Epping Ongar Railway

Santa’s special trains this December are in great demand so we have added extra seats on some trains. More of our popular 6 and 8 seat compartments are now also available offering an exclusive experience for you and your family. All good children receive a visit from Santa on board his special train! Have you got your tickets yet? eorailway.co.uk/santa/

There’s spooky goings on at North Weird... are you brave enough to ride the ghost train this Friday, Saturday and Sunday? eorailway.co.uk/halloween/

Looking to entertain the family this half term week? Why not come and see Victorian steam locomotive Metropolitan Number 1 in action? We're running trains tomorrow (Wednesday 24 October). Tickets are valid all day, including travel on our steam and diesel train services and heritage connecting buses from Epping Underground and Shenfield stations. eorailway.co.uk

The weather is looking fine this weekend so why not take the Central Line to Epping where a heritage bus connects with North Weald station for a steam hauled journey through the pleasant Essex countryside.Diesel trains also in operation and connecting heritage buses also run from Shenfield station. Note that due to road works at Epping station the buses will pick up from the top of the approach road this weekend. eorailway.co.uk

Due to a short notice cancellation we have a space available on our popular diesel driver experience on Thursday (18 October) morning! For a special price of £325, this can’t be booked online so please use the contact details on our website: eorailway.co.uk/visit/experience-days/dri ver-experience/

A great photo from one of our diesel crew shows the visiting class 121 diesel railcar at Blake Hall. Catch the railcar in action again alongside our steam trains and heritage buses this weekend! eorailway.co.uk

Will you be the 5000th visitor to the Penny Salon Gallery at Ongar station this weekend? There's a special prize up for grabs if you are! The gallery is currently hosting a special exhibition of photographs from the lens of Geoff Silcock. http://www.eorailway.co.uk/…/penny-salo n-gallery-to-welcom…/

This weekend sees a visiting diesel unit in use! Working alongside our own unit single car class 121 unit, 55033, will be working some of our diesel services. Our regular steam service will also operate on Saturday, though on Sunday, due to our volunteer steam crew being unavailable, the steam services will be worked by a diesel locomotive. Connecting heritage buses also run as normal and standard fares apply! eorailway.co.uk/even…/railcar-associati on-annual-convention/

A bubble car has come to visit! Single car class 121 diesel unit, 55033, has arrived with us today for a short stay. The unit will be working additional services this weekend, 6 and 7 October, alongside our regular steam and diesel services, even working one trip in multiple with our own unit (subject to testing). eorailway.co.uk/even…/railcar-associati on-annual-convention/
Known as a “bubble car”, the unit worked local branch line services on the great western mainline out... of Paddington and in the West Country. It would also have been paired with the trailer car currently running with our own diesel multiple unit on some services.
Driver experiences are also available with the unit whilst it is with us. eorailway.co.uk/visit/experience-days/dri ver-experience/
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Santa is coming back to the Epping Ongar Railway! Have you bought your tickets for his fantastically festive special trains yet? All children will receive a present from Santa during the journey, and adults can enjoy a free drink and christmas treat. Santa and his friends will have lots of additional entertainment too. eorailway.co.uk/events/santa-specials/

Class 121 single car Diesel Multiple Unit, 55033, pays us a visit! The unit was a regular performer on services out of London Paddington alongside our own class 117/121 hybrid unit. It was often paired with the trailer car that our power car is currently paired with. We will be running an intensive multiple unit service using both DMUs, both on their own and in multiple, alongside our regular steam services. On the Saturday you can even enjoy a fish and chip supper as we run slightly later into the evening. Our standard fares apply. Our usual heritage connecting buses will be in operation between Epping Underground, North Weald, Ongar and Shenfield stations. eorailway.co.uk/even…/railcar-associati on-annual-convention/

Have you ever wanted to drive a Diesel Multiple Unit? We are delighted to welcome a Class 121 "Bubblecar" for a visit during October. 55033 used to work alongside our own unit on the lines out of Paddington, and would often be seen paired with the trailer car our power car is currently paired with. Experiences are available on 8 and 12 October. You will take the controls for a full round trip of our steeply graded line. Full details: eorailway.co.uk/visit/experience-days/dri ver-experience/ Photo courtesy Neil Bunt.

Fancy a daytime dining experience? Our programme of popular evening dining trains is now over for 2018, but due to demand we have introduced a limited number of “daytime dining” trains aboard the Epping Fryer in October! Join the 1300 steam hauled departure from North Weald and enjoy a delicious fish and chip lunch served at your seat upon arrival at Ongar. Tickets are just £25 and include a free alcoholic or non alcoholic drink from out on train bars and an all day rover ticket so you can spend all day with us. See website for details and booking. eorailway.co.uk/visit/dining-trains/

The diesel gala is underway and the visiting class 17 has returned from its first trip into Epping Forest. eorailway.co.uk

This weekend is our Autumn Diesel Gala. The diesels take centre stage on our challenging gradients. There will be no steam services but we do have an intensive service, with “driver for a fiver” experiences and additional brake van rides. Our on train bars will also be open serving a selection of local real ale, and the Penny Salon Gallery at Ongar station will have a photographic display entitled Bygone Farming. Our usual heritage buses will also be running with additional early and late services. Have you got your tickets yet? eorailway.co.uk/events/autumn-diesel-gala / eorailway.co.uk/events/rat-september/

Our next Real Ale Train runs this Saturday! eorailway.co.uk/events/rat-september/

Dare you ride the ghost train? Tickets for our spooky Halloween trains are now on sale! eorailway.co.uk/events/halloween/

Following the success of our Real Ale Trains last year, we're running even more this year! The train fare is just £10 for travel after 5pm (£5 for holders of our residents railcard). We plan to have a selection of local real ales and 2 ciders available, bottled ales together with bar snacks, onboard the train in the Flag and Whistle Bar. For details checkout our website.
Leave the car at home!... We will be running our connecting heritage buses between North Weald and Epping Underground station into the evening including a connection with the last train arrival. eorailway.co.uk/events/rat-september/
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What a wonderful experience at Epping Ongar Railway today, love the trains, bus drive and everyone was friendly and helpful. Recommend the cakes as well Gina J

We went to the Curry night at Epping Ongar Railway tonight, had a really lovely time, staff are very friendly. The Curry was excellent.

We even had a magician who amazed us with his magic.

We are coming back for the fish and chips also the Pie and mash night.

Thank you

We went here today with my 2 children, 2 nephews and family for the "santa express" experience and we absolutely loved it... it was an amazing experience from start to finish! The steam train was magnificent, the Grinch and Scrooge characters were brilliant and Santa... well.... I'm 99.9% sure he was THE real Santa... he is honestly the most incredible Santa I think I have EVER seen... from his beard to his amazingly beautiful grand attire... my children thought he was the real santa and I was just in awe of him... even as a grown-up! The mulled wine and mince pies and Christmas lights.... just everything about it was absolutely incredible! Would definitely recommend this and will definitely be returning. AMAZING! 5 Star!!

We all had an absolutely wonderful time on the Santa Special today. Everything was so well organised from the trip on the vintage double decker to the train ride itself.

Santa was the best I've seen & Scrooge giving out golden chocolate coins was a great touch.

We all laughed so much seeing the Grinch with a child's umbrella as we sat on the bus waiting to leave.

Thank you to everyone involved, it was a great start to our Christmas!

Visited on Saturday for the egg hunt! All 3 children (ages 8,4 and 2) loved it all... the bus ride, steam train, egg hunt, magician and silent disco. The staff were helpful and friendly and thankfully the rain held off for most of the day!

Took my 11m old daughter - very child friendly. staff went out of thier way to make her feel welcome. The railway is small but absolutely beautiful.

Today we were here fantastic day out. Rain didn't help but hey ho. Anyway the point of this post is that on our way to leave we used the toilets and we found a don't purse in there. I'm pretty sure it was the last in front of us who has used it just before. Ran out to see if could find her but no sighting. She was with a little boy with an Ireland woolly hat on. We spoke briefly about the hat. Almost certain was yours. If so contact me on here.

The Epping Ongar Railway is one of the most recent heritage railways in the UK. It's unique as it's the only heritage railway where preserved Steam and Diesel locomotives run on what was a former London Underground line part of the Central Line. It's also the longest preserved railway in Essex and the only one right next to London it self and is a must for fans of steam and diesel locomotives working hard on Gala weekends but a great day out for all the family.

Real ale festival ,staff did a great job on the trains bus all of them ,we had so much fun ,it was a treat for our dads 80th birthday ,grandchildren loved it too ,keep the good work up ,we be back for next event day

Our second Diesel Gala today and yet again we had a brilliant time.

Your staff are, without exception, friendly, approachable, helpful and informative.

Our cab ride in the 37 was worth twice the price we paid, thank you so much.I will never forget the name of the Lunar signals �!

We will be back!

Lovely line - picturesque scenery, interesting history, lots to see. And the staff are very friendly and welcoming. A great day out!

Just having a look for this year's bookings... always something going on & an amazing day had by all!

A must do for all the family.

Always a brilliant atmosphere and love the fact it's practically on my doorstep! Thanks to everyone involved.

Hi all.



We recently had our sons 3rd birthday party on the train at the Epping Ongar railway. It was a great day out and everybody thought it was the best party they had been to. In the past we have hired a local hall, but this experience added and extra level of excitement for the children. Also it was a very reasonable price in comparison to hiring a hall too.



Definitely worth considering for future birthday parties or events for the young and not so young.



Thankyou Epping Ongar Railway!

Had a great day on the Sunday at the gala. Quite a few photos but no way to post them.

Great place, the Christmas events are great, the kids loved meeting Father Christmas on the train, and due to how busy it was, we got to ride with the guard who kindly explained all the controls to them.

Exhibited today at the car show,and our first time visiting and I must say what a fabulous day we had, the staff were extremely helpful and friendly,the show was very well organised and made us feel very welcome and respectful towards my disabled mother, even let us park nearer to the station, and for that we are very grateful. Will certainly be back for next years shows and of course the many other events that they have on throughout the year!! Thankyou and well done!

An excellent local attraction that brings tourists into the local area which can only be a good thing. Great for young people to appreciate just what life was like “in the old days”. It is really important that we preserve our heritage, once it’s gone, it’s gone for ever.

Absolutely amazing! Our 3yr old is in total ore of the bus and train. Can not believe we haven't done this before. A gem right on our door step. The staff are wonderful and we love the way they dress. Highly recommend this to everyone of all ages.

Have visited several times in good weather and bad. I think they do an amazing job and my little boy loves riding the trains and buses.

Most recent visit was for the egg hunt on 30th March. The weather was awful and I suspect they underestimated the amount of visitors as every train was packed and very difficult to get a seat. I know it's difficult to judge but an extra carriage I think may have helped.

I would be interested to know if there are plans to expand the catering facilities....I think tgat is the only thing which could do with some improvement. The facilities are too small for the volume of visitors and the volunteers are not able to meet the demand for hot food.....Maybe a permanent covered bbq area for sausages, bacon and burgers to be cooked could work. All in all good day out