Paradise Wildlife Park, Rex Express Railway, Broxbourne (VISIT).
Standard Gauge Loco :
'PARADISE EXPRESS'/'PWP' – Ruston 0-4-0DH 512463/1965.
10.1/4” Gauge Locos :
Unnumbered (previously No.6) – Shepperton Metal Products 2-4w-2DM/c1971.
Unnumbered (previously No.1) – Paradise Wildlife Park 2-4w-2DH/c1998 –  ready to work the days' operating train.
10.1/4” Gauge Coaches :
1/1A, 2/2A, 3/3A plus one unnumbered ride-in open carriages.
Both of the above locomotives have a fibre-glass head of a T-Rex on the front and the engine compartments (which slide forward to gain access), and the cab sides are made of a soft leather like material which represents the dinosaurs body. They are both listed in various books as being steam outlines – but this is not the case.
 
The party also visited the Peter Sampson (Park Owner) Speedway Museum, which is also on site.
 
Thanks go to Carly Taylor for organising our visit and hospiality and to John Ashburner who came in especially to host our enjoyable visit.
 
Royal Gunpowder Mills, The Hidden Railway & The Bangs Galore & Gunpowder Creek Railway, Waltham Abbey (VISIT – NEVER OCCURRED).
The party had a pre-arranged visit here to both railways (2ft 6” & 7.1/4” gauges), however upon our arrival all the gates were locked and the phone numbers available to the party proved fruitless, diverting every call to the main switchboard which was unmanned. After trying to gain entrance at two main gates without success for 18 minutes the party abandoned the location. On Sunday morning (19th) at 9am, the events secretary received an email giving the contact details for the person they were to supposed to meet – this email was apparently sent on Thursday afternoon (The Gremlins were obviously at work somewhere). On Monday (20th) the events secretary was informed that all the phone numbers were supposed to have been diverted to the person we were supposed to meet – but somebody apparently forgot to do it before leaving for the weekend.
 
Wimbish Light Railway, Near Saffron Walden (VISIT).
10.1/4” Gauge Locos :
6100 'ROYAL SCOT' – Winkler Engineering 4-6-0/1962 – The party rode behind this loco (which was steamed especially for our visit) three times around the extensive layout.
59 'LLYN'/'ATLANTIC COAST LINE' – G.Woodcock 2-4-2/1970.
'LITTLE NELL' – G. Woodcock 0-4-4T/1974 -  Dismantled minus boiler in workshop.
505 'YPRES' – David Simkins 4-4-0/2018.
6135 'LITTLE DAVID' – A. Duckworth 4-6-0/1954, Re-built by Severn Lamb in 1982.
'ASEA MINOR' – Cromar White Bo-BoBE E 7045/1974.
10.1/4” Gauge Coaches :
4 x unnumbered ride-in open carriages.
10.1/4” Gauge On-Track Plant :
A snow plough looking vehicle was noted beside a shed on route.
10.1/4” Gauge Wagons :
Unnumbered End Tippler Wagon, plus 2 or 3 private owner open planked wagons were noted through the windows of a shed passed on the route.

The party were informed that another loco 'FOXLEY' (an 0-B-0BE) built in 1980, was also on site but nothing of it could be seen as it was in the back of a shed with lots of industrial material/junk covering it. The owner admitted that he has not seen it himself for about 10 years.
Note : This is a private railway and visits will only be considered by advance appointment only.

Thanks go to Robin Palmer for organising and hosting our splendid visit.
 
Poplar Nursery Railway, Marks Tey (VISIT).
7.1/4” Gauge Locos :
'POPPY' – J. Horsfield 0-4-2T 11/2004 – Was working the train double headed with 'FREDDY' when the party arrived, but was then removed and then taken to the shed area. This loco was Ex- 'STEVIE B' from the Grosvenor Park Miniature Railway in Chester.
No.1 'FREDDY' – Station Road Steam 0-4-0ST/2015 -Working the trains – the party had a ride behind this loco. Large Stafford type loco.
154 'SANTA FE'/'KOMOTION' – J. Chapman 0-4-0T+T/1994 – This loco was Ex-'LITTLE JOHN' from the East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel and Wakes Colne.
3 – Ride-On Railways Ltd – Tram Loco/???? - From the Lodge Farm Park Railway in Romford, which is run by the Havering Miniature Railway Club -  Working the trains.
'POPLAR LADY' – Ride-On Railways Ltd – 4w-4wBE/2014.
7.1/4” Gauge Coaches : No.1 'LADY SARAH, plus two unnumbered ride-in open carriages. 7/18 a sit-astride carriage behind 'POPLAR LADY'.
 
The party were informed that the railway also had a childs-operated Parkside 'Toby the Tram' style loco which was away off site for some re-wiring work and a re-paint.
 
Thanks go to Bruce Knights for organising and hosting our visit.
 
Langford & Beeleigh Railway, Museum of Power, Near Maldon (VISIT).
7.1/4” Gauge Locos :
'TAW' - Unnumbered  - John Carpenter/Don Pettican/John Dines 2-6-2/2014  – Lynton & Barnstaple type name not carried. Work commenced on this loco in c2009. John Carpenter & Don Pettican have both passed away but there are named as co-builders with John Dines, because of their efforts and help during construction.
'BATTLE' – John Carpenter/Don Pettican/John Dines 0-4-0BG/2014 – K1   Beyer-Garratt type. This loco is named 'BATTLE' in honour after Stuart Battle who initiated its construction in c2009/2010 and was completed upon his death by John Dines in 2014. John Carpenter & Don Pettican are once again named as co-builders with John Dines, because of their efforts and help during construction.
'JANE' – Unnumbered – Unknown builder 0-4-0T/???? - Romulus type, name not carried.
'HERCULES' – John Dines 0-4-0/2012 – Name not carried. This loco was started in 1959 by John and being a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy, he took it with him on board HMS Eagle & HMS Hermes where it was partially built. In one publication however it has a build year of 2005 which is incorrect.
 'BLAZE No.4'/ROTHERHAM POWER STATION – M. Chapman 0-4-0PH/2009.
7.1/4” Gauge Coaches:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 – a combination of light & heavy weight sit-astride carriages.
7.1/4” Gauge Wagons :
Unnumbered 4 Plank Open, Unnumbered bogie flat wagon.
Standard Gauge Wagon :
Unidentified BR Planked 12t Goods Van (grounded body only).
 
The party was informed that there was another loco (believed to be a 2-4-2T), was at John Dines' Salt Acre Locomotive Works in Essex.
 
Thanks go to James Gulleford for organising and to John Dines and Mark for hosting our visit.

Cliff Lift Railway, Southend-on-Sea (VIEW from the minibus).
Funicular Railway : Unnumbered car.
Southend Pier Museum, Southend-on-Sea (VISIT).
 
3ft 6” Gauge Locos : 2 – AC Cars Ltd/1949 – Trailer car.
25 – AC Cars Ltd 4wRER/1949 – this vehicle was later re-numbered to 11, which it is listed as on VCT and in EL.
No.1 – Brush Electrical 2-2wRER/1890 – Built for the Crompton Pier Railway and arrived at Southend in 1902, where it was re-numbered to 29 and re-built as a luggage car, later a motor car flat and used to transport goods along the pier – carries the body of  6 on it.
6 – Brush Cross Bench Open Control Trailer/1898 – body only was rescued from Benfleet (where it was used as a chicken coop), now fully restored and sits on chassis of  No.1.
 
Also on display was a miniature non-working 'mock-up' of a toast-rack car, that was used by the local council as a flower bed display.br> 
Thanks go to Peggy Dowie for organising and hosting along with her staff who waited on for the party and their much later than anticpiated visit.
 
Southend Pier Railway, Southend on Sea (VIEW).
3ft Gauge Loco : A 'ALPHA'/'SIR JOHN BETJEMAN' – Severn Lamb 4w-4wDH/1986.