East Anglian Railway Museum
Encyclopedia
The East Anglian Railway Museum is located at Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station
in Essex
, which is situated on the former Great Eastern Railway
branch line from Marks Tey
to Sudbury
. Services on the Sudbury Branch Line
are operated by National Express East Anglia.
The museum has a wide collection of locomotives and rolling stock, some of which are fully restored, two are conversion into Thomas and Toby replicas while others are undergoing repair and restoration. The Restoration Shed was built in 1983–4, before which most work had to take place in the Goods Shed or in the open. On event days, steam train rides are operated over a short demonstration track.
The museum also plays host to three popular annual events: the Winter Festival held each February the Cider Festival held each June, and the Beer Festival
held each September. During the festivals, additional late-evening trains on the Sudbury Branch Line
allow festival-goers to return home by train subject to provision by the train operation companies. There are no moving exhibits during festival weekends, although train carrages are usually open to sit in and enjoy a drink, with one wagon doubling up as The Shunters Arms at the mina summer festival.
The museum has a collection of industrial steam locomotives, in various states of repair.
s are in use and stored at the museum. The units are owned by Diesel Unit Preservation Associates Ltd. DUPA own other railcars which can be found in use at various preserved railways in the UK.
band Blur
performed a concert at the museum, where they had performed their first concert in 1988. As in 1988, the band played to around 150 people in a goods shed. This concert was their first since 2001 and the first show of their 2009 mini-tour, which was followed by the band head-lining at the Glastonbury Festival
and performing two concerts in Hyde Park
.
In November 2009, a plaque
was erected on the East Anglian Railway Museum by PRS for Music. The Heritage Award
was a celebration of Blur
and the location of their first live performance.
Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station
Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station is a railway station serving the villages of Wakes Colne and Chappel in Essex.The station itself is located in Wakes Colne. It has one platform station on the Marks Tey/Sudbury branch line...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, which is situated on the former Great Eastern Railway
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
branch line from Marks Tey
Marks Tey
Marks Tey is a large village in Essex, England located six miles west of Colchester.Marks Tey railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line, and is a junction for the Sudbury Branch Line to Sudbury...
to Sudbury
Sudbury, Suffolk
Sudbury is a small, ancient market town in the county of Suffolk, England, on the River Stour, from Colchester and from London.-Early history:...
. Services on the Sudbury Branch Line
Sudbury Branch Line
The Gainsborough Line is the marketing name of the Sudbury Branch Line, a single track railway line running through the rural area between Sudbury and Marks Tey in England with connecting trains from Marks Tey station to London, Colchester and other destinations...
are operated by National Express East Anglia.
The museum has a wide collection of locomotives and rolling stock, some of which are fully restored, two are conversion into Thomas and Toby replicas while others are undergoing repair and restoration. The Restoration Shed was built in 1983–4, before which most work had to take place in the Goods Shed or in the open. On event days, steam train rides are operated over a short demonstration track.
The museum also plays host to three popular annual events: the Winter Festival held each February the Cider Festival held each June, and the Beer Festival
Beer festival
A Beer Festival is an organised event during which a variety of beers are available for tasting and purchase. Beer festivals are held in a number of countries...
held each September. During the festivals, additional late-evening trains on the Sudbury Branch Line
Sudbury Branch Line
The Gainsborough Line is the marketing name of the Sudbury Branch Line, a single track railway line running through the rural area between Sudbury and Marks Tey in England with connecting trains from Marks Tey station to London, Colchester and other destinations...
allow festival-goers to return home by train subject to provision by the train operation companies. There are no moving exhibits during festival weekends, although train carrages are usually open to sit in and enjoy a drink, with one wagon doubling up as The Shunters Arms at the mina summer festival.
Steam locomotives
Operational
- Bagnall 0-4-00-4-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-0 represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven...
ST outside cylinder Works No. 2542 "Jubilee".
- Returned to traffic in April 2007 after an 18 month overhaul and now used regularly on steam services.
- Painted lined brunswick green and black.
- RSHRobert Stephenson and HawthornsRobert Stephenson and Hawthorns Ltd was a locomotive builder with works in North East England.-History:The company was formed in September 1937 when Robert Stephenson and Company, which was based in Darlington took over the locomotive building department of Hawthorn Leslie and Company, based in...
0-6-00-6-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
ST inside cylinder No. 54 "Pen Green". (Works No. 7031)
- RSH
- Back in public service on 21 March 2008 following conversion into a Thomas the Tank EngineThomas the Tank EngineThomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
look-alike.- London North Eastern Railway class N7GER Class L77The GER Class L77, LNER Class N7, is a class of 0-6-2T steam locomotives. They were designed by Alfred John Hill of the Great Eastern Railway and introduced in 1915. The design was perpetuated by Nigel Gresley of the LNER after the 1923 grouping. 134 were built; only one of them is...
0-6-20-6-2Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-2 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
T inside cylinder No. 7999 (BR No. 69621) "A J Hill ".
- London North Eastern Railway class N7
- Returned to Service in 2005 after many years of sterling work on both preserved railways and the main line, currently in service back at the museum
Under overhaul
- Andrew BarclayAndrew Barclay & Sons Co.Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. was a builder of steam and diesel locomotives, based in Kilmarnock, Scotland, that was founded in 1840 and is now owned by Wabtec Rail.- History :...
0-4-0ST outside cylinder Works No. 1047 "Storefield".
- Returned to traffic in 1999 after a rebuild, currently undergoing a ten-yearly overhaul.
- Painted unlined dark blue.
Awaiting overhaul or restoration
- Peckett and SonsPeckett and SonsPeckett and Sons was a locomotive manufacturer at the Atlas Works in St. George, Bristol, England.-Fox, Walker and Company:The company began trading in 1864 at the Atlas Engine Works, St. George, Bristol, as Fox, Walker and Company, building four and six-coupled saddle tank engines for industrial use...
0-4-0ST outside cylinder Works No. 2039 "Jeffrey".
- Awaiting a major restoration including new inner firebox. On static display, with a painted 'Thomas'Thomas the Tank EngineThomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
face. - Painted red, lined-out in black and white.
- This engine is used as a mascot for the museum's Junior Members' Club.
Operational
- British Rail Class 04British Rail Class 04The British Rail Class 04 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunting locomotive class was built between 1952 and 1962 and was the basis for the later Class 03 built in the British Railways workshops. The Class 04 locomotives were supplied by the Drewry Car Co., which at the time had no manufacturing...
0-6-0DM D2279.
- Used regularly on shunting duties and sometimes passenger trains. Painted unlined black carrying fictitious number: 11249.
- Andrew BarclayAndrew Barclay & Sons Co.Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. was a builder of steam and diesel locomotives, based in Kilmarnock, Scotland, that was founded in 1840 and is now owned by Wabtec Rail.- History :...
0-4-0 Works No. 333 "John Peel".
- Andrew Barclay
- A regular on shunting duties. Painted blue, lined-out in black and yellow.
- John FowlerJohn Fowler & Co.thumb|right|John Fowler & Co. [[steam roller]] of 1923John Fowler & Co Engineers of Leathley Road, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England produced traction engines and ploughing implements and equipment, as well as railway equipment. Fowler also produced the Track Marshall tractor which was a...
0-4-0DH Works No. 4220039 7 "Toby".
- John Fowler
- Operational and used as a 'Toby'Toby the Tram EngineToby the Tram Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic tram engine in The Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry and his son, Christopher; he also appears in the spin-off television series Thomas and Friends...
for Thomas the Tank EngineThomas the Tank EngineThomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
events, has even got a Henrietta coach. Painted brown and grey.
Under restoration
- SimplexMotor RailMotor Rail was a British locomotive-building company, based in Bedford. Formed in 1911 as The Motor Rail & Tramcar Co Ltd, they built petrol and diesel engined locomotives, mainly narrow gauge. During World War I over 900 locos were supplied for use on temporary military supply railways...
0-4-0 No. 2029.
- Undergoing a major restoration. Painted blue and orange.
Diesel multiple units
A number of DMUDiesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s are in use and stored at the museum. The units are owned by Diesel Unit Preservation Associates Ltd. DUPA own other railcars which can be found in use at various preserved railways in the UK.
- British Rail Class 101British Rail Class 101The British Rail Class 101 diesel multiple units were built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in Birmingham from 1956 to 1959, following construction of a series of prototype units. This class proved to be the most successful and longest-lived of all BR's First Generation DMUs, with the final five...
DMBS No. 51213 Operational. - British Rail Class 101British Rail Class 101The British Rail Class 101 diesel multiple units were built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in Birmingham from 1956 to 1959, following construction of a series of prototype units. This class proved to be the most successful and longest-lived of all BR's First Generation DMUs, with the final five...
DTC No. 56358 Undergoing Internal Restoration. - British Rail Class 101British Rail Class 101The British Rail Class 101 diesel multiple units were built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in Birmingham from 1956 to 1959, following construction of a series of prototype units. This class proved to be the most successful and longest-lived of all BR's First Generation DMUs, with the final five...
DTC No. 56365 Donor/Spares Vehicle.
Blur
On 13 June 2009, alternative rockAlternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
performed a concert at the museum, where they had performed their first concert in 1988. As in 1988, the band played to around 150 people in a goods shed. This concert was their first since 2001 and the first show of their 2009 mini-tour, which was followed by the band head-lining at the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
and performing two concerts in Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
.
In November 2009, a plaque
Commemorative plaque
A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...
was erected on the East Anglian Railway Museum by PRS for Music. The Heritage Award
Heritage Award
The Heritage Award is a ceremonial plaque installed in a public place to commemorate a link between a famous musician or music band and the location they performed their first live gig...
was a celebration of Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
and the location of their first live performance.