On Sunday, 4 July, over 500 visitors came through the door at Ongar Station, all eager to see the extensive restoration work that has been achieved in and around the Grade II listed station buildings. The book sales and information area in the booking hall was thronged with people enquiring about the progress of the refurbishment, with many expressing interest in becoming members of the Society. Some local people were so keen that they insisted on filling in the application form and joining on the spot!
As a community project, we welcome volunteers, wherever they come from and we at the Railway have sometimes been disappointed that more local people have not visited the EOR – but this was not the case last Sunday! The 339 vintage bus service run in conjunction with the North Weald Bus Rally was very popular, with people visiting both events and connecting to the Central line at Epping.
Great interest was shown in our recently acquired “Thumper” unit; during the day it was started up several times, so that its unique sound could be sampled by all present.
Crowds gather around the Thumper diesel electric unit, currently undergoing restoration (Picture Steve Cooper)
Simon Hanney (General Manager), Bill Dale (EORVS Chairman), and Bob Gillman (EORVS Publicity Officer), gave regular talks throughout the day to visitors in the diesel unit and hear all about the current state of progress and the future plans for the railway.
Simon Hanney (EOR General Manager) updates with the latest progress and the exciting plans for the future, accompanied by Bill Dale (EORVS Chairman) and Bob Gillman (EORVS Publicity)
The railway had a prize draw, supported by our local farm shop Ashlyns (www.ashlyns.co.uk), and the winner of the hamper was Caroline Walker who visited with her father who is a local Ongar resident.
Simon Hanney (EOR General Manager) hands over the prize hamper to lucky winner Caroline Walker
Report by Bob Gillman, EORVS Publicity Officer