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Record Details

NHER Number:13584
Type of record:Monument
Name:Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway (Norwich to Cromer via Holt), North Norfolk Railway

Summary

This is the route of a 19th century railway from Norwich to Cromer via Holt. The section from Norwich to Melton Constable opened in 1882, with the extension to Holt opened in 1884 and the continuation to Cromer opened in 1887. All but the Cromer to Sheringham section (which is now part of the Bittern Line) closed to trains in 1964. The stretch between Sheringham and Weybourne reopened as the North Norfolk Railway in the 1970s, with the Weybourne to Holt section added during the 1980s. The Norwich to Reepham section is now part of the Marriott's Way, a footpath and cycle track. 19th century stations, signal boxes, bridges and embankments survive in a number of locations. In 2009 the station at Whitwell (Reepham) reopened.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:Not displayed
Map Sheet:TG12NW
Parish:ATTLEBRIDGE, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
BEESTON REGIS, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
BRININGHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
BRINTON, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
BRISTON, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
COSTESSEY, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
CROMER, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
DRAYTON, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
FOULSHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
GREAT WITCHINGHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
GUESTWICK, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
HINDOLVESTON, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
HOLT, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
KELLING, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
LETHERINGSETT WITH GLANDFORD, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
MELTON CONSTABLE, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
MORTON ON THE HILL, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK
REEPHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
RUNTON, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
SHERINGHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
STODY, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
SWANNINGTON, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
TAVERHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
THEMELTHORPE, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
UPPER SHERINGHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
WESTON LONGVILLE, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
WEYBOURNE, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Opened in part 1882. Norwich City to Cromer Beach. Part preserved as North Norfolk Railway.
Unique A-frame bridges. Some preserved station buildings. For full details and newspaper cuttings (S1-S11) see file.
E. Rose (NAU), 2 June 1982.

Architects drawings (pre 1992) (S12) of Context 3 as large rolled plans.
E. Rose (NAU).

October-December 1999. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of site clearance and groundworks on land between Barker Street and Heigham Street, near the site of Norwich City Station.
See NHER 62383 for further details.
H. Hamilton (HES), 10 November 2017.

Cromer signal box (NHER 47908) and signals (NHER 47589) listed 2000 (S14).

For tank traps in the trackbed see NHER 40318, NHER 42682 and others listed in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 25 November 2005.

June 2006.
The section from Norwich to Melton Constable opened in 1882, with the extension to Holt opened in 1884 and the continuation to Cromer opened in 1887. All but the Cromer to Sheringham section (which is now part of the Bittern Line) closed to trains in 1964. The stretch between Sheringham and Weybourne reopened as the North Norfolk Railway in the 1970s, with the Weybourne to Holt section added during the 1980s. The Norwich to Reepham section is now part of the Marriot's Way, a footpath and cycle track. 19th century stations, signal boxes, bridges and embankments survive in a number of locations.
See full details in file.
D. Robertson (NLA), 8 June 2006.

Also see NHER 53976 for information about Whitwell Station, which was recently restored and reopened in 2009.
S. Howard (NLA), 2 August 2010.

3 July 2010.
Concrete milepost exists in a Cromer garden.
See (S15) for details.
E. Whitcombe (NLA), 4 August 2010.

2010.
A signal box was restored and installed at the Holt Station stop on the Holt-Sheringham section, now the Poppy Line heritage railway.
See (S16).
E. Whitcombe (NLA), 5 August 2010.

Norwich City Station, previously recorded within this record, is now recorded under NHER 62383.
H. Hamilton (HES), 10 November 2017.

Monument Types

  • BRIDGE (19th Century to 21st Century - 1882 AD? to 2100 AD)
  • GOODS YARD (19th Century to 21st Century - 1882 AD? to 2100 AD)
  • RAILWAY (19th Century to 21st Century - 1882 AD? to 2100 AD)
  • RAILWAY SIGNAL (19th Century to 21st Century - 1882 AD? to 2100 AD)
  • RAILWAY TRANSPORT SITE (19th Century to 21st Century - 1882 AD? to 2100 AD)
  • SIGNAL BOX (19th Century to 21st Century - 1882 AD? to 2100 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Photograph: JJM 28-31.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1997. TG0820/F - G.
---Publication: Mackley, D.. 2000. Norwich Trams. map plate before 79.
---Unpublished Document: Correspondence.
---Photograph: KWQ 28-31.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 03 SW 11.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Monograph: Adderson, R. & Kenworthy, G.. 1998. Branch Lines Around Cromer..
---Recording Form: [various]. Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey Recording Form. Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 444.
---Correspondence: 2000. Correspondence regarding NHER 13584.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1984. [Articles on the maintenance work of the line between Sheringham to Weybourne]. 6 January.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1984-1985. [Articles on the move and rebuilding of a footbridge at Weybourne station].
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1985. Pullman luxury for disabled. 7 February.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1987. [Articles on the 'Poppy' Line to celebrate 100 years of a North Norfolk Railway]. 27 July.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1989. Railway enthusiasts gain nation restoration award. 15 February.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1989. Old rail hut back on line. 15 July.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1989. Line closure still regretted. 27 February.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1989. For Victorian away-days. 22 September.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1989. Railway fans erect bridge. 20 November.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1989. untrained team work to repair express giant. 12 December.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1990. Saving touch for old coaches. 23 November.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1992. [Photograph of Norwich City Station before being destroyed in 1942]. 14 May.
---Newspaper Article: 1993. Eastern Daily Press. 29 December.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1994. Rocket helps fuel turnaround in finances - Tourist railway is on line to profits. 28 July.
---Newspaper Article: 1994. Eastern Daily Press. 4 August.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1995. Sign of peace at the station. 19 August.
---Newspaper Article: 1997. Eastern Daily Press. 19 April.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1997. Railway steams into a profit. 6 August.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1997. 'Surgery' to help put wheels back in motion. 30 September.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1999. A box of delights for steam railway. 3 November.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1979. Stall has a nice line in books. 30 July.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1999. Steamy return of grand old lady. 1 March.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2000. Profits down but rail line steams along. 22 July.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2000. Concern for heritage rail stations. 24 July.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2002. Plan to rebuild station roof. 4 January.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2002. Railway expansion plan. 16 May.
---Photograph: BCD5.
---Publication: 1987. Railway World. December.
---Unpublished Contractor Report: Network Archaeology. 2002. Bacton to Kings Lynn Proposed Gas Pipeline. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment. Network Archaeology. 179.
---Monograph: D. I. Gordon. 1977. A Regional History of The Railways of Great Britain, The Eastern Counties.. Vol V, pages 182, 188, 192..
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1997. Stations 'left to rot' claim angers Railtrack. 19 February.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2008. Harsh modern times hit heritage railway. 18 December.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009-2010. [Articles on the re-joining of the Bittern Line to Norwich].
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Cosy little abode is on track to become a museum piece. 11 June.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. The road to nowhere. 20 July.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Group on track to discovering rail history. 31 December.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2012. Working hard above their station. 21 March.
---Article in Serial: Tuddenham, E.. 1964 June. The MGNR Route to Cromer.. Railway World.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---*Rolled Plan: Large Plan Exists.
---Fiche: Exists.
---Photograph: CQX 8.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
---Designation: Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 1975-?. Norfolk Archaeological Unit Recommendation for Listing. Recommendation. NHER13584.
<S1>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1975. 'Poppy Line' drawing nearer. 11 June.
<S2>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1975-1977. [Articles on the sale and movement of Singing Kettle transport café].
<S3>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1975. Big bang to come. 23 October.
<S4>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1977. Soon back on right lines. 21 January.
<S5>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1977-. [Articles on the collection of engines collected by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society].
<S6>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1978. Holiday task for beet factory veteran. 18 March.
<S7>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1979. Old bridge spans new pastures. 30 July.
<S8>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1981. [Articles on the movement, repaired and restoration of workshed from the Old Norwich City Station].
<S9>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1982. [Articles on the opening of the line between Weybourne to Holt].
<S10>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1982. [Articles on the Wensum Junction signal box].
<S11>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1982. Hidden assets. 21 October.
<S12>Drawing: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
<S14>Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entries 1380342 and 1380343.
<S15>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Keeping railway history on track. 3 July.
<S16>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Poppy Line celebrates award again. 9 July.

Related records

26448Parent of: City Station or St Crispin's Bridge (Building)
55399Parent of: Hellesdon Footbridge (Structure)
47589Parent of: Semaphore signals at former beach station (Building)
47908Parent of: Signal box at former beach station (Building)
62383Parent of: Site of Norwich City Railway Station (Monument)
53202Parent of: Site of World War Two railblock (Monument)
26236Parent of: Site with no archaeological finds or features, site of City Station, Station Road. (Negative evidence)
53976Parent of: Whitwell and Reepham Railway station (Building)

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