East Anglian Railway Museum

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A visit to the East Anglian Railway Museum.


Chappel Signal Box - the one near the platform currently in use was open for members of the public to go in and try using the levers. Don't worry, they are no longer connected to the network so they don't affect the points when I tried one of them.


The East Anglian Railway Museum is 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 also plays host to three popular annual events: the Winter Beer Festival held each February, the Cider Festival held each June, and the Summer 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 the festivals, although train carriages are usually open to sit in and drink, with one wagon doubling up as The Shunters Arms at the summer festival.

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.


Chappel Signal Box is believed to have been built in 1891.

This signal box controlled Chappel section to Marks Tey, and Bures and Colne Valley Junction to White Colne.

This signal box was derelict when the museum took up the tenancy of the site in 1970 and was restored to non-operational condition by members.


Grade II Listed Building

Signal Box Approximately 50 Metres North of Chappel and Wakes Colne Railway Station


Listing Text

WAKES COLNE
1. STATION ROAD
5214
TL 8928 28/14 Signal box approx
50m north of Chappel
and Wakes Colne
Railway Station
II
2.
Signal Box,late 19th century, timber framed with painted weatherboarding
with low pitched gabled slate roof. Large pane double hung sash windows
on upper floor and timber staircase and access balcony at south end. Simple
bargeboards and ventilation in gable ends. Low ground floor room with large
pane fixed lights on track side. Recently restored.


Listing NGR: TL8979128926

This text is from the original listing, and may not necessarily reflect the current setting of the building.
Description

WAKES COLNE
1. STATION ROAD
5214
TL 8928 28/14 Signal box approx
50m north of Chappel
and Wakes Colne
Railway Station
II
2.
Signal Box,late 19th century, timber framed with painted weatherboarding
with low pitched gabled slate roof. Large pane double hung sash windows
on upper floor and timber staircase and access balcony at south end. Simple
bargeboards and ventilation in gable ends. Low ground floor room with large
pane fixed lights on track side. Recently restored.


Listing NGR: TL8979128926