Wat Tyler Miniature Railway - www.simplonpc.co.uk

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	Wat Tyler Miniature Railway Pitsea - Basildon All images link to larger copies which will open in a new window/tab This page is under construction
	This page shows images of the miniature railway at the Wat Tyler Country Park in Pitsea, Essex. Basildon District Council took control of the Park in 1969 and they chose to name it after Wat Tyler one of the leaders of the Peasant’s Revolt in 1381. This holds particular significance for the area as the Revolt was begun by the men of Fobbing, just a stone’s throw away from the Park itself. In addition to the miniature railway, there are industrial archaeological remains from the explosives industries based here from the 19th-20th centuries. There are RSPB areas, an area of rescued buildings around a green, the Laboratory Arts Centre (opening January 2013), Wat Tyler Visitor Centre, Green Centre and 125 acres of marshland with all weather pathways. Sadly, the Motor Boat Museum, which was in the building now occupied by the Green Centre, has closed and the fascinating collection of power boats old and new dispersed. For more information see:- www.wattylercountrypark.org.uk

The miniature railway first opened in 1988, using Severn Lamb locomotive Western Courier and coaches from the Basildon Zoo Railway, which closed the previous year. Originally operated by Derek Bundock, the line ran for 1200 yards through Wat Tyler Country Park, taking passengers from the boat museum car park to the marina. An extension towards the park entrance opened in 2012. Total length is now 1.2km and a round trip takes nearly 30 minutes. The railway is impressively laid out with excellent trackwork is in a balloon layout and turntable at the Marina to turn the loco. There are four stations. Now operated by leisure company Go Bonkers, after a period of closure, motive power consists of two IC locomotives:-

D7022 - Sid Tydnall - 4w-4PH - Cromar White - 1971
31327 - The Goyle - 4w-4PM - Ford

Contact: 01268 275050

Wat Tyler Country Park sits within the South Essex Marshes which are steeped in history from the earliest periods – a landscape created over many centuries through the interaction of human communities and the natural environment.

As early as 3500BC people lived and worked on the land here. For centuries the Essex coast has had a thriving economy based on grazing, salt production, fishing and shellfish. The Bronze Age peoples were also the first to use the open saltmarsh to graze their animals. Grazing carried on for hundreds of years. This means that the area was never ploughed and much archaeological evidence remains undisturbed below the marshes.

Between the mid Roman and Norman period there was a time of intensive settlement around the marshes as evidenced by numerous archaeological finds and place names. The area within the Park around Pitsea Creek was principally used for sheep grazing. The land forming the Park today was originally part of the Pitsea Hall estate.

The land was originally subject to tidal flooding but this was altered by the distinguished Dutch engineer Cornelius Vandanker who raised sea defences in the 17th century.

In the 1980s the Wat Tyler became home to several significant buildings which needed to be relocated from elsewhere in Essex. These included several cottages called Little Cooper’s Cottage (15th century), Blunt’s Cottage (16th century) and Holly Cottage (17th century).Although all the cottages are significant, both Little Cooper’s and Blunt’s cottages were grade II listed buildings in their original location. Little Cooper’s Cottage is believed to be the only example of its type in the country.

The cottages have been arranged together around a grass area next to the children’s play area to create a kind of ‘Village Green‘ as a focal point and gathering place for visitors.

Official website: www.wattylercountrypark.org.uk

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