Moreton Pit Light Railway

Leading members of the Essex Potholing Club (EPC) Trev Truckle and Jeff Bridgate were seen today catching the early morning Railbus from Moreton Pit Station.  They were obviously heavily equipped for an expedition today.

As the MPLR was so quiet today, they were obviously arranging with Stan (Station Master of the day) for railbus ‘Wynne’ to stop at the EPC’s carriage-shed.

Having been dropped off at the EPC’s clubhouse, Trev and Slim waved ‘Wynne’ off to  spend a happy day exploring the potholes of the MPLR.

Soon they were ascending into the first part of the system, down through Adders Hole and into Cripsey Flood Swallet.

Unfortunately we haven’t any photos to show you inside the cave system at this point but Trev and Slim were very excited to inform us that the EPC have finally got through the Ruggles Cave boulder ruckle and have explored an estimated 300m of walking sized streamway. A sizeable inlet enters part way down the extension, which worried them a bit!  They believe that this water is probably part of Cripsey Stream.  They had to negotiate a very nasty choke but the rewards were great when it opened out into a huge chamber with a fairly flat floor so far.  They have had to stop their explorations at that point as they came across a lot of small boulders which they will have to clear another day!  A great day for the Essex Potholing Club we are sure you will agree!

October came in with the hottest temperatures so far this year!  Luckily this coincided with the last Open Day of the year and the MPLR was not only hot, hot, hot but busy, busy busy too! A fine number of locos came to visit and and sample the delights of the Essex countryside!  Of course being such a lovely day the Adderbolt Morris Men just had to have a little dance to celebrate!

And is that Mario’s Ices in the background there?  He made record sales of that lovely homemade ice-cream!

There was plenty of visitors to Moreton Mill, but looks like the heat was a little too much for these two ladies!  Perhaps they were just train spotting?

Meanwhile back at the station, you didn’t have to wait long before yet another visiting loco appeared…..

And at Lavender Hill Halt yet another visitor….

The most exciting find was a very quick glimpse of a diesel that has recently joined the MPLR stable, this ‘new’ loco has got quite a story to its arrival.  All will be revealed another time!

Finally, Queen was brought out for the day and took a majestic few turns round the reserve, full of passengers of course!