Mangapps Railway Museum (previously Mangapps Farm Railway Museum) is a heritage railway centre located near Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex, England. The of standard gauge running line and museum are owned and operated by the Jolly family assisted by volunteers.
History John Jolly, his wife June and their son James moved from Halesworth in Suffolk to Mangapps Farm near Burnham-on-Crouch in 1984. He already had a large collection of railwayana, and shortly after moving, was asked if he still wanted Brampton waiting shelter, which he had tried to obtain while in Halesworth. It arrived some months later, was set up in his garden and filled with railway artefacts. He built a wooden platform and installed some station furniture. Visitors started to arrive, and suggested that Jolly should hold open days for the public. With the government suggesting that farmers should diversify to generate additional income, he enquired whether the railwayana could meet their requirements. He then obtained an ex-British Railways class 04 diesel shunter, and decided he needed track and other stock to go with it. The shunter arrived on site in April 1987, and over the next two years he obtained two more buildings from the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway, forming the basis for an operational railway.
In 1989 Richard Moore, who owned a half share in Bagnall 0-6-0 saddle tank No. 3061 was looking for a new home for the locomotive, and it moved to Mangapps. Jolly was then approached by John Wilson, the area manager for British Rail at Liverpool Street station, to take part in celebrations to mark the centenary of the Great Eastern Railway’s New Essex Lines network. Rover tickets from Southend Victoria railway station could be bought for £1, and Wilson wanted him to organise a bus link between and the farm. Jolly obtained two buses, while Wilson supplied three more, and over 3000 visitors used them over the August Bank Holiday weekend. The event highlighted the need to offer train rides, and after consultation with Major Peter Olver from the Railway Inspectorate, the running line was extended and train rides were offered from Easter 1990. Since then the collection of rolling stock and artefacts has continued to expand.
The collection includes many items with an East Anglian connection, as well as railway signalling and goods wagons. In addition to the locomotives, there are several coaches including a pantry car built for the London and North Eastern Railway in 1928 and a 1956-built non-corridor coach from the Western Region. Wagons include a boxvan built in 1881 for the Great Eastern Railway, an SNCF ferry van built in 1932 and a fruit van built for British Railways in 1950. Among the eight brakevans on the site is a caboose van built in 1981 for the Canadian Pacific Railway. There is also a vast array of historical signage, badges, and other memorabilia.
Museum collection The museum's collection of rolling stock, in common with most preserved railways stock, may be loaned to other railways from time to time.
Steam locomotives Builder Wheelarrangement Class Built Number and name Status PhotographFox, Walker and Company 1878 358 Minnie On static display.Peckett and Sons 1908 1159 Annie Undergoing restoration.Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. 1919 1619 Toto Undergoing restoration.W. G. Bagnall 1940 2613 Brookfield Acquired 1993. Designed for a metre gauge railway in Turkey, but completed as standard gauge for the UK. Operational, following a major overhall completed in 2024. W.G. Bagnall 0-6-0ST Empress, the first steam locomotive to arrive at Mangapps in 1989, moved permanently to the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway in September 2018.
Diesel locomotives OriginWheelarrangementClassNumber and nameYearStatusPhotographBritish Rail SwindonClass 0303 018(ex D2018)1958Under overhaul.British Rail DoncasterClass 0303 081 Lucie(ex D2081)1960Repatriated from Belgium in 2004. Undergoing repaint into BR Green.British Rail DoncasterClass 0303 089(ex D2089)1960Operational.British Rail0-6-0 DMClass 0303 1581960Operational.British Rail DoncasterClass 0303 399(ex D2399)1961Operational.British RailVulcan Foundry for Drewry Car Co.Adams NewportWorks number 2252 (Liveried 11104)1948On Static Display. Cosmetically restored to look like a Wisbech and Upwell Tramway locomotive.British RailClass 04111031952Under restoration to condition as used on the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway with cowcatchers and skirts.British RailRobert Stephenson & Hawthorns, Darlington for Drewry Car CoClass 04D23251961Operational. (First locomotive to arrive on site in April 1987)British RailA1A-A1AClass 3131 105 "Radio Caroline" (named by Rick Wakeman in October 2023)1959Operational.(functional GSM-R radio but unnecessary for a heritage railway)British RailA1A-A1AClass 3131 233 EX network rail viechle used on PLPR and UTU trains with network rail MK2F coaches (sometimes a DBSO was used)1960Operational (functional GSM-R radio but unnecessary for a heritage railway)
Diesel multiple units Origin Wheelarrangement Class Notes Year Photograph British RailPressed Steel, Linwood Class 117 DMS no. W51381 (ex-unit 117 310) 1960
Electric multiple units Origin Wheelarrangement Class Notes Year Photograph British Rail Class 302 BDTSO No. 75033 (ex-unit 302 201 Brake, Driving Trailer, Standard class, Open seating) 1958 British Rail Class 302 BDTSO No. 75250 (ex-unit 302 227 Brake, Driving Trailer, Standard class, Open seating) 1960 London Underground 1959 Stock Driving Motor no. 1030 (used in the film Darkest Hour in 2017) This was once part of London Underground's painted 'Heritage' train. 1959 London Underground 1959 Stock Trailer no. 2044. This was once part of London Underground's painted 'Heritage' train. 1959 London Underground R38 Stock Driving Motor no. 22624 (on static display). This was originally Q38 Trailer no. 014178, but was converted in 1950. 1938
Inspection vehicles Origin Wheelarrangement Class Notes Year Photograph Woodings Railcar Co No. 466 4w Canadian Pacific Railway Inspection Car 3700-84, last based at Abbotsford, British Columbia c1980 Wickham trolley 4w British Rail Western Region Type 4b trolley A14W-PWM2786, last based at Barmouth 1965 Wickham trolley No. 6936 4w British Rail Western Region Type 27A Mk III trolley PWM3951 1955
In addition to standard gauge stock, the museum also has a service vehicle from Southend Pier Railway. It was built as a passenger car in 1949 by AC Cars of Thames Ditton when the railway was a gauge electric line, but was converted to become a service vehicle subsequently. It carried the number 8 when on the pier.
References
External links
Mangapps Facebook Page
Mangapps Rly Museum Youtube Channel
Mangapps Railway Museum website.