1. Epping Ongar Railway
2. Epping Ongar Railway

The Epping Ongar Railway is a heritage railway in south-west Essex, England, run by a small number of paid staff and a team of volunteers. It was the final section of the Great Eastern Railway branch line, later the London Underground 's Central line from Loughton via Epping to Ongar, with intermediate stations at North Weald and Blake Hall. We've got Snow and Steam on show in the Penny Salon Gallery at Ongar station! The latest exhibition features these stunning photographs, and more, from the renowned Geoff Silcock, many of which are on public show for the first time! Admission to the gallery is free, and the exhibition is open when trains are running Wednesday to Sunday this week. The 28 minute movie in which a woman, dressed as a school girl, has sex with a man in a vintage train carriage was filmed on board the Epping Ongar historic railway in south-west Essex. Epping Ongar Heritage Railway winds its way through some of Essex's finest countryside, tackling steep gradients as it goes. Each of our stations and stops is unique, and serve great rural locations.

Epping Ongar Railway Closest heritage railway to London and longest in Essex, running steam & diesel engines between period stations, with vintage buses serving Epping station.

• Jump on board the Epping Ongar Railway, the longest heritage railway in Essex.
• Experience travel through the scenic countryside and forest in the heritage steam and diesel trains of days gone by.
• Get a feel for the past as you stop at period stations – each station and stop is unique!
• Epping Ongar Railway carried a whopping 45,710 passengers in 2019.
• See how much wildlife you can spot as you journey through Epping Forest.

Enjoy a wonderful visit to Epping Ongar Railway where you will ride on working steam and diesel engines through the beautiful countryside and forest. Kids can get a real feel for the past as you pass through beautifully restored stations. Pick up a train spotter guide and experience an unforgettable family day out at this diesel and steam railway. To make your journey even more fun, here are some great train jokes and railroad puns.

Epping Ongar Railway

Running from Ongar to North Weald through the majestic Epping Forest, the length of the railway is six and a half miles (10.5km) and is Essex’s longest heritage railway. A round trip takes approximately 1 hour. Bought by Pilot Developments in 1998, which is now known as Epping Ongar Railway LTD, the line reopened in 2004 and is run by volunteers. From 2004 until 2007, the Epping and Ongar railway line closed following a change in ownership and reopened to the public in May 2012.

Recommended by Kidadlers, Jo says, “It’s a lovely little railway and you can combine it with a wander around Ongar aswell. You can picnic on train or there are a few seating areas dotted around but no field as such as it’s used for parking at North Weald. A little cafe on site at North Weald too. Combine it with a heritage bus ride from Epping station to the venue and back and save on driving and parking by using the tube.” And Nele says, “It's brilliant. We loved it.”

If you are visiting the railway via the Tube, you can enjoy a ride on a wonderful vintage bus right outside Epping train station, which will take you straight to one of the restored stations. Looking for some more locomotive action after your diesel and steam train rides at Epping Ongar Railway? North Weald and District Miniature Railway is nearby at the Blue Diamonds Harlow Garden Centre. Or if you would like to visit somewhere closer to home, check out these brilliant miniature railways near you in London.

What to know before you go

• Please check the online timetable for when you're planning to visit because trains do not operate every day. The trains depart from North Weald to Ongar at 10am, 11.15am, 12.30pm, 1.45pm, 3pm and 4.15pm. From Ongar to North Weald trains depart at 10.25am, 11.40am, 12.55pm, 2.10pm, 3.25pm and 4.40pm.
• Keep your eyes peeled for Epping Ongar Railway events that occur throughout the year – Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig have both made appearances. The special events usually occur at the weekend and tickets can be booked from the events page.
• If you are hungry, the Anglia café coach at North Weald serves a range of hot and cold drinks and light refreshments. Or bring along a picnic to enjoy. There’s a picnic and viewing area available at Ongar, which offers a view of the station and trains, and there are a number of picnic benches at North Weald station.
• Currently, you can pre-order a ready-made picnic lunch for £6, which you collect from North Weald Station.
• If you are looking for something extra special, there are evening dining train events.
• Buggies can be stored in the guards’ carriage. It is only possible to take folded buggies on the heritage bus services due to limited space.
• There are baby-changing facilities available within the family room and the ladies waiting room at both stations.
• Grab a train spotting guide at the centre and look out for deers in Epping forest!
• Dogs are welcome at the railway at no extra charge.
• Take a browse in the free Penny Salon, a micro-gallery in the ladies waiting room at Ongar station.
• You will need to have a valid ticket or platform ticket to enter any of the platform areas.
• There is a small gift shop available at Ongar with a lovely selection of books, toys and model railways.
• There are toilets available at Ongar and North Weald stations. There is a disabled toilet in the town centre at Ongar. It’s about a five-minute walk from the station.
• The railway has disabled access.

Epping Ongar Railway

Getting there

• The quickest and easiest way to get there is by Tube on the Central line to Epping (Zone 6).
• The 339 vintage bus operates between Epping station to North Weald. Some of the journeys will go on to Ongar. The bus fare is included in the price of the railway tickets.
• You can also take the train to Shenfield station and some of the 339 buses stop here and will take you to the railway.
• If you are driving, it is possible to start the journey from North Weald, Ongar or Epping (if taking the 339 bus).
• There is no on-site parking at Ongar. There are a limited number of disabled spaces. Please book in advance. You can park in Ongar town centre. The long stay car park next to the library is free on weekends and bank holidays. There is also a short stay car park opposite the library, which is also free at weekends and bank holidays.
• There is a car park at Epping Tube station and you can join the 339 bus to a railway station.
• There is no parking available at North Weald station.
  

Epping to Ongar railway line, Essex Report by urban75 editor, April 2005 In 1856, The Eastern Counties Railway (later Great Eastern Railway) opened a double track railway between Stratford and Loughton with a single-track extension between Loughton and Ongar being added in 1865. The popularity of the line led to the doubling of the track between Loughton and Epping. The line was well served with 50 trains operating between London and Loughton each day, with a further 22 continuing to Epping and 14 more to Ongar. Ambitious plans to extend the line beyond Ongar to Dunmow or back to the GER mainline at Chelmsford never saw the light of day. Established in 1933, the London Passenger Transport Board (later London Transport) teamed up with the mainline railway companies to implement the New Works Programme with the aim of electrifying the main line tracks, reducing costs and providing an improved service. Under the scheme, the Central would be extended to the East via new tube lines from Liverpool Street to emerge onto LNER tracks just south of Leyton. The Central Line would then take over the running of services onward to Loughton, with a new section of tube line to be built from Leytonstone to Newbury Park (including three new intermediate stations at Wanstead Park, Redbridge and Gants Hill). This would provide the Central with a continuous loop around to Woodford via Fairlop and Hainault. The Second World War (1939-45) delayed the work with the Central line extension reaching Leytonstone in 1946, progressing to Woodford the following year and finally reaching Loughton in 1948. Loughton to Epping went live from September the 25th 1949, leaving the single track line from Epping to Ongar as the last steam worked section. After much faffing, the last section to Ongar went live on November the 18th, 1957. Due to falling passenger numbers Blake Hall station was closed on Sundays with a reduced weekday timetable implemented along the line from 17th October 1966. Continued decline in passenger numbers led to the complete closure of Blake Hall station on 31st October 1981 and a further reduced service operating on the rest of the branch line. London Transport finally closed the loss-making section on 30th September 1994. Happily, volunteers have endeavoured to bring the line back to life, with the Epping Ongar Railway introducing a tourist railway service. Oxford Circus, Central Line platform, 1980 One of the odd things about travelling to Ongar was that my journey started from one of the busiest stations on the Underground system, with noisy tunnels eventually giving way to country views on the way to Epping. Epping tube station, Essex Central Line trains terminated at Epping with passengers wishing to continue to Ongar having to cross the footbridge to pick up the branch shuttle. Epping station, looking east A view looking east towards Blake Hall and Ongar. The branch line trains ran from the opposite platform. Footbridge, Epping station This attractive Victorian footbridge took passengers over the tracks to the Ongar platform. Old lady on the train to Ongar Whenever I travelled to Ongar, the carriage rarely had more than one other passenger on board. Blake Hall station, Essex, 1980 Halfway between Epping and Ongar lies this substantial stone built station surrounded by fields. Romantically named Blake Hall, the station was always deserted even though the old wooden booking hall was still staffed by a time-rich station master. The remote station earned a small amount of notoriety during the red hot summer of 1976, when the Evening Standard reported that a tube driver, operating the train with the side door open, was attacked by a mad rabbit, which entered the cab at Blake Hall. It station was also featured in a Sunday Observer colour supplement when an Aprils Fools story reported that the then poet laureate (John Betjeman) would take residence in the recently abandoned station building. Blake Hall views Looking along the tracks near Blake Hall in the Epping to Ongar railway line, Essex. Platform view, Blake Hall station Waiting on a deserted platform at Blake Hall. During the last few months of the station's life, the booking clerk was only selling six tickets a day! Although the station building is now preserved as a private residence, the platform has been ripped up. Looking east, Blake Hall station Looking towards the terminus at Ongar. Track view Another track level view, looking towards Epping. North Weald Station, Essex, 1980 North Weald Station was located two miles from Ongar and featured two platforms and a passing loop (long abandoned by 1980). Ongar station A view of the substantial terminus building at Ongar station. Ongar station sign Station sign on the single terminus platform. Ongar signal box Looking along the platform towards Epping, you can see the closed signal box to the left. The goods yard used to branch out behind the box, to the left. Ongar signal box, water tower and engine shed Similar view, taken on a sunny June day in 1938. (Photo © H. Casserley) Ongar station building Outside view - note the handy phone box by the entrance. Detail, Ongar station building Enrance to the station building at Ongar. Changing at Epping Heading home! Passengers from the Ongar branch cross the footbridge to pick up the London bound train. Update: 11th April 2012 The Epping to Ongar line is reopening from May 25th 2012! « back to homepageEpping Forest walk »

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