Norfolk Orbital Railway

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section contains information about planned or expected public transportation in the United Kingdom.

It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change significantly as more information becomes available.

Planned Norfolk Orbital Railway

Legend

Cromer Beach

To Norwich via Bittern Line

West Runton

Sheringham

Sheringham (NNR)

Weybourne (NNR)

Kelling Heath Halt (NNR)

Holt, (High Kelling) (NNR)

North Elmham (MNR)

East Dereham (MNR)

Yaxham (MNR)

Thuxton (MNR)

Hardingham (MNR)

Kimberley Park (MNR)

Wymondham Abbey (MNR)

Wymondham Breckland Line

The Norfolk Orbital Railway — officially known as the Holt, Melton Constable and Fakenham Railway Company — is a community railway project in Norfolk, England, which exists to investigate and, in partnership with others, help put in place a cohesive public transport structure for the benefit of all who live and work in Norfolk as well as visitors to the county.

The proposed railway line would link existing stations at Sheringham and Wymondham on the national rail network by using the tracks of the two standard gauge heritage railways in the county, and restoring the section of former Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway line between Holt and Fakenham, creating a circular railway route which could be used by regular passenger services.

The heritage lines affected by this scheme are Mid-Norfolk Railway and the North Norfolk Railway. The route would include stations on both of these independent lines, as shown on the following diagram.

1 History
2 Line status
3 Rolling stock
4 Old lines before nationalisation
5 The Sheringham Link
6 References
7 External links & References

[edit] History

The line from Fakenham to Melton Constable was part of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway's main line, which ran from Peterborough to Great Yarmouth. The line from Melton Constable to Holt was part of the M&GN branch line to Cromer.

The main line was closed to passengers in February 1959. The branch line remained open, being operated as part of the line from Norwich Thorpe, when it was cut back to Sheringham in 1964.

[edit] Line status

The line from Norwich to Sheringham is operated as part of the National Rail network. The line from Sheringham to Holt is operated as the North Norfolk Railway, although there is presently no connection between the two lines.

The trackbed through Holt, and the original station site, have been used to construct the town's bypass. The trackbed is then mostly clear as far as Melton Constable, although a couple of small homes have been built on the line and some of the formation has been lost to agriculture.

The station site at Melton Constable has been lost under an industrial estate, with the platform site now being the location for the town's telephone exchange. The station throat, formerly a deep cutting, has been infilled and restored to agriculture.

After reversing at Melton, the trackbed is mostly intact as far as Thursford, where it has once again been lost under a road scheme for a short distance. Close to Fakenham, the formation was badly affected by quarrying, and now is in use as a trackway through the Pensthorpe wildfowl preserve. It is planned that a diversionary route would be built to avoid this section.

The former Great Eastern branch from Fakenham to County School forms part of the future route of the Mid-Norfolk Railway. It is mostly intact, although the line is partially blocked at Great Ryburgh by an extension to the town's maltings. The trackbed from County School to Fakenham is currently in the last stages of protection, this also includes a short M&GNJR spur to the Fakenham gas works. The line from County School to Dereham retains most of its track and is owned the MNR. The line from Dereham to Wymondham has been restored to passenger standards, and carries the heritage services of the MNR.

The final section of line is part of the National Rail line between Ely and Norwich.

[edit] Rolling stock

The company does not plan to own rolling stock. The track would be operated by existing companies.

[edit] Old lines before nationalisation

Someone needs to Add on this list

[edit] The Sheringham Link

After a time period of 36 years plans are taking shape to link the Bittern line back to the close by North Norfolk Railway.^[1] After prolonged discussions between Network Rail, North Norfolk Railway and the The Holt, Melton Constable and Fakenham Railway Company, plans have been agreed to the provision of an "occasional use" link between the existing Network Rail station at Sheringham and the North Norfolk Railway's tracks. Although the length of the new link is only a matter of a few yards the agreement represents a major step forward towards the eventual provision of a permanent link and new interchange station facilities. This link would only initially be available for special occasional use and for the delivery of rolling stock and occasional rail tour through-working. It is hoped to be implemented by February 2009 for the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the NNR.