Links
to railways in and around Norfolk

PASSENGER TRANSPORT INFORMATION

Norfolk County Council’s passenger transport site
 

PASSENGER TRAIN OPERATING COMPANIES

National Express East Anglia - operates Norwich - Ipswich - London InterCity trains as well as local services in Norfolk and Suffolk.
East Midlands Trains - operates across central England, including trains between Norwich and the Midlands and North-West.
First Capital Connect - serves an area south and north of London, the latter including King’s Lynn and west Norfolk.

SPECIAL TRAIN OPERATORS

NENTA Traintours - runs loco-hauled rail excursions from Norfolk as well as short breaks by rail.

INDIVIDUAL LINES, STATIONS, RAIL USERS’ AND SUPPORT GROUPS

Berney Arms - a site dedicated to this tiny Broadland halt which can only be reached by rail or river.
Bittern Line Community Rail Partnership - promotes the line which links Norwich with the Broads, Cromer and Sheringham.
Fen Line Users’ Association - represents rail users on the King's Lynn to Cambridge and London line
Friends of Brandon Station - an active group which aims to improve and raise the profile of their Brecklansd station
Lingwood - the history of this station between Norwich and Great Yarmouth. B&B available.
Peterborough-Ely-Norwich Rail Users - represents rail users on Birmingham-Stansted Airport, Cambridge-Norwich and Liverpool-Norwich trains, also any train serving March
Wherry Lines - promotes the lines between Norwich, Yarmouth and Lowestoft.
eastsuffolkline.com - an unofficial site covering all aspects of the East Suffolk line between Lowestoft and Ipswich
Whitwell station - a derelict ex-M&GN station which the owner hopes to restore as a working museum
Wymondham station  - this thriving station houses a railway-themed restaurant, piano showroom and silversmith as well as ticket staff for part of the day.

HERITAGE RAILWAYS

Mid-Norfolk Railway - operates diesel services between Wymondham and Dereham, and plans to extend north.
Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Museum - a small site, with occasional “steaming days” in the summer, which keeps alive the memory of the MSLR, a rural line which closed in 1952.
North Norfolk Railway - the “Poppy Line”, running steam and diesel trains between Sheringham and Holt.

NARROW GAUGE and MINIATURE RAILWAYS

Ashmanhaugh Light Railway – a friendly 71/4"-gauge line which holds several open days on Sundays during the summer.
Barton House Railway – two ride-on railways with a fully working signalling system, authentic tickets and a railwayana museum with a Midland and Great Northern theme.
Bure Valley Railway - a nine-mile-long 15"-gauge railway running between Wroxham and Aylsham.
Wells and Walsingham Railway - “the world’s longest 101/4"-gauge line” .
Wells Harbour Railway - 101/4"-gauge trains convey passengers from Wells-next-the-Sea to the beach a mile to the north.
Yaxham Light Railway - sited alongside the Mid Norfolk Railway’s Yaxham station, this 2ft-gauge system holds occasional public open days when passengers can ride behind ex-industrial diesels

STEAM CENTRES

Bressingham - a steam centre with three narrow-gauge railways and a museum, all set in 12 acres of stunning gardens.

PROJECTED RAILWAYS

Bramley Line – hopes to bring passenger services back to the March – Wisbech line .
East-West Rail Consortium – a project to establish a strategic railway between East Anglia and central southern and western England.
Norfolk Orbital Railway – an ambitious scheme to build a link between the North Norfolk and Mid Norfolk Railways
Southwold Railway Society – as well as remembering the Southwold Railway, the Society proposes to rebuild the line.

ENTHUSIAST SOCIETIES AND SITES

Great Eastern Railway Society - encourages research into all aspects of the GER’s history.
M&GN Circle - for all those interested in the study of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
M&GN Society - charity which supports the North Norfolk Railway and also owns some NNR-based locos and rolling-stock
Ipswich Transport Society - holds regular meetings covering rail and other forms of transport, and publishes a monthly bulletin.
Norfolk By Rail - a review of the county’s railways, mainly concerned with heritage lines and historic remains.
pictures-in-time.co.uk - produces and sells CDs illustrating Norfolk branch lines and other transport subjects.
railproperties.co.uk - advertises stations and other railway buildings for sale. A Norfolk-based site, it often features local buildings.

MODEL RAILWAY CLUBS AND GROUPS

Norwich Model Railway Club - part of the Norwich Railway History and Model Society, meets at Rosebery Methodist Church Hall, Rosebery Road, Norwich, and holds a large two-day exhibition each March.
Waveney Valley Model Railway Club - meets at Barsham (near Beccles) on Thursdays at 7.30pm, and holds an exhibition each August at Southwold.

Finally, some other railway sites which kindly provide a link to the Norfolk Railway Society

UK Heritage Railways - a comprehensive guide.
thejunction.org.uk - a good source of inforrmation on current motive power and rolling-stock, with excellent photographs.
The Wensleydale Railway Association - membership body which supports the development of the Wensleydale Railway.  Its Leeming Bar signalbox came from West Norfolk in August 2007!

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