults and 3 Children), Non-steam days  Adult £9.50, Child £6.50, Family £27.00  Parking: Bressingham Steam Museum IP22 2AA
Website: www.bressingham.co.uk     YouTubevideo     location map

Site Facilities: Refreshments, museum, shop, picnic area, gardens, garden centre 

 

Alan Bloom purchased Bressingham Hall in 1946. Always interested in steam he purchased 'Bertha' a traction engine made by Burrell's of Thetford. Through the 50s more traction engines and steam waggons arrived all eventually restored to their former glory.


On the 480 acre site there was a nursery and gardens. From 1958 the gardens were opened occasionally to the public. In 1964 Bressingham got its first railway, a modest affair with one 9½ inch gauge steam locomotive and 500 yards of track, but its success inspired a further three lines. 


With the end of steam power on British Railways in 1968 there were thousands of locomotives destined to be scrapped. A number of locomotives were saved by Bressingham and continue to be based there, some examples are 'Thundersley' 4-2-2T, 'Beckton No.25' 0-4-0T, No.6100 'Royal Scot' 4-6-0 and 'Martello' 0-6-0T Terrier.

 

At Bressingham there is a garden centre, commercial nursery, gardens and steam museum. An area of 17 acres is given over to the gardens which have over 8,000 species on display. In the steam museum can be found steam locomotives, carriages, steam rollers, traction engines, showman's engines and steam waggons.

 

The standard gauge railway has over ¼ mile of track and gives footplate rides. At 2½ miles the Nursery Railway is the longest line with Welsh quarry locomotives 'Bronillwyd', 'Gwynedd' and 'Bill Harvey'. Four locomotives are available on the 15 inch Waveney Valley Railway they are 'Flying Scotsman', 'Ivor', Mannertreu and Rosenkavalier. Designed and built at Bressingham the steam locomotive 'Alan Bloom' is a 10¼ inch gauge miniature replica of a Hunslet quarry engine, this runs on the Garden Railway. 

 

At least two of the lines will be operating on a steam day, with all four railways running on Sundays and Bank holidays. On non-steam days there is only one diesel powered train.

 

Mid-Norfolk Railway

Address: The Railway Station, Station Road, Dereham, Norfolk NR19 1DF  Location Type: Railway Line
Telephone: 01362 690633  Talking Timetable: 01362 851723  Email: info@mnr.org.uk  Line Length: 11 miles  Gauge: 4ft 8½ inches
Route: Dereham - Wymondham Abbey  Stations: Dereham - Yaxham - Thruxton - Hardingham - Kimberley Park - Wymondham Abbey 
Journey Time: 38 minutes  Service: Saturday, Sunday, Wednesdays, Bank holidays from May - October / Santa specials in December / 27 -28 December / 1 January.  Steam Service: 10 July - 30 August
Tickets: Adult £7.00 (diesel) £10.00 (steam), Child £3.50 (diesel) £5.00 (steam), Family £18.00 (diesel) £26.00 (steam) (2 adults and 3 children) return fare  Parking: Dereham Station NR19 1DF, Wymondham Abbey Station NR18 9PH, County School Station NR20 5LE (no trains)
Website: www.mnr.org.uk     YouTubevideo     location map

 

Dereham Station: Refreshments, shop, museum

 

County School Station: Visitor centre, refreshments, museum, picnic area (no trains, open Sundays only)

 

Approval was granted by Parliament in 1845 to build a railway line to Dereham.  The Lynn and Dereham Railway built the line from Wymondham with a passenger service  to Dereham commencing on 15 February 1847.  By 11 September 1848 the track had been laid to King's Lynn. An extension to Fakenham was completed in 1849, with a connection to Wells-next-the-Sea finished in 1857. Eastern Counties Railway took the lease of the line over from May 1848 but by 1862 they had merged with the Great Eastern Railway.

 

Grouping in 1923 saw the line become part of the London and North Eastern Railway. In 1947 with nationalisation the railways came under the control of British Railways. The last steam hauled passenger train ran on 17 September 1955 being replaced with diesel power. Steam was still used to haul freight trains until the 60s.

 

Passenger services from Wroxham to County School ended as early as 1952. Declining numbers of people using the railway meant the route from Wymondham to Dereham closed to passengers in 1965. The line from King's Lynn had no passenger trains after 1968, with the section between Wymondham and Dereham following in 1969.  A goods service continued to be run over parts of the line.

 

The Mid-Norfolk Preservation Trust was formed in 1995 and later that year a train service began from Yaxham to Rash's Green and by 1998 the line had been relaid to Dereham.  Help from the Norfolk County Council enabled the Trust to purchase the route from Wymondham to Dereham, which is now fully operational. A disused section from Dereham to County School is also owned by the Trust, this is being restored to working condition and will give the railway 17½ miles of track.

 

Services are usually operated by one of the resident heritage railcars or diesel locomotives. During July and August a steam locomotive is hired to haul the passenger trains. The locomotive scheduled for 2010 is No.9466 BR Western Region 0-6-0PT from the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. 

 

Wells Harbour Railway

Address: Pinewoods, Beach Road, Wells next the Sea, Norfolk NR23 1DR  Location Type: Miniature Railway Line
Telephone: 01328 855374  Line Length:  ¾ mile  Gauge: 10¼ inches
Route: Wells Harbour to Pinewoods Holiday Park  Stations: Wells Harbour - Pinewoods
Service: Easter week / Saturday & Sunday until Spring Bank holiday afterwards daily until mid September / mid September - October Saturday & Sunday
Website:  www.freespace.virgin.net/whr     YouTubevideo     location map


The Wells Harbour Railway (WHR) was built between 1975 and 1976, with the first passenger service on 1 May 1976. A necessary public transport service is provided by the railway as it replaced a discontinued bus route. During the first two years 80,000 passengers were carried, an amazing achievement for such a small railway.

 

Disaster struck in January 1978 when severe storms broke over the sea defences washing ½ mile of track and ballast away. A major rebuilding project commenced with the railway operational again from 1 July 1978.

 

Built by Lt. Cmdr. Roy Francis the WHR was sold and he went on to construct another miniature line in the town, the Wells and Walsingham Light Railway. By 1989 much of the equipment and infrastructure were run down. Passenger carriages were replaced in 1997, with a new diesel locomotive arriving in 1998. Improvements continued to be made by the present owners, they include re-laying much of the track and upgrading the station at Pinewoods.

 

There are two steam outline diesel powered locomotives at the WHR, both built by Alan Keef Ltd called 'Densil' and 'Howard', they provide the pulling power on most days. A steam locomotive named 'Edmund Hilary' 0-4-2WT built in 1972 by David King is still used occasionally, this was the WHR's first engine. 

 

Wells and Walsingham Light Railway

Address: Stiffkey Road, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk NR23 1QB  Location Type: Miniature Railway Line
Telephone: 01328 711630  Line Length: 4 miles  Gauge: 10¼ inches
Route: Wells-next-the-Sea to Walsingham  Stations: Wells-on-Sea - Warham St. Mary - Wighton Halt - Walsingham 
Journey Time: 30 minutes
Service: Every day 2 April until 30 October
Tickets: Adult £8.00, Child £6.50  Parking: Wells station NR23 1QB
Website: www.wellswalsinghamrailway.co.uk     YouTubevideo     location map

Wells-on-Sea Station: Refreshments, souvenirs, picnic tables 

 

The railway reached Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk with a line from Fakenham in 1857. Passenger traffic stopped in 1964 with the closure of the Derham to Wells section. Later in the same year the freight service ended with the track being lifted between Fakenham and Wells.

 

Lt. Cmdr. Roy Francis had already built the Wells Harbour Railway he then turned his attention to a more ambitious project to build a miniature railway from Wells to Walsingham. This was to be constructed on the trackbed of the former standard gauge line. Work started in 1979 and passengers were first conveyed on 6 April 1982 by steam locomotive 'Pilgrim' 0-6-0T built by David King Engineering, North Walsham. Called the Wells and Walsingham Light Railway it is the longest 10¼ inch gauge line in the world.


A new steam engine came to the railway in 1987 this was a 2-6-0+2-6-2 Garratt type locomotive named 'Norfolk Hero' this enabled two extra coaches to be added to each train. At Wells-on-Sea there is a redundant signal box which came from Swainsthorpe, it now houses the shop and tea room.


At present another steam locomotive is being built to help secure the long term future of the railway, the delivery date is set to be late in 2010. Built to the same design as 'Norfolk Hero' it is to be named 'Norfolk Heroine' after Edith Cavell.

     

Whitwell and Reepham Station

Address: The Old Railway Station, Whitwell Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR10 4GA  Location Type: Working Railway Museum
Telephone: 01603 871694  Email: mike@whitwellstation.com  Line Length: 500 feet  Gauge: 4ft 8½ inches
Open Days: Saturday & Sunday / Bank holidays, diesel engine, steam used on special event days
Tickets: Adult £2.00 for train ride, admission to station and parking free  Parking: Station NR10 4RE
Website: www.whitwell station.com     YouTubevideo     location map

 

Site Facilities: Refreshments, museum

 

Opened on 1 July 1882 the station was on the route from Melton Constable to Norwich City. The station closed in 1959 although freight trains carrying concrete products to Lenwade station continued to use the line until 1964.

 

In September 2007 the station buildings were purchased by rail enthusiast Mike Urry who set up the Whitwell and Reepham Railway Preservation Trust Ltd.  Work started on renovation of the derelict buildings and a short length of track was laid. On 28 February 2009, 50 years after closure the station re-opened to the public with visiting locomotive No.2000 Peckett 0-6-0ST giving passenger rides.

 

This new preservation project has made rapid progress with the renovation of the station completed. Track continues to be laid and every weekend a train service is provided. Their own steam locomotive arrived in March 2009 she is No.945 Andrew Barclay 'Annie' 0-4-0ST which runs on special event days. At other times diesel shunter No.7 Baguley-Drewry 'Georgie' moves the trains.

 

East Anglia Transport Museum

Address: Chapel Road, Carlton Colville, Suffolk NR33 8BL  Location Type: Working Transport Museum
Telephone: 01502 518459  Email: east angliatransportmuseum@live.co.uk  Line Length: 200 yards  Gauge: 2ft
Route: Northern end of museum site  Stations: Chapel Road - Woodside
Open Days: Saturdays 5 May - 2 October / Sunday & Thursday 1 April - 3 October / Tuedsday & Wednesday 20 July - 2 September
Tickets: Adult £6.50, Child £4.50, free return visits if donated through gift aid  Parking: Museum site NR33 8BL
Website: www.eatm.org.uk     YouTubevideo     location map

 

Site Facilities: Refreshments, souvenirs, picnic area, walks

 

A former Lowestoft tram purchased in 1961 marked the beginning of the museum. Founder member Mr A.V. Bird provided land and construction started in 1965.

 

The East Anglia Transport Museum is unique in the fact that it has working examples of all the major public transport systems of the 20th century. On site there are trams, trolleybuses, motor buses and  a light railway. Usually a number of vehicles are operating to transport visitors around the authentic looking street scenes in the museum.

 

 A 2ft gauge light railway opened in 1973 called the East Suffolk Light Railway. The line runs along the northern edge of the museum between two stations, Chapel Road and Woodside. Three Simplex and one Ruston industrial locomotive provide the motive power.

 

Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Museum

Address: Bockford Station, Wetheringsett, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 5PW 
Location Type: Working Steam Museum
Telephone: 01449 766899  Email: secretary@mslr.org.uk 
Line Length: ½ mile  Gauge: 4ft 8½ inches
Open Days: Sunday & Bank holidays - Easter to end of September / Wednesdays - August, steam trains run on special event days (see website)  
Tickets: Non steam days Adult £2.50, Child £1.00, Family (2 adults and 2 children) £5.00, steam days Adult £5.00, Child £2.50, Family £12.50 (all tickets are for the 2010 season, giving unlimited visits)  Parking: Bockford station IP14 5PW
Website: www.mslr.org.uk     YouTubevideo     location map

Bockford Station: Refreshments, museum, souvenirs, picnic tables 

 

In 1896 the Light Railways Act was passed with the aim of making less costly to build and run a railway line. There were simplified safety regulations along with a maximum speed of 25 m.p.h. One of lines constructed to comply with the new Act was the Mid-Norfolk Light Railway (MSLR). The plans were for the MSLR to start at Haughley Junction on the Great Eastern London - Norwich line and connect to Halesworth on the East Suffolk route which went from London to Great Yarmouth.

 

A section of the line opened in 1904 for goods traffic. Passengers were not carried until September 1908 after this there were two trains a day in both directions. By this time the track had reached Laxfield but lack of  finance meant the MSLR never went any further. Although there were ten stations they only served small villages and were often inconveniently situated a mile or two away. Freight was the main source of income with cattle, sheep, farmer's produce and coal all being carried. 

 

In 1924 the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway took over the MSLR.  Goods and passenger traffic slowly declined until the Second World War began. There were American airbases close to Mendlesham and Horham stations so the MSLR became an important means of transporting equipment and servicemen during the War. British Railways became the owners of the MSLR in 1948 and in 1951 decided to close the line, the final train ran on Saturday 26 July 1952.


A group of railway enthusiasts got together in 1990 with the idea of having a museum to celebrate the MSLR or 'Middy' as it was affectionately known. Situated in the village of Wetheringsett the museum is close to the site of the original Bockford station. There are photographs, documents, models and railway artifacts all on display.

 

An authentic looking light railway country station has been created, complete with corrugated iron style buildings. On the many special event days there are train rides given by the present resident steam locomotive 'No.3 Falmouth Docks and Engineering Co.' 0-4-0ST built in 1926 by Hawthorn Leslie, Newcastle. In the long term there are plans to extend the railway line to Aspall.

 

Further photographs of the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Museum can be found in the Photo Gallery No.2