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.
Grand Central station
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.
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.