New shed for Wakes Colne collection
THE East Anglian Railway Museum has completed construction of a new exhibition building to allow it to protect more vehicles in its historic collection.
The building, which has been erected on a former orchard site purchased by the museum some years ago, tackles the problem of undercover storage, a widespread issue for heritage lines when it comes to ensuring the longevity of rolling stock and other valuable assets. Here, it cleverly takes advantage of a rise in gradient up the former goods yard at Chappel & Wakes Colne station with two 55-yard tracks entering the shed on the level from the lower southend of the yard. Visitors will be able to enter further up the yard directly on to a walkway at platform height, running the length of the building between the two tracks.
The walkway will then ramp down to a 2700sqft exhibition annex for large, non-wheeled exhibits at ground level.
EARM project manager Allan Robinson said: “This new exhibition shed provides the museum with a first class, fully accessible area in which to display a selection of our most interesting vehicles.
“Although it will be a while before the building is fully ready for the public, the first three restored GER vehicles are already safely indoors.”
These vehicles are GER fourwheel first-class No. 19, full brake No. 553, and ‘Pooley’ weighing van No. 960701.
The restoration of 1873-built two-compartment brake No. TB308 (the grounded body of which was last used as a chapel) is nearing completion and will join the restored vehicles once fitted with new leaf springs.
The annex area already holds the body of a North London Railway brake coach (No. 70), as well as the only surviving section of a London
Tilbury & Southend Railway coach.
Further vehicles and exhibition displays are being prepared for the building’s formal opening at a later date.