East Anglian Railway Museum
Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station (far right-hand track) and the East Anglian Railway Museum
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 Location within Essex
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| Established | 1986 |
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| Location | Chappel & Wakes Colne railway station, Suffolk, England |
| Coordinates | 51°55′33.8″N 0°45′32.6″E / 51.926056°N 0.759056°ECoordinates: 51°55′33.8″N 0°45′32.6″E / 51.926056°N 0.759056°E |
| Type | Industrial railway museum |
| Collection size | 10 Locomotives, numerous other vehicles |
| Website | official website |
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, two are converted 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 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 enjoy a 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.
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Wikipedia