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Latest News

01/02/2012

Mangapps in the Movies!

This month sees the launch of the new period thriller "Woman in Black" starring Daniel Radcliffe.

Look out for the "on train" scene, which was shot here at Mangapps, using Gresley "Restaurant Pantry 3rd" carriage No.9066.

20/01/2012

It is almost 25 years since the start of the construction of Mangapps Railway and it does not take long for nature to take a railway back (take note, HS2 protesters!) In order to ensure the safe running of our trains, this winter we have given our line sides a haircut (see picture above).

The hedges will not look bare for long; experience shows that hedges trimmed at this time of year regrow more vigorous and healthy than before, good news for the dozens of species of wild life that call them home.

MANGAPPS STOCK LIST UPDATED

Our stock list has been comprehensively updated and corrected and now includes a full inventory of our collection of goods wagons and departmental vehicles.

Mangapps buys giant vacuum cleaner!

M.R.M. has aquired a railway vehicle which is unique in two ways- it is the last surviving complete item of rolling stock from the London, Tilbury& Southend Railway and is the only known example of a purpose built Vacuum Cleaning Van.

The vehicle was built at the LT&SR's works at Plaistow in 1912, but later migrated to the Manchester area and, later still, was used as a mobile battery charger by British Rail. It was consigned to a scrap yard at Wigan in the early 1980s but was rescued by a group of volunteers from Astley Green Colliery Museum, from whom it has now been purchased.

The van, which is of a most unusual design, is externally "as built" and is in basically sound condition, though it will require extensive repairs to the steel cladding.

We would like to thank fellow preservationists Tony Lyster and Steve Erlicher and also Geoff Jones, of Astley Green Museum, for helping to facilitate the aquisition.

21/09/2011

The caboose is here!

For the first time ever, a caboose, an icon of US and Canadian railways, has arrived in the UK. The 30 year old vehicle was built in Montreal by the Canadian Pacific Railway and travelled many thousands of miles through  mountains and prairies until withdrawn from service in 2004.

It is in excellent original condition and was repainted within a week of its arrival at Mangapps, by a group of volunteers from the Ford Motor Co.

You may have seen a picture of a caboose, or seen them in Hollywood films, but now, for the first time, you can inspect one close-up, right here in England!

The Mangapps Railway has had an excellent summer, with visitor numbers slightly up on 2010. The main season ended with the annual Mangapps Gala over the August Bank Holiday weekend. This event continues to grow in popularity, with visitors particularly enjoying the variety of locos and rolling-stock in use in an authentic environment.

Recent rolling-stock arrivals, apart from the caboose, are an LNWR van and an early LMS brake-van.

The museum "small exhibits" collection continues to grow, recent additions range from a huge (24'x12')  British Rail flag, a very large French locomotive headlamp and, at the other end of the scale, a Great Eastern Railway  teaspoon.

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