PRESERVATIONIST JULIAN BIRLEY STEPS ASIDE FROM NNR AFTER 18 YEARS
Julian Birley has stepped down as a director of the North Norfolk Railway after 18 years.
The former ‘Preservationist of the Year’ was the chairman of the Sheringham-Holt line for 3½ years until July when he decided to concentrate his voluntary efforts on completing the Bala Lake Railway’s ¾-mile extension, over which he will continue to preside. “It was with a very heavy heart that I stood down from something for which I have a huge fondness,” he told Steam Railway. Aside from being recognised for his achievements by the Transport Trust in 2002, Mr Birley was given the British Empire Medal in 2015 for his services to railway preservation. He is credited as having played crucial roles in the resurgence of the NNR, beginning with the successful fight to save Sheringham station from being sold and demolished to make way for a supermarket in 2001, and establishing a functional main line connection, which was opened by ‘Britannia’ No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell in 2009. He has also been instrumental in a number of other projects, namely the acquisition of the unique surviving Wisbech & Upwell tramcar, the restoration of the Gresley ‘QuadArts’ and erection of a shed to keep them in, and sourcing two former Somerset & Dorset engines to the line as long-term fixtures of the NNR fleet – ‘7F’ No. 53809 and ‘9F’ No. 92203 ‘Black Prince’. Although he will not be intrinsically involved in the future management of the ‘Poppy Line’, Mr Birley has been named as the M&GN Society’s president, following the deaths of previous figureheads Dick Hardy and Sir William McAlpine earlier this year. He describes the appointment as an “incredible honour”.
His current focus is to raise the necessary £2.5 million to build an entirely new stretch of 1ft 11½in gauge railway between Pen-y-Bont and Bala Town, close to where he is now a resident.
“I’m taking with me the experience that I have gained in those years [at the NNR] and applying the logic here. It’s a massive community project.”