Epping Ongar Railway

Saturday saw the gang working up at North Weald, with Chris, Simon, Steve and new volunteer Tom working on the installing of signals parts for Ongar’s signalling system, following Chris’ diagrams and instruction we soon progressed a number of steps forward.

Meanwhile Paul and Daniel working on the BR 20t Brake Van, installing “tongue and groove” on the north side, lifting and bracing a slightly dropped door and also cutting and priming plywood for the veranda ends.

We continued this work on Sunday, with Ben and Will working on the Brake Van, while Chris and Simon continued the Ongar signalling circuits. Michael and Steve worked on the Pway in the morning, before retiring at lunch, and Steve helping out the rest of the team on other tasks seeking some shade from the hot temperatures!

Just a very brief update of some of the progress made over the last few days….

Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th saw the team working at North Weald, progressing on with the signals works as well as continuing the restoration of the BR 20t Brake van. The signalbox at North Weald is currently undergoing a tidy up prior to the locking adjustments, and just before track is re-laid down the up platform, the chance was used to park the EOR van beside the platform edge to help with this task – in future we will no-doubt be using rail vehicles for this job!

Monday 17th; Chris and Simon were joined by two new volunteers, Robert and Tim (both involved with Craven’s Heritage Trains), who came down to assist with the tidy up. As part of this we also loaded and delivered the former Ongar Relay Rack to Epping Signal Cabin, where it will be preserved as part of the cabin restoration project. EOR was delighted to be assisting with ensuring the frame has a fitting new home, and can be preserved for future generations.

Tuesday 18th; the Tuesday Gang worked at Ongar, continuing the restoration of both the Porter’s Room, Janitor’s Store, as well as the Station Master’s office. The first two had additional coats of paint, while the office window was re-pointed, and the GE bars on the windows wire-brushed for repainting while the sash’s are removed for restoration. The Porter’s Room project is fast nearing completion and is looking very smart in its GER colours, ready to be used as a staff rest room. This has only been possible thanks to the hard work of those involved – well done!

Thursday 20th; the Thursday gang continued on their projects, finishing off the ridge tiles on the Porter’s Room roof, and other members of the team working on both electrical works as well as station restoration. The Telecom’s team worked at Ongar, installing a new exchange for the BT phoneline. Wires have already been run for some of the telephones that will be inside the building.

Meanwhile the C&W team continued the work inside the coaches: In TSO 5005 the Epping end vestibule was given a coat of woodstain but will need 1 possibly 2 more coats. Cut out rotten flooring by toilet entrance, cut a new batten & refitted metal treadplate. TSO 4925; cut & fitted a new plywood panel to replace one what was missing below plumbing access cupboard in Ongar end vestibule.

The Thumper team continued work on the preparation of the exterior for repainting, doing an excellent job removing paint from the Ongar end and continuing work on treating and patching smaller rust pockets. All this work is to ensure that the unit is restored and smart for when we once again welcome our visitors.  

As you can see above, there has been lots going on, and thanks must go to all the teams and individuals that come down on all these projects, that will enable the railway to re-open.
Report by Simon Hanney, EOR General Manager

Saturday 1st saw progress at both stations, with Steve E working at Ongar, plastering and filling holes in the Porter’s Room (Volunteer Rest Room), and Norman working on the plumbing of the original “Butler” sink. Meanwhile Bill and Chris worked up at North Weald, setting out insulated track joints for the signalling system which will help detect where the trains are.

Sunday saw a good turn out for the track team, and the team managed to complete a number of important tasks, including installing the insulated joints, finish installing a few fishplates at North Weald, while the rest of the team re-spaced sleepers, replacing rotten ones, as well as ensuring the spacing is correct and the rail fixings are correctly in place.Meanwhile new volunteer Ben worked inside the Brake Van (the wet weather preventing any wood work outside), scraping and sanding down the ceiling, ready for repainting. The inside will be returned to original BR colours.Bank Holiday Monday 3^rd saw Alan, Chris, Stephen, Will and new volunteer Tom working up at North Weald, with Gary & Jamie from Pway assisting. This time they concentrated on the newly installed points, servicing and attending to NW13 (main to loop at the Ongar end), as well as preparing the clamp lock parts ready for installing (and hopefully in time operating) NW5a and NW9a which will be at the Epping end of the station (see plan on Signals page).

Update by Simon Hanney, General Manager

Saturday 24th saw the gang working at North Weald. Bill and Simon worked on installing the pump and then restoring NW13 points (main to run-round loop at the Ongar end), which were pumped over for the first time! Then moved onto working upstairs in the signalbox.

Meanwhile Steve and Daniel worked on the Brake Van, cutting and treating wood ready for installing, as well as restoring and painting some of the support structure for the Ongar end veranda.

Sunday 25th saw further work on this vehicle, with James, Simon, Steve and Will continuing work on the Brake Van, fitting the wood, and then sanding and filling all the wood on one side, before then painting this in undercoat. Meanwhile Alan and Stephen, latterly assisted by James, worked on the point operating mechanisms on the western end of the run-round loop.
(Report by Simon Hanney, General Manager)

Stephen Cooper (one of our Pway gang) continues the update: On Sunday April 25^th the Pway team continued focusing their attention to the east of North Weald station. Work undertaken comprised of sleeper installations and miscellaneous adjustments to the two sidings that will extend to the boundary of the footpath that crosses the mainline to the east of North Weald station. It is anticipated that the sidings and main line will continue to be installed west-wards during this week. 

In the process of adding much needed additional siding capacity at North Weald

Sunday 18^th April saw the gang focusing their efforts at North Weald, with Simon, Steve E and Will working on the London Transport Museum Brake Van, and the Pway team continuing work on the eastern end of the station approaches.

Given the excellent weather, Steve and later Will worked on getting the running boards of the Brake Van both scraped down, and applied new bitchumen-based paint. This will help prolong the life of these, and was exactly as BR would have originally used.

Will paints the Brake Van Running Boards

While Steve was working on the boards, Will cut, and Simon prepared the “tongue and groove” cladding that will go on the north side. This was treated with a wood preservative, before then being painted in wood primer. The goal being to do the job well, for the long term preservation of the vehicle.

Simon applies preservative to the Brake Van wood

Meanwhile down the track, the gang, led by Gary, attended to one or two sleepers, before then assisting with clipping and fishplating the track that was laid during the week.

Pway Steve & Gary fitting clips at North Weald

 Picture courtesy of Steve Cooper (pictured left)

Tuesday 20^th April: There was another friendly team down at Ongar, the focus of their efforts being the restoration of the Porter’s Room (being returned to its original layout and use, as a staff rest room), and the Lamp Room (to be used as a cleaning store). The team are making excellent progress with the room, which after much hard work by the team, is nearly ready to be decorated.

Steve E continues the prep work in the Porter's Room

We have recently overhauled the “How You Can Help” page, showing how the railway operates and further details about the wide range of rewarding and interesting volunteering opportunities there are at Epping-Ongar.  

Report by Simon Hanney, General Manager, EOR

Just a short update to report on the progress made over the Easter weekend.

Saturday 3rd saw lots of activity at North Weald, with a team working on the restoration of the 20t Brake Van, on loan from the London Transport Museum. One side of this has been carefully stripped of its outer boarding, ready for re-fitting and work started on the metal preparation.

Meanwhile, other members of the team worked on the track, siting many sleepers, and installing / changing 10 replacement sleepers. With no trains running, its an ideal time to be undertaking this important work, and with the lovely weather the task was soon completed.

Sunday 4th saw more work at North Weald, with Simon & Will working on the Brake Van and the Pway team drilling and screwing down the sleepers.

Will wire brushed the metalwork at one end of the Brake Van and both Guard lookout “duckets”, while Simon treated the rust, before then applying a coat of metal paint to restore the vehicle.

Bank Holiday Monday 5th saw workers at Ongar, working on the station interior, including uncovering the north facing window in the Ladies Waiting Room. This has been blocked up since LT built the ticket machine strong room, or possibly even before. The window originally faced onto the platform before the Great Eastern converted the platform canopy into a “lean-to” type building.

The uncovered window really “opens up” the room, and the bottom section will be “frosted”, to hide the privacy of the ladies using the room, as well as providing an area for baby changing and feeding.

Tuesday 6th saw the Tuesday gang at Ongar, due to the demolition works in the station (removing a LT electrical intake room to restore the Parcel’s Office to its original size as a display area), the gang focused their efforts on finishing rendering in the Gents loo, while other members of the team cleared out the Porter’s Room. This room is being restored back to a “Rest Room” for volunteers, complete with its original 1890 period features, fireplace and butler sink.

Meanwhile Norman and Phil continued work on the Mk1 coaches, which are starting to come together ready for use when the railway re-opens.

There is always additional projects that new members, can get involved in. The work is very rewarding as we ready the railway for re-opening, an opportunity to meet new people, and no previous experience is necessary. Visit the “How You can help” page for more details.

Report by Simon Hanney, General Manager.