The Day

This was a day of enlightenment and education. Compared to my last visit in 2006, much had changed. New track had been laid, with new track layouts. Steam - the great attraction for visitors - appeared for the first time since 1957. Ongar received a "new" Great Eastern signal box where I learnt about Tyer's Key Token Instruments. Trips to Epping Glade appeared in the timetable.

"Isabel" of industrial (ICI) origins, leads the train to Epping Glade. For now, platform less Epping Glade at the 9.4 Km Post, is the closest that visitors normally get to Epping LUL. (See Boundary).

It was the centenary of the Titanic disaster, and I learnt about the special connection which Ongar has with that event. Ongar is steeped in history, so its 11th century parish church of St Martin was another new aspect in my education.

North Weald

North Weald's station nestles in the Essex countryside. It has become the operations centre for the restored Epping-Ongar Railway. The track layout had been completely transformed between 2006 and 2012. The presence of "new" steam and diesel traction was a testimony to the great progress on the rolling stock front. Altogether, an excellent impression!

Very few Great Eastern locos were preserved - not even a Claud Hamilton! The Great Western faired considerably better on the preservation front. Here is a representative of the mixed traffic (5MT) Hall Class. Mixed traffic? Yes, Halls would sometimes deputise for more powerful locos on expresses, but they were equally at home on freight duties. I saw a lot of Halls at Paddington in my "abc Ian Allan" trainspotting days. Number 4953 and its colleagues were introduced by Collett from 1928 onwards.
"84E" is the shed code for Tyseley. This may be latter day, suggesting that 4953 may have been overhauled there and that it might have been "shedded" elsewhere in its pre-restoration working life.




Great Western Railway locomotives were known for their brass name plates and number plates. This is probably why, on nationalization in 1948, the Western locos, unlike those from the other big four, retained their original numbers - otherwise too many attractive number plates to dispose!
Pitchford Hall is a Grade I listed Tudor house in Shropshire. It's "d" not "k" !!




Here's how to drive a "Hall".




Loco and tender were green, but picture manipulation made the lion cycling on the tender appear on a black - as opposed to a green - background.




Split code D6729 with Lymington EMU "Farringford" wait at North Weald before returning to Ongar.
D6729 is a BR Class 37 loco whose newer "TOPS" number is 37029.

Meanwhile, D5557 emerges from Epping Glade, with "Isabel" at the other end. Trains to Epping Glade are "top-and-tailed" by a steam and a diesel locomotive. Platform less Epping Glade at the 9.4 Km Post, is the closest that visitors normally get to Epping LUL. (See Boundary).




This gentleman took charge of Isabel. While driving a steam loco has its definite responsibilities, it is also an engrossing activity. Heritage railways rely greatly on volunteers.




Isabel again.




North Weald looking towards Ongar.

Epping Glade

Epping Glade is at the 9.4 Km milepost and is the closest that most visitors presently get to the LUL-EOR boundary. The journey passes through pleasant wooded scenery which is, apparently, home to a variety of wild life. At present, trains are top and tailed, usually with a steam loco at one end, pointing towards Epping, and a diesel at the other, pointing towards North Weald. This part of the visitor experience adds about 1½ miles to the 4 miles between North Weald and Ongar.

"Isabel" prepares to head the train to "Epping Glade".




On the way to "Epping Glade". Fields to the left.
Maximum permissible speed is 20 mph.




Roughtalley's Wood now on the left.




M11 Overbridge ahead.




This is as far as we can normally go. We shall reverse tracks here.
On the left is a Stop Board marking the start of a radio token section.
Beyond here we would get closer to the LUL-EOR boundary.




We are heading back.




North Weald next stop.
It's been a pleasant run to Epping Glade.
We have had a feel for the sylvan surroundings on the line towards Epping.



Back at North Weald.
Train to Ongar - "Split Code" Class 37 with EMU - are at the other platform (2).

North Weald Again

At North Weald I get some more pictures of Pitchford Hall, investigate "RT" buses and take some pictures of Split code D6729 with Lymington EMU. The "Epping Glade" flyer has returned and gives me some more opportunity to investigate "Isabel's" origins in the erstwhile home of British heavy industry on the Tyne.

This GER-style station nameboard proclaims that North Weald,
in rural Essex, was indeed Great Eastern territory!

Some More Pitchford

Here are further pictures ...




... of Pitchford Hall.




Space is usually tight on many heritage lines, and this was early days regarding "new" steam on the EOR. Hence, I hope visitors try to take a more relaxed view of crowded work spaces. I'm sure that EOR staff always have "Health and Safety" in mind whilst keeping the "show on track". At North Weald, the recent "steam" acquisitions are receiving close attention!

Enter the "Revised T" or "Regent Three"

"The London Bus Company" and "The Imperial Bus Company" are interests of the present owner of the EOR. The appearance of vintage London buses at North Weald reflects these interests. This link-up is useful, because it provides a convenient connection between Epping Station (LUL) and the EOR, and so helps to attract visitors to the EOR.




In the 1930s came "the Regent", London's T-series of buses. (See link1); "T" may have been chosen as the follow-on designation from the "S" series of buses.
After this came the "RT", of which early examples were conceived before WWII; and "RT" was short for "Revised T" (later thought of as the "Regent Three" or Regent III).
However, almost all "RT"s - like this one - were actually built post WWII. (See also link2).
Red RTs were allocated urban London routes 1- 299, but "339" seems to be an EOR invention!
Here fleet number RT 3871 and vehicle registration number LLU 670 match up,
as "ABC Ian Allan" said in 1957! !




The chassis of the RTs were built by the Associated Equipment Company, usually shortened to "AEC". The radiator grills of AEC vehicles had a triangle at the top of a two-part radiator grille. Instead of "AEC", the triangle on RTs had the "London Transport" logo; for central area buses, the colours were red, blue, black and white. Bodywork was often by Park Royal".



Some RTs were allocated to the country bus fleet and were painted green.
They plied on the rural routes 300-499 and 800-899.




According to my ("abc Ian Allan") book,
the number plate KYY 527 suggests a fleet number RT 1700.




For country area buses, the radiator triangles were
green with black and white, instead of red, blue, black and white.

"Split Code" and "Farringford"

From Ongar comes BR Class 37 number D6729 with Lymington EMU "Farringford" in tow.

The footbridge between North Weald's platforms 1 and 2, is at the moment awaiting its steps and footboards. This absence allows some temporary opportunities for the photographer!
This bridge comes from near Woodford on the present Central Line, and replaces the concrete structure from the "London Transport" era.




The train from Ongar draws ...




... closer and closer to North Weald.

D5557 and "Isabel"

D5557 was working in "Top and Tail Mode" with Isabel,
on the stretch between North Weald and Epping Glade.




The "steam-diesel2 combination slowly ...




... enters North Weald Station




D5557 is actually a Class 31/1 and worked on mixed traffic duties in East Anglia.




This picture at North Weald gives the impression of
a passenger service on a secondary line in the sixties and seventies.




"Isabel" will soon head the train back to Epping Glade.




Short pause at North Weald.




"Isabel" - cab side




"Isabel" - Builder's Plate




Isabel - Name Plate
Who was "Isabel"?

To Ongar

I'll take this train to Ongar.
Split code Class 37, D6729 with Lymington EMU "Farringford".

Ongar Station

At Ongar Station, there were four aspects in particular that caught my eye. The first was the memorial to Father Byles. Another was positive evidence that the refurbishments on the EOR were successfully attracting visitors. Then there was the "new" signal box with its levers and key token instrument. An artistic dimension was the nicely restored GER crest inside the station.

Ongar Station grade II listed and is regarded as the best preserved Great Eastern Station.
Here is a "Great Eastern" style name board.




This "advertisement" at Ongar Station for the "Titanic",
reminds us of a poignant connection of Ongar with the ill-fated ocean liner.
It was five days into the voyage that disaster struck.
This year - 2012 - is of course the centenary of this event.
I took the above picture on 15th July 2017, but I felt
it would be suitable to repeat it here to accompany the "Memorial Plaque" below.




Memorial Plaque to "Father Thomas Byles.
He was going to New York to conduct his brother's wedding ceremony.
Little did he and his fellow travellers know that
the "Titanic" would never reach the American shores.
(The BBC has two further links for Father Byles: "link_1" and "link_2")




Renovation of the EOR has justifiably made it popular, as this crowd of passengers at Ongar shows. The 4CIG unit 1498 "Farringford" is seen at Ongar; in the absence of conductor rails on the present day EOR, the 4CIG requires a diesel to propel it. I think, the 4CIG has now been sold on.
See link 1, link 2 and link 3.




Yes, a "new" signal box has appeared at the end of Ongar platform.
The top part came from Spelbrook near Bishops Stortford.




Inside the signal box, point levers have appeared; I'm not sure how many have already been connected up to their respective points and signals.

The red instrument on the right of the picture?
With a single manual staff to indicate single line possession, trains would have to alternate to and fro predictably through the single-track block - such as between Ongar and North Weald. This can be inflexible as in the case of unscheduled trains, including maintenance trains or possible breakdowns.

So enter the red instrument on the right, which is a Tyer's key token instrument (KTI). How does the key token instrument (KTI) (Electric token block) work?
There is one KTI at each end of a single line section. The two KTIs act as one - we have a KTI Pair. If a token is removed from either KTI to allow a train into the section, no other token can be taken from either KTI. Only once the token is returned to either KTI, signifying that the train has left the section, can another token or even the token just returned, be removed from either KTI. Of course, the two KTIs must be electrically connected to enable them to act as one device.
(The 4 vertical slots are for receiving tokens - so plenty of storage space!)

See (e.g.) Railsigns and Warwickshire Railways.




Inside one of the rooms in Ongar Station, there is a splendid Victorian cast iron fireplace. Especially splendid due to the Great Eastern Railway crest built into the fabric of the said fireplace. The City of London - with Wat Tyler's sword - takes pride of place in the centre. Essex is represented at the top left. Hertfordshire (with the "Hart") is at the bottom left. The identification of the other counties and places "is left as an exercise for the reader".




Here is Grade II listed Ongar Station from the outside. Ongar Station is regarded as the only fully preserved Great Eastern Railway (GER) Station. Perhaps that's why the "EOR" sign has now gone? I mean, EOR came a while after GER.

Chipping Ongar

Chipping Ongar - or just Ongar - oozes history at every pore. "Chipping" means "market" and is cognate with "cheap" - that is, "bought at the market"! From the traditional High Street, I reached the Parish church of St Martin and then Ongar Castle. After this, I returned on the number 7 bus via Chelmsford. This bus journey gave me a feel for the countryside and the places which an extension of the EOR to Chelmsford might have served.

Just off the High Street, half-timbered and weather-boarded houses nod to each other,
as they have done over the centuries.




Ongar Parish Church of St Martin is just to the east of the High Street,
close to the remnants of Ongar Castle.
St Martin's church dates back to the 11th century with Norman traces.
I took the picture on 31st March 2009, but included it here for completeness.




Usually, a square shape at 45° would indicate a hatchment (attachment) of the coat of arms of the deceased to the coffin of the said deceased.




Let's take a closer look. In this case "the hatchment" looks more like a royal coat of arms, in particular, those of George III (as in the "Madness of King George"). George III saw in the transition from King of Great Britain to King of the United Kingdom. Clockwise from top left: England, Scotland, Hannover, Ireland. The bit in the middle is a mystery!

Charles II said his royal coat of arms should appear in parish churches.
I think it was George III who reminded his subjects of this requirement.




Church monuments are often in Latin.




I often use them to practise my 'O' Level Latin.
In this case a kind soul has done my work for me - with a typewriter!!

It's Good Bye for Today

It was a day of new impressions, both "ferro-equinological" and historical. The change on the EOR since I last visited in 2006 was striking. New track, new rolling stock. Great strides. It brought back memories of my visits as a trainspotter to Paddington station in the days of steam. I also learnt some more about signalling by appreciating the intricacies of single line working. Ongar's history, recent and not so recent, provided added ingredients. My return journey by bus from Ongar to Chelmsford also gave me more of a feel for the countryside and for the places which an extension of the EOR to Chelmsford might have served.

The Great Eastern lives on!