A special event has been planned for Sunday, 24th April, for a ‘Heritage Train’ to run from Shenfield to Rayleigh in Essex for visitors to enjoy a guided tour of the town’s heritage sites.

The event has been organised by the Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership and Rayleigh Town Museum.

Greater Anglia‘s 10:17 train from Shenfield and 10:23 from Southend Victoria have been designated as the ‘Heritage Trains’ and will be the first such trains to run in Essex.

At Rayleigh, guides from Town’s museum will lead visitors to the Dutch Cottage, 200-year-old windmill, high street, and castle mount, as well a visit to the museum. The event will finish by lunchtime so that visitors can enjoy the rest of the day exploring the town at their leisure.

Return fares for the ‘Heritage Train’ are £5 return per adult and £3 per child, which includes return travel from Shenfield, the walking tour, and access to the Windmill, Castle Mount, and Museum. Tickets can be booked at http://esscrp.org.uk

Jayne Sumner, Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership rail engagement manager, said, “We’re delighted to team up with the Rayleigh Town Museum to offer a fascinating day out delving into the rich and surprising history of this corner of Essex.

“Getting the train is a brilliant way to go and explore while reducing your carbon footprint, and with-out the pollution and congestion caused by cars.”

“As this is our first heritage train it is bound to be very popular, so I would urge people to book their tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.”

Tickets for the events can only be collected from station ticket machines or booking offices. Anyone booking online should select Ticket Machine Office Collection at the Delivery Options page. A ticket collection reference will be sent by email before the event.

To collect tickets from a ticket machine, select the option on the machine to pick up the pre-booked tickets and enter your collection reference when asked. You may be required to insert your debit or credit card that you paid for your booking with to verify your identity, but your card will not be charged.

To collect tickets from a staffed ticket office, provide the member of staff in the ticket office with the collection reference that has been sent to you.