Mangapps Railway Museum
Mangapps Railway Museum is a privately-owned heritage railway and museum in Essex, set in farmland near Burnham-on-Crouch. It was founded in 1989 by the Jolly family on their working farm, and now houses one of the most extensive private collections of Great Eastern and East Anglian railway memorabilia in the country.
The site is unusual among UK heritage railways in not being on a former railway alignment, the entire line was constructed from scratch across farmland. The result is a pleasant if short ride of about ¾ mile through a fully signalled and equipped country station environment, with two restored signal boxes, station buildings rescued from closures across East Anglia, and a large display of locomotives, coaches and freight stock.
History
The museum was established in 1989 by John and Sara Jolly on land at Mangapps Farm. The first short stretch of demonstration line was laid in the early 1990s, and it has since been extended and provided with a fully signalled environment. Several station buildings have been moved and re-erected from closed Eastern Region stations, including buildings from Mid Suffolk Light Railway and Wivenhoe origins.
Stations and infrastructure
Mangapps station is the main visitor centre, with an extensive museum displaying signalling equipment, posters, signs, lamps, tickets and other ephemera from the Great Eastern Railway and its successors. Two working signal boxes control the line.
Route and stations
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Special events and operations
Themed open weekends include 1940s events, diesel galas, model railway weekends and Santa Specials. Many events feature visiting locomotives.
Visitor information
The museum is on the B1010 just north of Burnham-on-Crouch. Burnham-on-Crouch National Rail station is a short taxi or bus ride away.