North Norfolk Railway

Description

The line, which is just over 5 miles (8.0 km) long, once formed part of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway. Work on rebuilding the line started in 1965, and on 4 June 1967, two steam locomotives were delivered. The operating company, North Norfolk Railway plc, was launched in 1965 following the granting of two Light Railway Orders. In May 1973, the railway was the scene of filming for the episode "The Royal Train" of the popular TV programme Dad's Army. The railway won the 'Independent Railway of the Year' award in 2006.

At Sheringham the line has now been reconnected to the National Rail network station via an 'occasional use' level crossing. There are two stops between Sheringham and Holt – Weybourne (about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the village) and Kelling Heath.

The main restoration sheds are at Weybourne. They have room to accommodate four standard length British Railways Mark 1 coaches and six large steam or diesel locomotives. New carriage storage sheds have been built near Holt with Heritage Lottery funding. These have the capacity to store the equivalent of 18 Mark 1 coaches. The railway is operated mainly by volunteers. There is also a Junior club for members who are aged between 10 and 15. Every year there is a volunteer of the year award and also the 'John D Hammer' trophy for the 'Junior volunteer of the year'.

Operations

The NNR operates both steam- and diesel-hauled services, and organises a programme of seasonal special events including two steam galas, a diesel gala, Santas, "Day Out With Thomas" and an annual beer festival. A museum has been built at Holt to display artifacts from the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway. The station building at Holt was originally built at Stalham in 1883 and was moved, brick by brick in 2002, to be re-erected in its current location. This project was awarded second place in the 2006 railway buildings competition by the Heritage Railway Association of the UK. The signal box at the station is over 100 years old and was restored on-site. The full signalling system at Holt, with 14 signals as well as the box, was commissioned in 2009 – winning the HRA signalling award for that year. The box was formerly at Upper Portland Sidings in the East Midlands.

The future

There are several improvements planned for the railway. Now that the level crossing at Sheringham has been reinstated, one of the next projects is to rebuild the demolished buildings on Platform 2 at Sheringham station. The stanchions for the project are at Weybourne. This is seen as a medium to long term project, but a start may be made soon on erecting the stanchions. The project would also see a footbridge replaced to complete the original station look. The Tourist information Centre and public toilets that sat on the footprint of part of the trackbed between the station and the network rail link have been demolished and rebuilt in the style of the station, releasing the old trackbed alignment for future development.

Holt station is also being developed; its progress has been rapid over the last few years. Projects include installing the weighbridge from Cambridge station, putting up a footbridge, and reconstructing a 'carriage house' (completed late 2009), a relocated example of the houses made with old railway carriages in the war years.

Norfolk Orbital Railway

The Norfolk Orbital Line is a long term proposed railway, totally independent of the North Norfolk Railway but of which the North Norfolk Railway would form a significant part. It plans to create a line between Sheringham and Wymondham for regular passenger services, joining up with the Network Rail system at either end. These ambitions were aided on 2 January 2008 with the construction of the limited use level crossing between the North Norfolk Railway and the Bittern branch line.

In 2016 the Norfolk Orbital Railway secured the section of the M&GNJR formation immediately beyond that owned and operated by the North Norfolk Railway. Earthworks have been completed on this section, with the initial goal of laying a display section of track to advertise the project.

Rolling stock

There is a variety of preserved steam and diesel locomotives and diesel multiple units, passenger coaches and goods wagons. Most of these are typical of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) branch lines in Norfolk. Some are owned by the railway itself but most are owned by various individuals or voluntary groups. The line is also regularly visited by locomotives based elsewhere. Some come for a day on a railtour, others for a few days or weeks to take part in a special gala, but a few stay for many months and form part of the stock working scheduled trains.