Seasonal show for Norfolk’s timeless seaside trains

THE North Norfolk Railway pulled off a major hit when it threw open the doors of its annual members and shareholders weekend on October 8/9 to the public, inviting visitors to ride behind its collection of locomotives and rolling stock stretching over more than a century.

About 1600 people attended the Autumn Showcase weekend, which featured three steam locomotives and one diesel. The line’s oldest working locomotive, GER Worsdell Y14 0-6-0 No. 564, which was built in 1912 to a Victorian design, hauled a train of unique four and sixwheeled carriages dating from the 19th century.

The other locomotives which took part included the 1925-built Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway 7F 2-8-0 No. 53809, War Department Robert Riddles 2-10-0 No. 90775

The Royal Norfolk Regiment (which was built in Glasgow in 1943 and saw service in Egypt and Greece) and 1960-built green-liveried Class 31 D5631.

In service was the now-unique LNER ‘Quad Art’ set from the 1920s. The four articulated vehicles have been out of action for most of this season receiving periodic maintenance, including the revarnishing of all four carriages to return them to the appearance they would have had when new.

The line’s four-car suburban set also featured in the timetable, while

a BR MK.1 carriage rake in 1950s and 1960s livery had on-board catering from the line’s 1930s Art Deco bar car designed by Sir Nigel Gresley.

Demonstration goods trains rekindled the days when traffic was more important to many railways than passengers.

Visitors were also invited to join guided tours of Weybourne locomotive shed and carriage and wagon works.

The line’s commercial manager, Graham Hukins, said: “We had a lot of our supporters and members here, and a lot of members of the general public too.”

He said that a busy year had seen the Poppy Line on course to return to its pre-pandemic levels of business, despite the freak hot weather in the height of summer seeing steam replaced by diesels for short periods.

➜ The daily programme of steam and heritage diesel services runs until October 30.

The railway’s illuminated festive season trains, the Norfolk Lights Express, start on November 11 and runs on selected dates until January

2. Meanwhile, its traditional Santa specials will run from November 26 until December 23. Mince Pie Specials will be operated from December 27 until January 2.

For more details about all of these services, visit the website www. nnrailway.co.uk

WD 2-10-0 No. 90775 The Royal Norfolk Regiment heads the line’s rake of superbly restored freight wagons from Sheringham on October 8, a tribute to the volunteer teams who have slowly but surely increased the fleet over the last 12 to 13 years to its present size. Running tender first, Y14 No. 564 returns the vintage train through the great panorama that is North Norfolk’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to Sheringham on October 8. With the 1850-built Weybourne Windmill on the horizon, English Electric Type 2 Class 31 D5631 heads the Quart-Art set westwards to Holt.

With the North Sea in the background, Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway 7F 2-8-0 No. 53809 heads towards Weybourne on a surviving stretch of another of England’s famous coast-serving joint lines, the Midland & Great Northern.

The North Norfolk Railway’s oldest locomotive, GER Y14 No. 564, heads the vintage carriage set up the 1-in-80 towards Weybourne on October 8.

Class 31 D5631 taking its turn on the suburban set.