Record Details

NHER Number:13577
Type of record:Monument
Name:Route of Waveney Valley Railway (Tivetshall to Beccles)

Summary

The Tivetshall to Beccles line was opened by the Waveney Valley Railway from the Norwich to Diss line (NHER 13578) on 1 December 1855, at that point reaching only as far as Harleston. In 1860 it reached Bungay, and in 1863 it reached Beccles. Some stations closed early, but the final passenger service ran on 5 January 1953, with the line closing to freight on 18 April 1966. Stations existed for some time at Pulham Market, Pulham St Mary, Harleston (NHER 42029), Homersfield (station is in Norfolk), Earsham, Bungay (Suffolk), Ditchingham (with sidings), Ellingham (large sidings), Geldeston, and Beccles, (Suffolk).

A siding at Earsham is know to have existed during World War Two to supply the USAAF bomb dumps. It is also thought that a siding ran to the early Pulham Piggery airship base. Early stations included Wortwell station (closed in 1878), and Redenhall and Starston (closed in 1866). Pulham Market and Ellingham stations are now a house, Geldeston a factory, Earsham is largely ruined,
and Beccles bridge has been demolished.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TM 2896 8788
Map Sheet:TM28NE
Parish:ALBURGH, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
BROOME, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
DENTON, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
DITCHINGHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
EARSHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
ELLINGHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
GELDESTON, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
GILLINGHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
PULHAM MARKET, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
PULHAM ST MARY, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
STARSTON, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
TIVETSHALL ST MARGARET, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
WORTWELL, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Great Eastern after 1863.
Opened to Harleston 1855, to Bungay 1860, opened to Beccles 1863.
Stations: Tivetshall, Pulham Market, Pulham St Mary, Harleston, Homersfield (station is in Norfolk), Earsham, Bungay (Suffolk), Ditchingham (with sidings), Ellingham (large sidings), Geldeston, Beccles, (Suffolk).
Line closed and lifted. Used as a road between Homersfield and Earsham stations.
Ellingham station is a house, Geldeston a factory. Both have stone porches.
Earthworks remain.
A branch line, still marked on Ordnance Survey, ran to Pulham Market airship base.
Western section of line entirely removed; only evidenced by sudden rise in road and crossing keepers house at 1680 8725. Pulham Market station house remains as private house; tall, red brick, yellow brick arches to windows and doors.
Earsham - east of the section made into a road the line is overgrown and part built over. Earsham station remains in ruins. There were also originally stations at Starston, Wortwell and Redenhall. Starston station was open only for 11 years before being reduced to a level crossing; building remains. Beccles bridge demolished. West abutment in concrete is dated LNER 1938. Other minor bridges on this line are of precast concrete.
E. Rose (NLA).

Wortwell station closed in 1878, Redenhall and Starston in 1866. Pulham Market was first named Pulham Magdalen. The crossing cottage in Doctors Lane noted above now has the level crossing gates from Tivetshall, wheras Pulham Market station now has a signal from the same place.
Information from [1].
E. Rose (NLA), 17 April 2003.

(S1) notes a large siding at Earsham during the Second World war to supply USAAF bomb dumps.
E. Rose (NLA), 25 April 2005.

For Harleston station see NHER 42029.
E. Rose (NLA), 10 October 2005.

Monument Types

  • RAILWAY (19th Century to Mid 20th Century - 1855 AD? to 1966 AD?)
  • RAILWAY TRANSPORT SITE (19th Century to Mid 20th Century - 1855 AD? to 1966 AD?)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE
  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Monograph: Anderson, R. & Saunders. D.. 1999. Rediscovering Railways: Norfolk Past and Present.. March.
---Article in Serial: Viles, G.. 1997. Waveney Valley Railway.. The Annual. No 6, p 45ff.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1997. Farther was last stationmaster. 17 January.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1997. [Photograph of Homersfield station flooded in 1912]. 15 August.
<S1>Publication: Adderson, R. & Kenworthy, G.. 2004. Tivetshall to Beccles, the Waveney Valley Railway.

Related records

60646Parent of: Former Railway Goods Shed (Building)
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