Audley End Miniature Railway offers a delightful 1.5 mile ride on Lord Braybrooke’s 10¼” gauge railway through private woodland. Located directly opposite Audley End House and close to the historic market town of Saffron Walden in Essex.
The line was originally opened in 1964 and the occasion was marked by the famous racing driver Sterling Moss officially opening the railway and driving the first public train. The station originally operated as a terminus and the length of the line was less than 1 mile. 2014 marks the Railway’s 50th Anniversary and we have lots of celebratory events planned to mark this very special year. Keep checking our website and posters around the station for more information on these ‘not to be missed’ special events.
Some of the current line follows the original route of the railway although an extension to the line was installed in 1979. A ‘loop’ was also installed at the station area to allow more trains in and out of the station. It is from here that you can enjoy the new picnic area, begin the ‘Woodland Walk’ and get a close up look of the historic bridge over the River Cam – designed by Robert Adam in 1673.
In recent years a new shop has been added at the station with a well stocked range of Thomas and Friends toys, books and a variety of cards and gifts. New toilets and the ‘Signal Box Cafe’ (which serves Tea, Coffee, Cold Drinks, Homemade Cakes, Hot Dogs, Burgers and Bacon Rolls using only the finest local ingredients) are also open to the public.
We have a resident Model Engineering Society on site which operates 3½”, 5 “and 7½” tracks at both raised and ground levels. They are open on public running days offering rides to visitors.
We also have ‘Graham’s Rides’ which provides a Bouncy Castle and Vintage Swing Boat Rides for children.
Birthday Parties £95.00
For All Ages
(maximum 50 passangers)
Package includes:
Train ride twice around 1½ mile track through Lord Braybrooke’s
Estate woodland
Party enclosure with wet weather covered Pavilion and seating
Birthday child receives
complimentary Flag and whistle
Birthday Adult
Additional attractions available by prior booking only:
Bouncy castle, swing boats, roundabout
Party food packages available by prior arrangement
from £6.50 per head ( 07851 201324)
For bookingsTel. 01799 542134/
Email: karen@audleyendestate.co.uk
The Signal Box Cafe
The Signal Box is open when the railway is open, enjoy our delicious Home-made cakes, Sandwiches Hot and Cold food, beef burgers , pork sausages, Audley End Estate Venison burgers and sausages.
All food is locally sourced
The Line described
As the train departs the station,we travel under the miniature semaphore signal gantry and past the newly restored miniature signal box. We then pass under a footbridge (for the Saffron Walden and District Society of Model Engineers Track and Picnic Area) before we pass the main engine shed which is home to all our engines. (These will all be out on display on special event days such as our Steam Gala Days in May and September each year).
We then head up into our private woodland (which is still managed and maintained by Audley End Estate staff and is rich in wildlife and areas of natural beauty) and cross two bridges over the River Fulfen and the River Cam (both being of historical significance).
Our train then passes a Second World War Pill Box which was installed to protect the River Bridge in the event of an enemy invasion during the war. It is from here that you can see the war time manhole covers designed to be filled with explosives should the enemy have invaded and the old track bed from the original railway line. We then pass through an underpass bridge and the old ‘Forest Deep Halt’ Station before we head off through a series of curves and crossings such as Parsons Leap and Horse Shoe Curve. All our corners on the line are named.
Our train pushes up the hill, through two long tunnels and out the other side through further bends before descending again and re-joining the line at the River Cam Bridge. It is here that our trains pass on special event days with a token exchange between the drivers for the single line working.
We then head back along the route we came, past the engine shed, the Model Engineers smaller tracks, under a further footbridge and round the loop towards the station.
The journey time is about 15 minutes and there is lots to see from the train. Look out for the woodland wildlife and our teddy bears that live in the woods.
Locomotives
Steam:
American Atlantic ‘Lord Braybrooke’ 3548
Built 1948 as a 4-4-2 and rebuilt as a 2-6-2 in 1981 (to cope with increasing passenger loads).
Ivatt Atlantic (LNER Class C1) 4433
Built 1965 as a 4-4-2 and supplied new to Audley End
Rio Grande No. 489 K36 Class ‘Sara Lucy’
Built 1977 as a 2-8-2 and supplied new to Audley End
Great Western Railway 4005 ‘Polar Star’
Built 1989 as a 4-6-0 and supplied new to Audley End (not in service)
Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad Baldwin 51803/19 No. 24 ‘Bruce’
Built 1991 as a 2-6-2 and supplied new to Audley End
London & North Western Railway ‘George V Class’ No. 1680 ‘Loyalty’
Built 1994 as a 4-4-0 and supplied new to Audley End (not in service)
Ffestiniog-type Hunslet No. 197 ‘Barbara Curwen’
Built 1997 as a 2-4-2ST+T and supplied new to Audley End
Great Western Railway 2914 ‘Saint Augustine’
Built 2003 by Neil Simkins as a 4-6-0 and supplied new to Audley End
Diesel:
Freelance 0-6-0PM 682 ‘Doris’
Built 1982 and supplied new to Audley End (Still with its early Austin Mini Engine fitted)
Used as our main shunting engine and occasional passenger services
AER 691 ‘Henrietta Jane’
Built 1991 by Crowhurst Engineering (No. 1048/1991)
Originally fitted with an early Ford Escort Engine which was later replaced with a Kubota Diesel Hydraulic engine)
David Curwen (30th November 1913 – 26th May 2011)
David Curwen was born at Sydenham, Kent, and spent his early years fascinated by all things mechanical.
He was educated at King’s School, Canterbury, and in local garage workshops.
He fell in love with the internal combustion engine and rode, drove or maintained numerous motorcycles and cars before joining Short Brothers as an aircraft engineer in Rochester in 1935.
For the next ten years he worked on the design and production of flying boats and, in wartime, on the Stirling bomber.
In 1950 he became chief engineer for the Tal-y-Llyn Railway revival project and he and his wife Barbara, an actress, moved to Wales for a year.
The couple returned to Devizes in 1951 where Mr Curwen went into partnership with the late A E Newbery to create Curwen and Newbery.
David left the partnership in 1966 and set up a workshop at his home in All Cannings where he built more than 50 locomotives, powered by steam, petrol and diesel.
Most are still operating at parks and private railways in Britain, Europe, the USA and Australia.
His name and locomotives are known to enthusiasts all around the world.
Two books have been published about him and his work, his autobiography, Rule of Thumb, came out in 2006, and The Miniature Locomotives of David Curwen in 2008.
