Record Details
| NHER Number: | 13587 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Route of East Norfolk Railway, Aylsham Branch, including Bure Valley Railway |
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Summary
This line linked Wroxham to County School, through Aylsham. It opened from Wroxham to Buxton in 1878, to Aylsham in 1879, Reepham 1881, and Broom Green in 1882. It was closed in 1952, with concrete trains running along part of the line until the 1970s.
The route passed from Wroxham (where it had a junction with NHER 13586) to Coltishall, then Buxton with Lamas, Aylsham, Cawston, Reepham, Foulsham and Broom Green (junction with NHER 13588). The track was later extended to continue along the Fakenham line to County School.
A number of stations and railway buildings are thought to survive at Buxton with Lamas, Cawston, Coltishall, and Foulsham, as well as a bridge over the Bure. Part of the line from Wroxham to Alysham has now been relaid as a narrow guage railway (Bure Valley Railway), and beyond Aylsham the line serves as an extension to the Marriot's Way footpath.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 14270 22755 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG12SW |
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| Parish: | AYLSHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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| BELAUGH, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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| BINTREE, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
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| BRAMERTON, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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| BUXTON WITH LAMMAS, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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| CAWSTON, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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| COLTISHALL, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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| FOULSHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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| HOVETON, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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| NORTH ELMHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
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| REEPHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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| THEMELTHORPE, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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| TWYFORD, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Wroxham to County School Line, Great Eastern Railway.
Opened Wroxham to Buxton 1878, to Aylsham 1879, to Reepham 1881, Broom Green 1882.
Closed 1952 except for concrete trains in part; rest closed 1970s
Wroxham - Coltishall (siding)-Buxton Lammas-Aylsham (siding)-Cawston (siding)- Reepham (siding)-Foulsham (siding)-Broom Green (two curves, northern one went early).
In fact according to (S1) there never was any track laid on the north curve.
Later the track was continued alongside the Fakenham line to County School.
Buxton Lamas station was intact on 10 May 1975.
Earthworks at Broom Green (near County School).
The junction with the old M&GNR for the concrete trains is at Themelthorpe between Foulsham and Reepham and was put in in 1960. The line near Foulsham is used as a farm track, part has been removed by the Twyford bypass.
Foulsham station survives as a coal merchant's.
(S2) are photographs of Aylsham Station buildings being demolished in 1989 ahead of narrow gauge railway scheme.
Section of line from Wroxham (now Hoveton and Wroxham) to Aylsham now relaid as narrow gauge railway with footpath alongside. Beyond Aylsham it is in use as extension of Marriott Way footpath. Most station buildings remain. A number of very good black brick overbridges; long steel bridge across the Bure at Buxton (NHER 51297).
This bridge was listed Grade II in 1998, see NHER 51297 for further details.
E. Rose (NLA), 16 August 1991.
The black (really blue) brick bridges mentioned above have stamped bricks with'P & S Wood, Pump House Brickworks, West Bromwich'.
E. Rose (NLA), 25 June 1993.
The original proposals envisaged a branch from Cawston to a new harbour on Blakeney Point.
To the west of the Themelthorpe curve the trackbed has become a pond.
Where the M&GNR north to south line crossed just beyond there remain abutments for the overbridge each side of the cutting. A good blue brick bridge carries the Themelthorpe-Guestwick road over the trackbed which continues as a green way to the west.
E. Rose (NLA), 11 May 1998.
Cawston Station has been restored, with extensions in keeping, as a house.
Coltishall Station has been converted as an hotel.
Newspaper cuttings in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 17 April 2001.
The Aylsham and Lenwade sidings of this line were removed in 1994 to be sold on as scrap.
NIAS records (S2)
W. Arnold (HES) 17 January 2011.
Monument Types
- BRIDGE (19th Century to 21st Century - 1878 AD? to 2100 AD)
- RAILWAY (19th Century to Late 20th Century - 1878 AD? to 1979 AD?)
- RAILWAY TRANSPORT SITE (19th Century to Late 20th Century - 1878 AD? to 1979 AD?)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
Sources and further reading
| --- | Aerial Photograph: TF9824 K,L. |
| --- | Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 02 SW 22. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1984. Absolutely the end of the line. 28 February. |
| --- | Unpublished Contractor Report: Network Archaeology. 2002. Bacton to Kings Lynn Proposed Gas Pipeline. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment. Network Archaeology. 179. |
| --- | Publication: Toby, R.. 1975. The East Norfolk Railway. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| --- | Photograph: BZH 24-5. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1987-1990. [Articles on the project to create a tourist attraction of the Wroxham to Aylsham railway link, including the demolition of Aylsham Station]. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1993. Railway on right tract to enjoy new era. 27 March. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1993. Shops trip down memory lane. 3 March. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2000. Railway clock sold at auction. 13 March. |
| <S1> | Article in Serial: Tuddenham, E.. March 1965. A Journey to Wells-next-the-Sea.. Railway World. pp 82-7. |
| <S2> | Archive: NIAS. Norfolk Industrial Archaeology Society Records. |
| <S3> | Photograph: Norfolk County Council. 1989. Aylsham Railway Station buildings undergoing demolition. Colour print. |
Related records
| 51297 | Parent of: Railway bridge over the River Bure, Bure Valley line of the Great Eastern Railway (Monument) |
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