East Anglian Railway Museum

The Museum is an open air site based at Chappel and Wakes Colne Railway station. The Victorian station was rebuilt in 1890-1. The entire site covering over 10 acres forms the Museum, which is made up of station buildings, signal boxes, Goods Shed, Restoration Shed and much more.

The Goods Shed is Victorian in date and is famous for being where local Britpop legends Blur played their first concert in 1988. They returned in June 2009 for the first show of their reunion mini-tour. The Restoration Shed was originally used during the building of the Dartford East Tunnel in 1980 and is now the Museum's repair shop. The Museum has several steam and diesel locomotives either in working order or under repair, including Lamport Number 3, an industrial steam engine built in 1942.

The original Wakes Colne signal box of 1891 has been joined in recent years by others from Mistley (Essex) and Fotherby (Lancs.). There is also a cast iron urinal from Cockfield (Suffolk).

The nearby Chappel Viaduct, built in 1847-9 to carry the railway over the River Colne, celebrates its 175th anniversary this year. Its thirty-two arches stand 80ft (25 metres) above the river and stretch for 1,136ft (350 metres). The Viaduct dominates the village of Chappel and can be seen as part of a visit to the East Anglian Railway Museum.

Timings & Tours

Sunday 15 September:

1000-1600

Location & directions

Station Road, Wakes Colne, Colchester, Essex, CO6 2DS

Directions:

From the A12, use Junction 24 and follow the A1124 towards Halstead. The Museum is located in Station Road, which can be found at the crossroads near to the large Chappel Viaduct.

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

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