Norfolk Railway Society: News archive June 2002

News archive June 2002

More cash for AR as “Greater Anglia” franchise attracts nine bids
Although the SRA has agreed to stabilise Anglia Railways’ financial position following losses suffered since the Hatfield accident, its proposed Greater Anglia franchise has proved attractive enough for nine firms to express interest.
At the end of March the SRA agreed to allocate £23.7 million extra subsidy to AR until March 2004 to ensure that train services continue at current levels. In addition, the SRA will share in any upside should the company beat its forecast, and can if necessary terminate AR’s current franchise earlier than 2004.
However, what SRA chairman Sir Richard Bowker has called “the importance and future potential of the railways to this rapidly growing part of the country” has attracted big names such as GNER and Virgin as well as the obvious contenders, GB/Anglia Railways and FirstGroup, to pre-qualify for the right to run rail services in East Anglia. The Greater Anglia franchise will combine the existing Anglia Railways, First Great Eastern and West Anglia (Liverpool Street) services, including the Stansted Express.
The full list of pre-qualifiers is:

Arriva Trains
Connex Transport UK
FirstGroup
GB/Anglia Railways
GOVIA (Go Ahead Group and Keolis SA)
Great North Eastern Railway
NS/Dutch Railways
National Express Group
Virgin Rail Group

Asked to outline its aspirations for the enlarged franchise, Norfolk County Council has set out a “wish list” which includes each station having at least an hourly service every day, extra platforms at Norwich to cope with new services, and new stations at Dussindale (near Norwich) and between King's Lynn and Ely.

NNR names motive power for diesel gala
The North Norfolk Railway ’s diesel gala on the weekend of June 29/30 will see an intensive service on both days starting at 9.30am. Planned motive power includes Class 03 no. D2063; Class 11 no. 12131; Class 25 no. D5207; Class 31 no. 5580 (blue livery); Class 37 no. D6732; Class 117 DMUs nos. 51388 & 51346; and railbuses nos. 79960 & 79963

Anglia Railways keeps customers satisfied
SRA figures released in June reveal Anglia Railways to be the best UK mainland train operator for customer satisfaction. AR scored 90% in the sixth National Passenger Survey, against an industry average of 73%, for passengers’ overall opinion of their journeys. The company was beaten only by the Isle of Wight’s 81/2-mile long Island Line, which recorded 92%.

Norfolk-bound train in tragic derailment
Missing nuts on a set of facing points have been identified as causing a fatal derailment of a train to King’s Lynn. Seven passengers died and over 70 suffered injuries on 10th May when the last carriage of 4-car Networker Express unit no. 365526, forming the 12:45 WAGN Kings Cross - King’s Lynn, came off the track at Potters Bar. The carriage spun through 90 degrees, slewed on its side and ended up straddling the running lines and wedged under platform canopies. The train’s first three carriages remained upright, although the third was derailed. While the carriage was removed and investigations into the accident’s cause took place, all GNER, WAGN and Hull Trains were diverted over the Hertford loop. Negligence on the part of infrastructure company Jarvis at first seemed the most likely reason that the nuts were missing, but the company issued a statement saying that saboteurs might have tampered with the points.
The line through Potters Bar reopened on 20th May.

Holidays for BVR and RH&DR locos
The close rapport between the Bure Valley and Romney Hythe & Dymchurch lines was underlined by reciprocal loco visits in May. Fresh from a 10-year overhaul to its boiler and motion, the BVR’s 2-6-4T no.1 Wroxham Broad visited the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway to take part in the Kent line’s 75th Anniversary gala celebrations. It returned a week later in time for the Days Out With Thomas event on May 25th/26th at which two RH&DR locos, 4-6-2 no.8 Hurricane and 0-4-0TT The Bug were also present.

1950s theme planned for Dereham
Plans to recreate the 1950s have been unveiled by the Mid Norfolk Railway , which is preparing to bid for a EU grant. The development scheme, drawn up by heritage consultants Industrialogical Associates, envisages refurbishing the station buildings in period style, erecting a footbridge to bring platform 1 back into use and converting the goods shed and stables into a permanent exhibition zone. Discussions are due to be held with Breckland District Council about buying the stretch of line between North Elmham and the railways’s “northern outpost” at County School. The MNR also plans to reopen Kimberley Park and create a new halt at Garvestone. Both moves have received support from the appropriate parish councils.

Extra Norwich - Shrewsbury journeys from CT
An extended return working (Mon-Fri) between Norwich and Shrewsbury provides new through journey opportunities. Central Trains ’ summer timetable, effective from 2nd June, shows an 0731 departure from Shrewsbury to Norwich (arr. 1209). Previously it started from Wolverhampton. The 1249 from Norwich which used to terminate at Birmingham New Street now continues to Shrewsbury (arr. 1702). The 1458 Shrewsbury - Norwich is maintained.

Easterling headboard under the hammer
A loco headboard which once saw daily service on the East Suffolk line has appeared in the saleroom. From 1950 to 1958 The Easterling ran non-stop from Liverpool Street to Beccles, whence portions continued to Yarmouth South Town and Lowestoft. On 15th June a price of £5,000 was realised when Sheffield Railwayana Auctions sold one of the train’s distinctive headboards.

Jazz on the Broads by train
Passenger numbers on the Norwich - Sheringham line are up around 10% since last year, and now the Bittern Line Community Rail Partnership is promoting a Bittern Boat Train excursion on Thursday evenings in July and August. You catch the 1857 train from Norwich to Hoveton & Wroxham and enjoy a 2 1/2-hour Broads cruise entertained by a jazz band. Return to Norwich is by the 2240 train from Hoveton & Wroxham. Tickets, costing “a jazzy price of only £10”, may be purchased in advance or at Norwich station on the day.

Anglia Railways’ timetable expanded for the summer
Extra trains appearing in Anglia Railways ’ summer timetable, which runs from Sunday 2 June to Saturday 28 September, include an 11.30 Sunday London - Norwich service. On Saturdays from 20 July, additional through services, departing at 10.48 and 16.38, will run from Great Yarmouth to Liverpool Street and the 11.30 from Liverpool Street will run to Great Yarmouth. More trains are operating on Saturdays and Sundays between Great Yarmouth and Norwich providing a half-hourly service.

J15 misses North Norfolk gala
As the boiler of ex-GER J15 0-6-0 65462 only returned to the North Norfolk Railway at the end of May, the loco had to miss the NNR’s Golden Jubilee event on 1 - 9 June. However the two 4-6-0s - B1 no. 61624 and B12 no.61572 - operated many of the event’s trains, while Ruddington’s Y7 0-4-0T no.68088 was in steam at Sheringham station. The J15 has been booked to star at the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway’s July celebrations, but the Y7 has been named “reserve engine” in case it’s not ready in time.
The well-patronised Jubilee trains were strengthened by the addition of two TSO coaches which have recently arrived from the Llangollen Railway.

“04” and wagons arrive at Wymondham
In early April stock arrived at Wymondham station to occupy the short length of track alongside the railway cottages. The newcomers, which were previously at Hardingham storage yard, are an engine-less Vulcan Foundry/Drewry diesel shunter, a pipe wagon and a brake van. The shunter (VF D297 DC 2583 of 1956) is to the same design as the BR 04 class, although it was never part of the BR fleet, working at the Purfleet Deep Wharf Co before a spell on the East Kent Railway. The brake van may become a small museum.

New guide promotes public transport links
Anglia Railways has published a booklet which aims to boost awareness and use of integrated transport. A Guide to Public Transport from Anglia Railways Stations includes bus timetables as well as details of the taxi firms and community transport links serving each AR station. The free 111-page booklet is available at railway stations, libraries and tourist information centres.

Service at Norwich - Ely line halts “among Britain’s worst”
A new survey has identified five halts on the Norwich - Ely line as being among the worst served in Britain. The survey, published in June’s Railway Magazine, uses gaps between advertised trains as its criterion. Lakenheath and Shippea Hill, where just one train each way calls daily, are named equal 7th worst in the UK, with Spooner Row, Eccles Road and Harling Road only marginally better. Two Wherry Lines halts, Buckenham and Berney Arms , also feature in the country’s “worst 40”.

Hunstanton branch featured in new CD
The West Norfolk branch line immortalised by Sir John Betjeman is the subject of a newly-issued CD. The King's Lynn to Hunstanton Line is the second volume of Pictures-in-time.co.uk ’s "Britain's Railways" series and contains 90 colour and black & white photographs. Most are from the diesel era, including a very busy Hunstanton on a summer Saturday and Brush Type 2s at various locations along the branch. There is also a section comparing the past with what remains today, and a look at some tickets and timetables. The CD costs £12.99 + £2 p&p from Picturesintime.co.uk, 50A Hillcrest Road, Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich NR7 0JU (or contact keith@picturesintime.co.uk).

Broads Authority and Railtrack clash over Reedham bridge
Under an Act of Parliament, Railtrack is obliged to open Reedham swing bridge whenever the passage of tall-masted shipping requires it. However a clutch on the operating mechanism failed in April, since when two operators were needed to crank open the bridge manually, and Railtrack restricted the bridge’s opening hours to 8.30am - 4pm. Complaints from boat owners led to the Broads Authority threatening legal action against Railtrack.

Norwich - Cambridge trains almost ready
The first of the four 2-car Turbostar dmus which Bombardier is building for Anglia Railways ’ Norwich - Cambridge direct service, no. 170270, was unveiled to the railway press on May 17th. Norwich - Cambridge trains will start on September 30th. Fifteen trains will run each way on Mondays to Fridays, fourteen on Saturdays and ten on Sundays. Disappointingly, departure times will not be “clock-face”.

Another Norfolk station for sale
If you fancy having Mid Norfolk Railway dmus - not to mention the occasional MOD train - trundling past your window, then Abbotts Country Houses (01603 616898) may have just the thing. Following Acle and Massingham stations (see NRS newsletter 48/3), Kimberley Park station went on the market in May.
The station was built for the opening of the Norfolk Railway’s line to Dereham in 1847, and its single-storey extension was added by the GER in the 1880s.

Spinnin' State III re-routed
Past-Time Rail ’s Spinnin’ State III railtour on Saturday 22nd June, featuring six classes of loco during the day, will not now visit Norfolk like its predecessor. Instead it will start from Finsbury Park and run via York, Sheffield and Retford.

Wroxham signalbox to move five yards
Despite the Norwich - Sheringham line having undergone a massive resignalling project, trains still have to slow to 10mph at Hoveton & Wroxham because the signalbox partially obscures a signal. Now Railtrack plans to spend about £60,000 shifting the box just five yards.

Delia Smith dolled up to celebrate Festival
To launch the 2002 Norfolk & Norwich Festival and celebrate the Festival’s long-standing partnership with Anglia Railways , diesel car no. 153 314 Delia Smith was chosen to wear a new livery. On 1st May at Norwich station the Festival’s artistic director Peter Bolton and ARs’ Jonathan Denby greeted the train, which features the colourful Festival branding over each bodyside.

New life for Needham Market station
Though several Ipswich - Cambridge trains each day stop at Needham Market, its grade II-listed station building has been disused for about 25 years. Now a £750,000 project has restored it for use by NPS Property Consultants, a Norfolk County Council company. The building was opened in a ceremony on April 18 attended by local councillors and Railtrack representative.
The restoration work was funded by NPS and Railtrack, as well as grants from Suffolk County Council, Mid Suffolk District Council and the Railway Heritage Trust.

£1.25 fare marks Felixstowe branch anniversary
The Ipswich to Felixstowe branch opened on 1st May 1877, and to mark its 125th anniversary travellers on the route from Sunday 28th April to Saturday 4th May could take advantage of a special return fare of £1.25. In addition the East Suffolk Travellers Association (Felixstowe) ran a special train on Sunday 26 May from Felixstowe to Cromer, travelling via Ely, Norwich and Sheringham on the outward leg and back via Norwich and Ipswich.

Last post for Norwich mail trains
In the latest round of Consignia service cut-backs, Travelling Post Office trains between Norwich and Willesden were among the services withdrawn at the end of May. Poor rail performance is behind the move, says Consignia (Royal Mail). The one Royal Mail service remaining is the 1M29 19.50 Norwich-PRDC and the 1L90 return working.

Disabled protest at Thetford
Thetford station was picketed in April by protesters demanding improved facilities for disabled people. The protest, organised by the Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People, drew attention to the fact that wheelchair users and people who cannot manage steps, are unable to travel to Norwich because the only access to platform one is via the footbridge. Two suggestions - creating a level crossing alongside the station or diverting all trains to serve the up platform - have been ruled out by Central Trains , but the company said it would consider improving access to the down platform via an unmade road behind the station.

Dereham man wins modelling award
At the annual meeting of the Association of 16mm Narrow-Gauge Modellers held at Stoneleigh in April, Barry Curson of Dereham took the Butterley Trophy for the best scratch-built diesel loco. His prizewinning entry was a battery-powered model of the Festiniog Railway’s Harlech Castle - but named Binham Priory.

Budgens opens at Norwich station
In a move inspired by Marks & Spencer Simply Food stores at London termini, a 2,000sq ft Budgens grocery and convenience food store opened in Norwich station on May 17th.

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