Railway Carriage Museum
Map Ref: TL726 223 Rayne Station, Station Road, Rayne CM77 6RX
The Carriage Museum re-opened on 5 June 2021 at weekends with COVID safety restrictions in place. This follows the closure on 17 March 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions. ​
A great place for all the family. Enjoy tea and cake from the Booking Hall cafe and then visit the carriage to see the model train set and learn about the history of the old railway in the carriage museum. Open 11 am until 3 pm Saturday to Sunday subject to volunteer steward availability.​ The Railway Carriage Museum is located alongside the Booking Hall Café and platform at Rayne Station.
The Carriage Museum has been provided by the Friends of the Flitch Way for the enjoyment and benefit of the local community and for visitors to the Flitch Way. ​There is no charge to visit the carriage but donations help towards maintenance costs and are very much appreciated.
​We hope you enjoy your visit.
Opening Hours (subject to volunteer steward availability) - Currently only open at weekends.
​Sunday
​Monday
​Tuesday
​Thursday
​Closed
The carriage museum is run by volunteers and consequently it can only open when a volunteer steward is available.
The carriage is not part of the Booking Hall Café but as part of your visit to the museum, visitors are welcome to use the seating area to take light refreshments and browse through the many publications. ​Please note the Booking Hall Café has no control over availability of volunteers and has no responsibility for opening and closing the carriage.
If you would you like to organise a group visit please complete our Carriage Booking Form and we will try to accommodate your requirements.​​​
Carriage booking form
​The Carriage Museum ​was officially opened on 25 July 2014 by Mrs Sue Wilson, Chairman of Braintree District Council following a successful fundraising campaign to raise £26,500 generously helped by the Big Society Fund, Stansted Airport Community Trust and Greenfields.
​​The Carriage was built in Derby in 1968 and is a Mark 2A TSO (Tourist Second Open). This model of carriage was the prototype for the first trains used on the Inter-City service. It was bought by the Friends in 2013 and converted to a museum and seating area.
The museum contains a working model of Rayne station and surrounding area as it would have been around 1944-45.
​A variety of railway artefacts and photographs can also be seen together with photographs and information on the Flitch Way and the range of work done by the Friends' volunteers. A range of DVDs on steam railways in the UK and across the world can also be viewed.
Items on display are changed from time to time.​​
The Model Railway
The model railway was built by volunteers under the guidance of Gordon Cameron with assistance from members of Chelmsford Model Railway Club. ​
​The model locomotives would all have been used on the branch line with the exception of the German-built Railbus which was mainly used on the Witham to Maldon line from 1958 to 1963 (now forming the Blackwater Rail Trail).
The tracks were removed between 1972 and 1974 and although the main station buildings at Rayne survive and are now Grade 2 listed the lamp shed with the tall chimney was demolished in the 1990's due to it being in a dangerous condition.
​The Scout Hall alongside the platform was built on the site of the goods shed and the signal box suffered fire damage and was initially removed to East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel from where it was passed on to another Heritage railway.
Only the foundations of the old signal box remain and in its place there is now a wildflower bed, created by the volunteers in 2012. The cattle dock remains, however, and can be seen behind the platform wall.
Volunteer Stewards
New museum stewards are always welcome. If you are willing to spend a few hours greeting visitors to the carriage, please see the Join Us page. ​
​How the carriage came to Rayne
​​Learn more about how a carriage came to stand once again alongside Rayne Station.