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East Anglian Railway Museum

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Coordinates: 51°55′33.8″N 0°45′32.6″E / 51.926056°N 0.759056°E / 51.926056; 0.759056
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East Anglian Railway Museum
Entrance to the East Anglian Railway Museum
East Anglian Railway Museum is located in Essex
East Anglian Railway Museum
Location within Essex
Former name
Stour Valley Railway Preservation Society
Established1986 (1986)
LocationChappel & Wakes Colne railway station, Essex, England
Coordinates51°55′33.8″N 0°45′32.6″E / 51.926056°N 0.759056°E / 51.926056; 0.759056
TypeIndustrial railway museum
Collection size10 Locomotives, numerous other vehicles
Websiteofficial website

The East Anglian Railway Museum is a museum located at Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station in Essex, England, 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 Abellio Greater Anglia.

The museum has a wide collection of locomotives and rolling stock, some of which are fully restored, three are converted into Thomas, Percy 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 or diesel train rides are operated over a short demonstration track.

The museum hosts two annual events: the Winter Beer Festival held in late February / early March (timing depends on UK school holidays), and the Summer Beer Festival held each September.

Museum history

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The museum was originally formed as the Stour Valley Railway Preservation Society on 24 September 1968. The SVRPS was established at Chappel & Wakes Colne Station in December 1969 after a lease was obtained from British Rail to use the vacant goods yard and railway buildings, including the station building. The first public steam day took place three months later.

The goods shed and station buildings were quickly restored; with a workshop being set up in the goods shed to enable maintenance and restoration work to be undertaken on the rolling stock.

The Stour Valley Railway Preservation Society was renamed to The East Anglian Railway Museum in 1986 to confirm its focus on representing railway history of the Eastern Counties rather than just operating trains. The museum gained charitable status in 1991 (Registered Charity No. 1001579) and became a Registered Museum in 1995.

Since 2005, the museum has had a greater emphasis on interpretation and display facilities, a large variety of events take place each year to raise funds to support the museum's activities.


Rolling Stock On Site

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All information up to date as of December 2024

Steam Locomotives:

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The museum has a collection of industrial and Ex-BR steam locomotives,[1] in various states of repair.

Type Number Name Livery Year Built Works No. Status Notes Photo
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST 11 Storefield (Name not carried) Lined Brown 1905 1047 Operational Returned to traffic in 1999 after a rebuild. Withdrawn from service in 2005 and a further overhaul was completed in August 2015.
Bagnall 0-4-0ST (Runs as No.6 for DOWT) Jubilee

(Percy)

Bright Green 1936 2542 Operational Received some cosmetic changes to be Percy the Small Engine from Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.
RSH 0-6-0ST 54 (Runs as No.1 for DOWT) (Thomas) Sky Blue 1941 7031 Operational Entered service on 21 March 2008 following conversion into a form of Thomas the Tank Engine. Overhauled in Spring 2017, boiler ticket expires in 2027.
Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST Jeffrey Black 1943 2039 Static Display Currently on static display outside the museum entrance
W.G. Bagnall 0-6-0ST 3 Lamport Colchester

Crimson

1942 2670 Under Overhaul Arrived at the East Anglian Railway Museum in March 2013. This locomotive is currently undergoing overhaul. The locomotive will need new boiler tubes and a new firebox.
London North Eastern Railway class N7 0-6-2T 9621 (BR No.69621) A J Hill LNER Post-war Unlined Black 1924 Under Overhaul Boiler ticket expired in April 2015. Currently undergoing overhaul, Boiler currently having new inner and outer firebox fitted at Heritage Boiler Steam Services in Liverpool.

Diesel Locomotives:

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Type Number Name Livery Year Built Works No. Status Notes Photo
Drewry 0-4-0 WD72229. - WD Bronze Green 1944 - Operational Returned from Overhaul in 2024. Used on occasional passenger services
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 John Peel Lined Blue 333 Operational Operational but only used occasionally due to lack of electric start.
British Rail Class 04 0-6-0DM D2279 - BR Green With Wasp Stripes - Operational Main Shunting locomotive on site, Used on driver Experiences and occasional Passenger Services
John Fowler 0-4-0DH 7 (Toby) Brown 4220039 Out of Service Converted cosmetically to look like Toby for Day Out with Thomas events.
Simplex 0-4-0 2029 Blue Under Restoration Long term restoration Project

Multiple units and Railbuses:

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The EARM has a growing collection of Multiple units on site. Many of them have a local connection and ran on local lines around the museum.

Class Vehicle Type Number Livery Year Built Status Notes Photo
Waggon und Maschinenbau Railbus 4w-DM E79963 BR Green 1958 Operational Purchased from the North Norfolk Railway. Fully Restored and entered service in 2021. Originally ran on the Sudbury Branch in service
BR Class 101 DMU DMBS E51213 BR Blue/Grey 1958 Operational Owned by the Diesel Unit Preservation Associates Ltd. Originally ran on the Sudbury Branch in service
BR Class 101 DMU DTCL E56358 BR Blue/Grey 1959 Operational Owned by the Diesel Unit Preservation Associates Ltd. Cosmetic restoration and repaint into Blue/Grey Completed August 2024. Originally ran on the Sudbury Branch in service
BR Class 309 EMU BTDC 75965

(309624)

Undercoat 1962 Under Repair Arrived at the museum in April 2024[2]. Currently undergoing weatherproofing repairs. Restoration Supported by the Clacton Express Preservation Group. Carries Unofficial Nickname 'Bessie' in the cab.
BR Class 309 EMU MBS 977966

(309624)

TCS Blue/White 1962 Stored Awaiting Repair Arrived at the Museum in April 2024.[2] In the Queue to receive weatherproofing repairs once 75965 is complete in early 2025. Restoration Supported by the Clacton Express Preservation Group. Carries the name 'New Dalby'
BR Class 317 EMU DTSO 77092

(317345)

Network SouthEast 1981 Static Display Arrived at the museum in 2021 donated by Angel Trains.[3] Cosmetically Restored and Wrapped in Network SouthEast Livery in 2022. Used for Santa's grotto at Christmas

Coaching Stock

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Type Number Livery Year Built Status Notes
VGA (Underframe Only) Brown 2001 Out of Service Replica Tramway body built upon a VGA wagon chassis by Chappel in 2001. Styled to look like Henrietta from Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.
NLR Birdcage Brake 70 Teak Static Display Ex North Woolwich Museum. Sectioned Coach Body. Now inside the new exhibition shed.
LTSR Static Display Sectioned Coach Body. Now inside the new exhibition shed.
GER 4-Wheel 19 Primer Static Display
GER 4-Wheel 308 GER Crimson Under Restration Nicknamed "Chappel Coach" for its use while as a grounded body. Restoration Paused while other work is undertaken on site
GER 6-Wheel 553 GER Crimson Static Display
GER 6-Wheel 63892 GER Crimson Grounded Body One side restored, other side rebuilt as plain wall. Used as indoor seating for the Viaduct Inn Pub
GER 6-Wheel Black Grounded Body Used as a Bookshop on Platform 2
GER Brake Third Unrestored Wood In Storage Nicknamed "Boston Coach" Very Rare Example of a GER bogie Coach. Stored in the Restoration shed to prevent deterioration
LNER

TTO

LNER Green/Cream Out of Use Exhibition Coach. Currently not in use while the exhibition shed is being rebuilt
BR Mark 1 BS

Suburban

E43157 BR Maroon/Crimson Cream Under Overhaul Main Service Mk1 Coach
BR Mark 1 TSO E3779 BR Maroon Static Display Coach used as indoor seating for Stour Valley Steam Café
BR Mark 1 CK E24959 BR Maroon/Crimson Cream Operational Main Service Mk1 Coach
BR Mark 1 BCK E22103 BR Maroon/Crimson Cream Operational Main Service Mk1 Coach
BR Mark 2 TSO W5455 BR Blue/Grey Static Display Coach used as indoor seating for Chappel Beer Festivals

Freight and other Non Passenger Stock

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Type Number Livery Year Built Status Notes
GWR 4w Toad Brake GWR Grey Operational Owned by longstanding EARM member Peter Thompson And donated to the museum on his passing in 2005. Main Service brake van.
GWR Special Cattle Wagon 765 Crimson Under Restoration Currently undergoing bodywork repairs and a repaint
LNER Pooley Van E960701 Crimson Static Display Fully Restored. Currently in the running shed to protect the vehicle until the new exhibition shed is completed
LMS Hopper 691762 LMS Bauxite Static Display
SR Parcels and Miscellaneous Van SR 1152 SR Malachite Green Static Display Used as static cover for Driver Experiences and Beer Festivals.
WD Box Van WD Green Static Display
BR 20T Brake B951771 BR Bauxite Operational Restoration Completed in December 2024. Fitted with Vacuum Brakes in the latest restoration.
BR Cattle Wagon B892156 BR Bauxite Under Restoration Currently undergoing bodywork repairs and a repaint
BR Tube Wagon B732205 BR Bauxite Operational Service Freight Vehicle. Modified with bench seating.
BR 5-Plank M405032 BR Grey Operational Service Freight Vehicle. Modified with bench seating.
BR Hi-Bar B745522 BR Bauxite Operational Occasionally used in the Service freight set. No Passenger Seating inside.
BR Iron Hopper B437781 BR Bauxite Static Display
BR VCA Railfreight Red/Grey Static Display Used for storage
Barrier Wagon B580237 Black with Yellow Ends Operational Used to shunt the Class 317 around site. One end modified with a Buckeye coupling.
Grafton Steam Crane Green Static Display
Permaquip High Capacity Truck HCT008 BR Yellow 1988 Under Repair Used for site maintenance. Currently undergoing repair
Plasser & Theurer GPC72 12t Diesel Crane DRP81521 NR Yellow Operational Used for engineering on site

Concert by Blur

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On 13 June 2009, alternative rock 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 headlining 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.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Butcher, Alan C., ed. (2007) [2007]. Railways Restored 2007 (28 ed.). Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0-7110-3216-5.
  2. ^ a b Chairman, CEPG (14 May 2024). "THE 309 IS COMING HOME". CEPG. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  3. ^ Smith, Roger (21 October 2021). "East Anglian Railway Museum adds Class 317 DTSO to its collection". RailAdvent. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  4. ^ Plaque-Life - Blur Given Inaugural PRS Music Heritage Award Archived 1 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine 25 November 2009 www.allgigs.co.uk, accessed 6 November 2020
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