Epping Ongar Railway

Classic car owners across Essex will be getting all steamed up on Epping Ongar Railway this Sunday 19^th May. In addition to the steam and diesel hauled heritage trains, vintage buses shuttling between the heritage railway to Epping Underground Station, there will be a display of classic cars from across the decades. The 1865 station at North Weald, trains and buses will be providing an idea backdrop to view and photograph these iconic vehicles.

Classic cars from across the decades will be on display on Sunday 19th May

Matching Green Classic and Sports Car Club will also be in attendance, with the owners on-hand to explain this history of their vehicles which, like the award winning heritage railway, many have been painstakingly restored to a near showroom condition. Over 20 cars will be attendance, and there are still some spaces left (prospective exhibitors are advised to please phone to book in advance).

EOR travel tickets include free entry to the car rally and all-day heritage travel so offer great value at only £13 adults, £11 concessions, £7 children, £34 for a Family ticket, discounted if purchased online at www.eorailway.co.uk  Further details: 01277 365200

Epping Ongar Railway runs a fleet of heritage buses and is believed to be the only location in the country where you can step on-board a vintage bus running on one of its original routes during “Catch the Bus Week”.

One of the routes operated by the national award winning heritage railway is the London Transport route number “339”, running from Epping Underground Station to North Weald and Ongar to connect with its steam train services. This bus service is becoming increasingly popular with local residents who are coming to rely on it each weekend, offering restored buses, a friendly conductor and competitive fares – we even accept senior citizens bus passes!

Step back in time on one of our vintage buses, RT1700 will be returning as part of “Catch the Bus Week”

To celebrate “Catch the Bus Week” we have arranged for an original vintage bus which escaped the breakers yard (no RT1700, built to a 1940’s design), to return on the 339 route which was first started in the 1930’s! This very bus used to operate in and around Harlow and on the 339 between October 1972-January 1975.

It promises to be a very special weekend, offering local people the chance to step back in time – perhaps even travelling on the original bus on an original route they might have used to get to school or work 40 years ago!   Click on the “Timetables and Fares” for details of train and bus times and fares.

Local people are being invited to get involved as a volunteer in one of Essex’s newest heritage railway attractions.

The railway is hosting special days when members of the public can find out more about the huge range of volunteering opportunities on this local community project. No prior railway experience is required as full training can be given and there is no minimum commitment. The events will commence at North Weald Station, Station Road, on 11 and 12 May 2013.

The Railway won three national awards in 2012 in recognition of the hard work our volunteers have put into restoring the railway and running services last year. Local businesses have welcomed the return of the Railway due to the additional custom that they have seen.

Colin Dye, Chairman and a founder member of the society said:

“Our volunteers come from many different backgrounds and with full training given there is no need to be from a railway background. There are opportunities for people to volunteer as porters, catering staff, guards, signallers and station masters but also for people to volunteer during the week maintaining the stations, signalling, locomotives, carriages and wagons.”

The events themselves are free but spaces are limited. Places must be pre-booked by calling Dean Walton on 07880 748259 beforehand. Further details will be given at the time of booking.

Let off steam at EOR!

The Railway is totally reliant on volunteers in order to run its heritage trains, and they undertake all tasks include drivers, firemen, signallers, station masters, guards, porters, catering staff, booking office clerks, shop staff and all the staff needed to run a successful railway.

Simon Hanney, General Manager said:

“The Railway has won three national awards, overwhelmingly due to the dedication of our volunteers. The Railway is reliant on its volunteers and we need more to join our friendly and welcoming team to ensure that we can continue to operate trains and as we look towards re-establishing rail services to connect at Epping.”

Nineteen-year-old Jon Miller, from Chelmsford, is one of 109 apprentices to have secured a job in the rail industry thanks to a partnership between Vital Rail, Vital Skills Training and Transport for London (TfL).

The group of apprentices, which includes 17 former offenders, has been recruited onto an Apprenticeship in railway engineering. Following 12 months of training, and hands-on experience these apprentices are set to begin new careers in the rail industry after completing their qualifications.

The Apprenticeship initiative, backed by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, was set up in response to high unemployment in the capital, where one in four young people aged 16 to 24 is out of work.

With responsibility for most of London’s transport network, TfL and its supply chain has provided valuable work placements for the apprentices, including the popular project to maintain the Epping Ongar Railway, the award winning longest heritage railway in Essex, which provides passengers with a family day out while also having the convenience of a heritage bus connection to the London Underground at Epping.

The apprentices practice the skills required to maintain our railways, using the facilities at EOR

A number of apprentices have already completed their qualifications and have moved on to a range of rail projects with Network Rail and London Underground.

Jon said: “An Apprenticeship was a great alternative to college for me because I enjoy a more hands-on approach to learning. Once I have finished my Apprenticeship I hope to pursue a career in track maintenance or signalling”

Simon Hanney, General Manager at Epping Ongar Railway added: “Between January and May 2012 the apprentices carried out essential maintenance work to get the line ready to operate passenger services. Since then they have been helping us to maintain the line where they have gained hands-on experience working on a fully operational railway line.”

Vital’s target for 2013 is to significantly increase the number of apprentices aged between 16 and 24 years old across the UK in areas including smart metering, software engineering, installation and maintenance and overhead power line engineering.

To find out more about the apprenticeships email info@vital-skills.com or call 0161 836 7024.

Following the resumption of passenger services on the 6 mile heritage railway, volunteers, staff, colleagues in the Heritage Railways Association and representatives from the National Heritage Awards gathered at the railway to unveil not one or two, but three national awards.

The awards were unveiled by
o          NRHA Heritage Railway of the Year – David Allan (Ian Allen Publishing, sponsors)

o          NRHA Volunteers Award – Andy Savage – (NRHA Judge and Executive Director of Railway Heritage Trust)

o          HRA Award (Large Groups) – David Morgan (HRA Chairman)

David Allan (Ian Allan Publishing), David Morgan (HRA Chairman) and Andy Savage (NRHA) beside the awards (Picture Roy Strutt)

Following the unveiling, Roger Wright, Managing Director of Epping Ongar Railway said:

“Epping Ongar Railway is overwhelmed to have received these prestigious awards during our first operating season and it is most gratifying for our volunteers and staff to see their hard work and dedication rewarded. I would like ot thank the panles of judges for recognising the massive efforts made by those teams in transforming a closed down, abandoned railway into one we see today. This really is a proud moment and a huge honour and we look forward to building on these successes during 2013 and beyond.”

Simon Hanney, General Manager added,

“The railway and the teams have come a long way, even standing here 18 months ago this whole area resembled more a building site than a heritage railway, and we owe so much to those who continue to work so hard on the project. I am delighted that the awards have acknowledged the achievements of all involved that we have taken the first step towards recreating an authentic Great Eastern and LNER branchline for Essex. While there are many challenges ahead, I hope we will continue to work towards our long term goal for our trains to once again connect at Epping, benefitting both visitors and the local communities.”

David McAdams, Chairman of Epping Ongar Railway Volunteers Society said,

“It was a wonderful result, being selected to win three awards in our opening year, and is very satisfying to all the many volunteers who have given hours of their time, to not only having reopened this heritage railway, but to have reached such a high standard of authenticity. We still have much to accomplish, and these awards will strengthen our determination to continue to make this railway an outstanding example, of what can be attained.”

The Epping Ongar branch has carried many thousands of gallons of milk during its history, at its peak carrying 1,200 of the 17 gallon churns each week into the capital! It was therefore very fitting and a delight for the team to welcome the London Transport Museum’s Metropolitan Milk Van to the branch.

Met Milk Van arrives by road, ready for unloading at North Weald, prior to the running in and testing (Picture Tim Shields, London Transport Museum)

As part of the preparations for the London Underground 150 celebrations, several items of heritage rolling stock have been restored, and the milk van will be playing its part during 2013, reminding us how many of the lines which now make up the Underground system were important freight carriers for the capital.

London Transport Museum approached EOR for our assistance to undertake running-in tests of the milk van, and we were delighted to accommodate. Officials from LTM and LUL were present and pleased with how the van performed, giving it the green light to be part of the celebrations which will see steam and heritage coaches returned to the Underground to mark the occasion!

Video of the testing was taken by LTM, who have posted this on their You Tube channel.

Met Milk Van departs from Ongar, hauled by 31438 – forming the first milk van train for over 80 years! (Simon Hanney)

Further details of the exciting plans by TfL, LTM and LUL to celebrate the 150^th Anniversary of the first London Underground line are on the London Transport Museum website  http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/tube150

As the only preserved part of the LU system, and closest heritage railway to the capital, EOR will be playing its part in the LU150 celebrations during 2013…. watch this space for further exciting details!

As a special Christmas Pressy from all of us at EOR, we will be giving every passenger on our Mince Pie Specials (27-30th Dec) a voucher for £3 in our excellent Gift Shop. So there is no better reason to escape from the extra helpings of Turkey Sandwiches or repeats on TV, and explore your local (award winning) heritage railway, and get to travel behind our newly overhauled locomotive number 4141! Buses also running from Epping and the timetables are here.

Travel behind 4141 this Christmas & New Year Period