Britannia class pacific Oliver Cromwell brings the first passenger train from the national railway network for 46 years onto North Norfolk Railway tracks on Thursday March 11, 2010. Frame captured from BBC Norfolk video.
(Click image to see the news item and video on on the BBC Norfolk website.)
The inauguration of the North Norfolk Railway’s new level crossing at Sheringham marks the permanent reconnection of the NNR to the mainline railway network after a break of some 38 years. In April 1964, passenger services from Sheringham to Melton Constable were suspended and British Railways services from Norwich via Cromer were truncated at Sheringham Station. Freight services to Melton Constable lingered on for a little longer. From January 1967, BR trains used a small halt to the East of the level crossing.
Although British Railways planned to sell the Sheringham Station site to property development the North Norfolk Railway Company successfully managed to purchase the railway line between Sheringham and Weybourne. Following some delays in the granting of the necessary Light Railway Orders, in 1968, the North Norfolk Railway Company was the first heritage railway in Britain to raise funds through a public share issue.
The level crossing connecting the heritage railway and BR remained in place until circa 1972. The line was used a few time for the purpose of delivering rolling stock. Finally the level crossing was lifted and the area between the two railways was landscaped it seemed unlikely that trains from the national railway network would ever run on NNR metals again.
In 2007, the idea of reinstating the railway crossing came up in a discussion between NNR directors and senior officials from Network Rail. During follow up discussions with Network Rail, County Highways and HM Railway Inspectorate. All parties agreed that the scheme was possible, but the Railways Inspectorate representative laid down the stipulation that unless the road traffic can be managed better a full crossing would not be possible. However, there would be no HM RI objections to an ‘occasional use’ tramway type crossing.
This is one of these strange occasions where the HM RI seems to be exceeding its safety brief and making ‘political’ decisions which lie properly within the competence of the local authority. So we will have to wait a few more years for officials to retire before we can expect regular NNR trains running into Cromer Station – the most logical place for a NNR / NR interchange.
Till then BTWT applauds the new connection a small step forward in the ultimate dream – the Norfolk Orbital Railway!
Looking towards the NNR headshunt (the NR station is behind the viewer) before work began on the level crossing. Plenty of flowers, but where is the railway? Picture Google Maps, Street View.
More:
- John Tilly – Formal reopening of Sheringham Level Crossing
- North Norfolk Railway – Sheringham Level Crossing
- North Norfolk Railway – Reopening of Sheringham Level Crossing
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