Wat Tyler Miniature Railway

The 10 1/4 inch gauge Wat Tyler Miniature Railway is located in Wat Tyler Country Park, about a 10 minute walk from Pitsea station in Essex.

The railway has four stations at Park Entrance, Grand Central, Holly Cottage and Riverside with a total route length of 1.2km; a round trip takes 30 minutes.

Park Entrance has a loop and a single platform whilst Grand Central has two platforms and a reversing loop that was used before the extension from Grand Central to Park Entrance opened in 2012.
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Grand Central station

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On the 2102 extension

There is a combined storage shed and tunnel and a separate spur to some sidings and a shed between Grand Central and Holly Cottage stations. The railway also crosses a road between these locations.

Holly Cottage has a single platform and Riverside has a run-round loop, turntable, siding and one platform.

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Holly Cottage station

Trains run at weekends all year round (depending on the weather) and more frequently during the summer and during school holidays. Fares are £1.50 single or £3.00 return (£2.00 for children).

Wat Tyler Miniature Railway originally opened in 1988 using stock from the then recently closed Basildon Zoo railway.

The railway has a few maintenance vehicles and a number of carriages. On out visit trains were hauled by ‘The Goyle’ a 4w-4PM fitted with a Ford Engine. It had previously been numbered 31327.

News from Jonathan James.

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