top of page
kings-lynn-to-dereham-high-resolution-logo-color-on-transparent-background.png

1846-1968

800_7837.jpg

King's Lynn to Dereham
Great Eastern Railway

Route Menu

Welcome to the King's Lynn to Dereham Railway
Past & present page.

 
The 26.5-mile-long Lynn Dereham line was opened In-between 1846 and 1968.

The Lynn to Dereham railway was given the Royal Assent on 21 July 1845 and opened in stages between 1846 and 1848

The line was to be extended to Great Yarmouth via Norwich, but it never happened.


The line ran through Swaffham, where there were connections to the Swaffham Thetford branch line via Roudham Junction.

This line was also called the Crab and Winkle Line.

At Dereham, there was also a service running through Dereham and Fakenham from Wells through to Wymondham.

This line is also closed, but parts are preserved by the.

Mid Norfolk Railway. 

After closure Wendling was used as a filming location for episodes of Dad's 
Army.




In 1955 Diesel units were used that were based at Dereham.

Diesel units increased the services to 12 daily and reduced journey times to 54 minutes.

During the steam days, there were 5 to 6 services a day.

Before diesel, in the steam days, most services were hauled by D16s and Freight by J17s.

The Lynn Dereham railway was never on the Beeching cuts list, but British railways closed the line on Saturday 7th of September 1968.
 
The part between Kings Lynn and Middleton Towers remains open as a freight line for silica sand trains from Sibelco, UK, to various places, mainly in the Northern parts of the Uk.

For use in the glass industry.

 
The King's Lynn to Dereham line ran before closure, calling at 

Middleton Towers 
 
East winch 
 
Bilney | closed in 1866
 
Narborough and Pentney

Swaffham
 
Sporle | closed 1850
 
Dunham 
 
Fransham 
 
Wendling
 
Scarning | closed 1850
 
East Dereham
 
East Dereham station is still in use as a private Heritage line.

The Mid Norfolk Railway.

 

800_4665.jpg
Kings Lynn Middlton

King's Lynn

Thanks to the national library of Scotland for the maps used in this webpage



King's Lynn Station building remains unchanged to this day and is still in daily use, with services only remaining to London King's Cross and a daily service to London Liverpool Street.

King's Lynn, in its heyday, also had services to Hunstanton the Docks Branch, a shuttle service to the M&gnjr at nearby South Lynn, and the King's Lynn to Dereham railway covered on this page.

The Layout at King's Lynn has changed a lot, with the engine sheds, the sidings and one of the two signal boxes now gone.

The sidings have been replaced with a Supermarket, and the docks line has also been long closed; all that remains of the docks line is a small turnaround point that freight trains use to turn around and head off down the small 3-mile section that remains on the Dereham line as far as Middleton Towers station thats now used as a sand quarry.

At Kings Lynn junction there have been installed some stabling points for the London services so that 8 car units can be stored over night at King's Lynn for the King's Lynn, London services.

 

kings lynn train station
Kings Lynn Railway Station
Kings Lynn Railway Station

King's Lynn station early morning, taken in between the Christmas and new year break in 2022

King's Lynn platform 2 is primarily where the Dereham trains departed.

Platform 2 also had trains that Departed for Hunstanton.

Now, this platform is used for Stable trains and peak-time London King's cross departures.

Platform one is King's Lynn's most used platform for London-bound services.

kings lynn platform 2
IMG_8191.jpeg
IMG_3001.jpeg
IMG_2981.jpeg

King's Lynn Junction

 

King's Lynn Junction during King's Lynn's heydays with the Dereham Swaffham Branch going straight ahead.

 

With the Hunstanton branch to the Left and the London Cambridge line to the Right.

Screenshot 2020-06-16 at 11.59.30.jpg

Middleton Towers train on the return leg from loading heading to the King's Lynn turn-around point on the old disused Dereham line.

Thanks to Martin Addison via Geograph

geograph-965143-by-Martin-Addison.jpg

A double engine freight service at King's Lynn junction looking like this has arrived from Middleton Towers off the Dereham branch.

King's Lynn Junction in 2020

The line on the left is where Dereham bound trains would have gone pre-1968.

This line part is still used for freight movements to Middleton Towers Sand quarry.

kings lynn middleton towers line

After Kings Lynn Junction, the line headed off to its next Station.

Middleton Towers.

This photo was taken from the footbridge on the Hardwick industrial estate In 2020

 

We see the line here as a freight line passing down the side of the Hardwick industrial estate. 

hardwick foot bridge railway view
view from the foot bridge on hardwick estate

The Dereham line now passes under the A149 Bypass in-between the hospital and the Hardwick estate.

 

Just after the A149 bridge, the line passed underneath the M&gn.

The Dereham railway ran below, and the M&gn ran over the top of the Dereham line.

 

The M&gn line was from King's Lynn's other station South Lynn and went to Fakenham then Melton Constable junction and many other places across Norfolk.

There is a page dedicated to the M&gn Lynn Melton Constable line on this webpage.

 

Screenshot 2022-06-11 at 11.10_edited.png

Thanks to the national library of Scotland for the maps used in this webpage

A Dereham bound train passes under the then-closed to passengers M&gn Bridge that carried the South Lynn Fakenham branch line over it that closed in 1959.

When this picture was taken, the M&gn was most likely used only for freight from East Rudham.

 

Picture used from Tvp Videos

IMG_1982.jpeg

Thanks to Andy f for these pictures via Geograph.

 

The first picture is of the Lynn Dereham line passing under the dismantled bridge that carried the South Lynn to Gayton Road M&gnjr train to Fakenham.

 

The last two is a farm crossing. I take it just after the bridge https://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/32299

geograph-1322672-by-Andy-F.jpg
geograph-1322683-by-Andy-F.jpg
geograph-1322686-by-Andy-F.jpg

After the M&gn crossing we approach Middleton Towers freight yard and old station.

Here we see some empty hoopers waiting to be loaded in-between Middleton Towers & King's Lynn

I was Looking towards King's Lynn when this photo was taken.

Also seen are the crossing gates at station road Middleton.

empty hoppers middleton towers
IMG_4745.jpeSibelco empty hoppers await a load at middleton towers
800_5178.JPG
middle towers level crossing

Middleton Towers Station

Screenshot 2022-06-11 at 16.31_edited.jpg

Thanks to the national library of Scotland for the maps used in this webpage

Middleton Towers station Had one platform and was opened on 27th October and called Middleton.

 

On the 1st of November 1924, the station was renamed Middleton Towers.

In the early railways days, this station and five other stations were request stops, with Middleton Towers being one of the requested stop stations.

 

The line here is still used for freight use carrying silica sand from here to various sites, mostly up north with class 66 trains.

 

Middleton towers, like most closed with the line in 1968

A campaign was launched in 2021 to restore the Middleton Towers site to be used as a public tea room and museum for the former Lynn and Dereham railway.

The station buildings at Middleton are in very bad condition and will need a lot of hard work to get them back open.

Middleton towers
Middleton towers

Short video of freight movements at Middleton towers. Sorry, there was no locomotive sound. I was passing and only had a phone to take these, and the sound quality was very poor.

The railway ran between open farmland for the next two miles before reaching its next destination.

East Winch.

Eatwinch

East winch Railway station

Screenshot 2022-06-11 at 16.31_edited.jpg

Thanks to the national library of Scotland for the maps used in this webpage

East winch, like most stations on this line, opened on 27 October 1846 & Closed in 1968

East winch was two miles away from Middleton Towers station, and East Winch had two Platforms with a passing loop added in its later days. In the early days, this station was also one of 5 stations that were request stops. This was short-lived, and East Winch was soon a regular stopping station on the line.

 

East winch had a signal box that lay derelict after the closure of the railway.

Luckily the signal box was rescued by the Mid Norfolk Railway and restored and has been used at Thuxton Station crossing since 2010

East winch station in the present time is now used as a private residence and kept in fantastic condition.

Steam locomotive at East Winch

 Copyright Brian Easter via Kings Lynn forums

43090_east_winch_aug58.jpg

East Winch Station in 2020

IMG_4083.jpeg
IMG_4087.jpeg
East winch railway station

East Winch signal box

East winch Signal box in 1995

Ben Brooksbank / Derelict signalbox at former East Winch station, 1995 | Wikimedia

East_Winch_signal_box_geograph-3448334-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg

After the station closed, the signal box fell into bad condition.

 

Luckily the Mid Norfolk heritage railway rescued this old part of the Lynn to Dereham railway and rebuilt parts of the signal box at Thuxton on their heritage railway in between Dereham and Wymondham abbey.

800_7927.jpg
800_7932ed.jpg

After East Winch Station, behind where the signal box once lived, there was a small goods yard now called the old station yard. Nothing remains to this day.

 

There was also once an old grain store on the site that burnt down in 2016

800_6254.JPG

East winch Goods yard fire in 2016

Credit Ian burt via Edp

ib-1-fire-east-winch-2016-4.jpg

After East Winch, the line would have passed over this level crossing before reaching its next station, Bilney.

This old crossing cottage is used to this day as private Housing.

800_6248.jpg

Bilney Station

Screenshot 2022-06-11 at 16.31_edited.jpg

We see from a distance where the line would have entered the closed Bilney station.

 

This station only served the line for 20 years, from 27th Oct 1846 to 1st august 1866. Luckily the building survived to this day and is now used as a private residence.

 

The road you can see is the A47 which was built as far as I can see in 1981, 12 years after the closure of the railway and 135 years after the station's closure.

Bilney Station

After Bilney, the railway passed through a small cutting and open fields, some woodland, and a small river called Swan river, according to maps dated to the early 1900s, before arriving at its next destination.

Narborough & Pentney station.

Narborough & Pentney
Railway Station

Screenshot 2022-06-11 at 16.32_edited.png

Narborough & Pentney railway station opened in 1846 and was 8 miles 52 chains away from King's Lynn.

 

Narborough & Pentney was the temporary terminus of the Lynn Railway until 1847 when the line construction was finished a year later.

Narborough also had goods sidings and a freight line to the local Maltings close to the Railway station.

 

Narborough & Pentney served two villages with two platforms and a goods yard now used as storage and offices.

 

The platforms remain, as do the Station building, now used as a private residence.

The station also closed in 1968

Narbrough & pentney railway station

Just after Narborough & Pentney station Swaffham side, we see the old engine sheds that survived the closure.

 

The yard looks like it's used as caravan storage, and the old engine shed is used as offices. 

800_6242.jpg

Here we see parts of the Narborough bone mill/ Maltings not far from the goods shed and Narborough & Pentney railway station.

This building is strictly not railway related, but from looking at various online sites, there was what looks like once a siding serving this company many years ago.

To this day, there are no Remains of the old sidings left at all when photographed in 2021

There is also said to be a small bridge at the Maltings site that the railway once crossed over.

Narbrough mill
Narbrough maltings

After leaving Narborough & Pentney station, the train would have gone along this raised track bed before reaching this bridge, MTD2349.

MTD stood for Middleton Towers-Dereham.

Here we see the old raised track bed from a field Just on the outskirts of Narborough at Chalk lane, close to Raf Marham.

Raf Marham was Built-in 1916, many years after the railway was opened.

In the distance, you can see the newly built housing estate. This new estate is not on the old track bed but stops shy of where the railways once ran.

Looking at Google maps

800_7874.jpg

The track bed remains in parts but is very overgrown. I found access relatively easy, but walking far from the bridge abutment was difficult as this part was so dense.
Closer to the Narborough maltings.

 

Some houses have been built where the line once ran, blocking the line towards Narborough.

 

Here we see the old track bed facing towards Narborough, close to where the bridge Abutments stand on Chalk lane at Narborough, close to Raf Marham. 

800_7866.jpg
Lynn Dereham railway
800_7861.jpg

Bridge Mtd 2349 viewed from the Narborough side of the old track bed.

800_7860.jpg

Next, we come to Narborough bridge abutments

MTD 2349

By chalk lane Narborough.

This bridge abutment is not far from Raf Marham. 

This Bridge remain is to the side of the Narborough railway walk.

Sited right by the walks carpark.

Mtd 2349
Lynn Dereham railway

Narborough Railway Walk

The Narborough Railway walk is a part of this old line that is so easy to access and park and walk along this ancient part of the line, and sadly this is one of the parts that, even though so easy to get to and explore, I missed.

I did not know about this part; it was one of the last parts I walked along, and I found two more bridges and a mile marker.

I first Photographed the bridge remains and only walked up the top in July 2020 and photographed the first few feet of this walk, not knowing that more marvels could be found a bit further down the old track bed.

I walked the Railway walk again on Monday, the 27th of June 2022, to the lovely sound of a busy Raf Marham with the beautiful Sounds all day of the newly based F35s

The entrance to the railway walk is taken from halfway up the hill looking at the old raised track bed to the left.

800_7858.jpg
800_7856.JPG

The railway walk information board taken in 2020 the first time I visited this public walk.

Narbrough railway walk info board

Looking towards the Carpark from the old Dereham track bed. 

Taken in June 2020

Lynn Dereham Railway

The Lynn Dereham railway bed is close to the car park.

 

All pictures seen of the Narborough walk will now have been taken in July 2022

Lynn Dereham Railway

The First remain I found on this walk was this old mile marker sat just before the first railway bridge.

800_7828.JPG
 Lynn Dereham Railway
800_7831.JPG

After the mile marker, I headed off down the walk towards Swaffham and next to come up just after the concrete mile marker was this impressive bridge where the railway ran over the top. Looking at old maps, it looks like this bridge was not for a public road but for farm use.

I could not see an MTD code on this bridge.

Maps dated 1888-1913

Thanks to the National Library of Scotland

Screenshot 2022-07-16 at 16.01_edited.jpg

The first bridge I came across along the Narborough walk is this bridge. As far as I could see, it has no id number.

 

 I'm guessing the code has worn off in time.

The Lynn Dereham Railway bridge is viewed from the track bed.

800_7802.jpg
800_7804.JPG
800_7807.JPG

This bridge surprised me with how lovely it looked, considering this was only what seemed to be a farm crossing.

The workmanship that went into these marvels was terrific back in the day.

Also, seeing an old railway bridge free of graffiti was lovely.

 

PLEASE KEEP IT THAT WAY

These two pictures are seen below feature in my Flickr photostream

Please click to see these pictures in a higher resolution and many more from different lines.

  • Flickr
Lynn Dereham Railway
Lynn Dereham railway
Lynn Dereham Railway
800_7848.jpg
800_7788ed.jpg

After the first bridge and the mile marker the old track bed carries on towards the next station Swaffham bearing round to the left before reaching a gate and the old track bed goes through a wooded area.

800_7784.jpg
800_7783.jpg

Next along the walk, I arrived at this gate, and after here, the walk carry's on along the old track bed through a lovely wooded area.  

 

As far as I could see, there was no trace of any railway history to be found along here, but the old track bed was evident.

800_7777.jpg
800_7762.JPG
800_7768.jpg

After the wooded area, the walk becomes overgrown, and to be honest, it's not a good idea to walk much more as the track bed becomes very dense, and then it goes onto a farm track; there is no more track bed to be seen along here.

After the track bed and walking a short distance down a farm track, I found this bridge.

I have seen on old maps that there could have been three of these, and the other could have been a bit further up, but it would have meant walking across a farmer's crop, and I won't do that.

 

The third is close to the speedway track and has either been infilled or demolished during the A47 construction.

Seen below, thanks to the national library of Scotland, the first and second bridges when the railway line was opened in the early 1900s

I wonder if the second bridge still survives and it would have meant trespassing over farmers' land.

Google maps show that the second bridge was demolished or just a crossing.

Screenshot 2022-07-23 at 16.22_edited.jpg

I think the first bridge just after the Narbrough walk may have been the first of three.

Please feel free to tweet or email me with any information you might have.

Thanks in advance.

@Norfolksdisused

Lynn Dereham railway
Lynn Dereham railway
800_7728.jpg
Lynn Dereham railway
800_7748.jpg
800_7751.jpg

After this bridge, the line bed can still be seen for a short whilst heading off towards Swaffham.

Looking at google maps, the track bed turns into farmland shortly after this part, so I decided to stop walking.

Also, on Google Maps, it looks like no bridge remains ahead or there used to be just a crossing.

The picture below shows the old track bed after the bridge heading off to Swaffham.

800_7755.jpg

After the Narborough walk, the line went off to Swaffham.

Looking at old survey maps, it seems like an old road was where the A1122 now sits.

The short video below shows where the railway would have crossed where the A1122 now stands.

If the railway were still open, it would need to cross the A1122 close to Swaffham, through the Swaffham raceway, across the A47 Bypass, and then head into Swaffham station.

There also seemed to be another bridge here, and seeing a post on a Facebook group years back, this bridge was either demolished or filled in and is no longer accessible today.

Screenshot 2022-07-23 at 16.23_edited.jpg

Here we see below the Swaffham raceway.

 

At this point, the railway would have run through the after-built race track before approaching Swaffham station.

800_6240.jpg

After the Swaffham raceway, the line would have crossed the A47 bypass roughly over where the modern slipway sits.

 

After crossing the A47, the line would have run under this bridge. I can make out that this bridge used to take a road over the top, most likely farm access.

 

Sadly I could not find a bridge id number painted here.

This part is easy to reach, not fenced off, and used as a busy walkway.

After this bridge, the path does enter someone's private residence and the A47, so this is as far as you can walk.

King's Lynn Dereham railway
King's Lynn Dereham railway
King's Lynn Dereham railway
King's Lynn Dereham railway
800_6163.jpg

After this old bridge, the line would have continued to Swaffham, as seen below.

 

King's Lynn Dereham railway
King's Lynn Dereham Railway

Next, a few yards down the path, we come across this next bridge, where the line crosses over the top and a roadway underneath.

 

Once again, I could not find any bridge id number.

 

King's Lynn Dereham railway Swaffham
800_6176.jpg
800_6177.JPG
King's Lynn Dereham railway
Swaffham railway

After the second Bridge along this walk, we can see here as I walked to the next and the final bridge before arriving at Swaffham station.

 

Here we see where the path is now and where the line used to run into Swaffham station.

This is now used as a public walkway, and I recommend any disused railway fan to walk this lovely walkway.

800_6139.jpg

Next along the line, we come across this final bridge before reaching Swaffham station MTD2360 road bridge that carries the West acre road.

 

This bridge remains still and has part of the old signal left, as seen in the photographs below.

IMG_1083.jpeg
800_6238.jpg
Kings Lynn to Dereham railway
800_6200.jpg
GPTempDownload.jpg
800_6204.jpg
800_6207.jpg
Kings Lynn to Dereham railway
800_6234.jpg

Not long after the bridge in the same cutting just by where the line would have run, I found this brick wall.

 

This is likely a support to keep the bank from collapsing.

At the top of this bank are a few industrial units down bears lane.

800_6219.jpg
Swaffa

Swaffham Station

800_6217.jpg
Screenshot 2022-06-19 at 19.16_edited.png



Swaffham station opened on the 10th of August 1847
Swaffham was a junction station for the King's Lynn to Dereham line and the Swaffham to Thetford line via Watton.

Swaffham had two platforms and was closed in 1968 after the Lynn Dereham line closed.
 
The Thetford branch had already closed on the 15th of June, 1964

Swaffham in the present day is hidden away and now used as what I could make out a social services centre, and on a Sunday when I visited, a few HGVs were parked up for the weekend in the old station area.

To the rear of the station, one platform remains, and this area is used for industrial units.


Swaffham engine sheds are also intact and used as a car repair unit, amongst other trades.

After the engine sheds, there is no trace at all of where the old railway was.

The next part of an old railway found in Swaffham is from the Thetford branch and can be seen on the

Other Norfolks Railway page page 

Swaffham station year unknown credit to Geoffrey Skelsey via Wikipedia 

Swaffham station

Swaffham station photographed in 2020
Now used as a social services community 
centre.

Swaffham railway station

The rear of Swaffham station is seen from the end of the railway walk.

The old platform at the car park can be seen below.

800_6217.jpg

Swaffham railway Engine sheds are still in use as commercial units.

 

Taken in 2020

800_5593.JPG

After Swaffham Station the old Railway Route is Built over with new Commercial units in-between Swaffham and the Junction for the Swaffham Bury Branch. 

Just after Swaffham, we see where the Swaffham to Bury Thetford branch ran out of Swaffham.

Screenshot 2022-11-27 at 14.09_edited.jpg

After we leave Swaffham, we head out towards the next station Dunham.

Here we see the old line track bed from the top of the bridge looking towards Swaffham, close to where Dunham station sits.

lynn dereham line remains looking towards Swaffham

Drone footage of the old line taken from Dunham looking towards Swaffham.

In the distance you can just make out the eco centre wind turbines at Swaffham.

Swaffham Railway Aerial view

Next, we see the Bridge near Dunham with an unknown bridge code.

 

The Lynn to Dereham line passed underneath this bridge.

Dunham bridge top
Dunham railway bridge
Dunham bridge looking towards dereham
Lynn to Dereham Railway
Lynn Dereham Railway

Dunham Station

Screenshot 2022-06-27 at 18.26_edited.png

Dunham railway station remains taken from the old bridge just at the end of the platforms.

Dunham, like all of the stations, opened in 1848 and closed in 1968 

In the present day, Dunham is used as a private residence.

Dunham station was 18 miles from King's Lynn & had two platforms with a passing loop.

Dunham also had a freight shed sited 90 degrees to the main line and was accessed by a turntable. By looking at Ordnance Survey maps, the turntable had gone, and the sidings were extended by the early 1900s

800_5320.JPG

Dunham close-up Ordnance Survey maps dating from the early 1900s

Showing the cattle sheds and what looks to be a turntable.

Thanks to the national library of Scotland.

Dunham station
Screenshot 2022-06-27 at 20.37_edited.png

The map here, dated 1937-1964, Shows Dunham with just railway sidings & a passing loop.

Screenshot 2022-06-27 at 20.53_edited.jpg

Fransham Station
 

Screenshot 2022-06-27 at 18.26_edited.png
frn

Fransham station again, like most stations along the line, opened in 1848 and closed in 1968

Fransham Station had two platforms and a level crossing, and after closure, the station was kept in fantastic condition by the owners, and they also have a few items of rolling stock in their garden.

Fransham station

After leaving Fransham and heading off towards Wendling station the railway would have crossed over these bridges as seen below.

 

 

The MTD code stands for

 

Middleton Towers | Dereham

 

MTD 2374 

Lynn Dereham Railway
Lynn Dereham Railway
Lynn Dereham Railway

MTD 2377 Bridge

Middleton towers to dereham bridge code
Lynn to Dereham railway
Lynn to dereham railway

MTD2379 

mtd 2379
IMG_4234.jpeg
800_5284.JPG
800_5279.jpg
800_5297.jpg
Lynn Dereham railway

Wendling station

Screenshot 2022-07-03 at 19.48_edited.jpg

The next station would have stood where the A47 now stands; in the present day, there is no trace of the station as it was demolished during the construction of the A47 bypass.

Wendling had two platforms, and after the closure of the next station at Scarning in 1850, Wendling was the last station before reaching Dereham.

Wendling station during the station's open days

IMG_1971.jpeg

Credit to Tvp Videos

Unknown.jpeg

Credit to Norfolk orbital Facebook

Wendling station site photographs were taken in June 2022 from an overpass bridge close to Wendling village.

There is no trace whatsoever left of the station to this day.

The station now sits under the A47

 

All that remains is the name of the road in Wendling that is still called Station road.

Wendling Station
Station road wendling

Scarning Station

Screenshot 2022-07-03 at 15.56_edited.jpg

Scarning

1848

1850

Scarning station on the Lynn Dereham line had a very short life; to this day, there are no remains left.

Researching online, there seem to be no pictures of what Scarning station looked like in its two years of being open.

There is also a minimal history of this long-lost station.

Scarning was only 3 miles away from Dereham and even less distance from Wendling station.

In between Wendling and Dereham, the railway crossed over what was the old main road.

After the railway closed the A47 was built on the old track bed here and the thing that helped kill the railway the motor car now runs over the old track bed.

 

In the late 1970s, the A47 bypass was built.

Here we see a view from a DMU crossing the main road with the railway crossing over the top of the road.

The second picture shows where the old main road still runs but now the A47 runs over the top on the old track line.

IMG_1970.jpeg
A47 scarning

On route to the approach to Dereham, the railway slightly curved to the left, approaching the Norfolk town of Dereham, going over a level crossing before reaching the last station on this closed route.

Dereham

There has been housing and a bowling complex built where the old disused line once ran.

Pre 1968

Dereham Station

East dereham
Screenshot 2022-07-03 at 19_edited.png

Dereham is the terminus of the Lynn to Dereham railway

Opened on 15 February 1847

6 October 1969 Closed to passengers

12 September 1984 Closed as a coal depot

26 July 1997 reopened as the MidNorfolk railway

Dereham had four platforms and a Locomotive shed, and a turn table.

Dereham also had lines running off to Wymondham and wells.

The line between Wymondham and Dereham is used by the Mid-Norfolk Railway.

Dereham loco sheds closed in 1955 for steam use and were used to stable Dmu trains until 1968, when it was demolished for a leisure centre.

In 2020 a smaller shed was built with funds from the Eu on the part of the site of the old shed.

King's Lynn trains Mostly arrived and departed from platform 4.

 

Platforms 2 & 3 were for through routes to Wells & Wymondham & Norwich.

King's Lynn bound trains arrived from a junction at Dereham and into platform four, as seen from this screenshot from a railway history DVD from Tvp videos.

IMG_2279.jpeg

Dereham Station in 1996 credit to DiverScout at English Wikipedia

IMG_1245.JPG

The platform was seen here in 1994 before the reconstruction from the Mid Norfolk railway.

The track here was removed

after the line closed.

© Archant

316137231_10160106371503397_3655662047916620755_n.jpg

King's Lynn trains would arrive from a junction roughly where the leisure centre was.

The white roof that can be seen in the distance to the right of this picture is the leisure centre/Bowls alley and would of been where King's Lynn trains arrived at Dereham.

When this picture was taken there is no trace of the junction at all and the track bed here has been built over .

800_7333.jpg

Dereham Station in 2020, now part of the Mid-Norfolk Railway

800_7324.jpg
800_7358.jpg
800_7348.jpg

Platform 4 to the left, seen here, is where the King's Lynn Trains mainly arrived and departed from.

The line to the right was where the through trains from Wymondham to wells stopped.

This platform is now used for the Mid Norfolk Heritage railway, and platform four is used to stable spare heritage stock.

Dereham station
Dereham station

King's Lynn bound Platform 4 to the right in this picture now used for stabling old Greater Anglia Sets.

 

Used for the polar express & other duties.

Dereham station

Dereham Station viewed from the Wells Side, where the Wells Wymondham trains would have run pre-closure.

 

At the time of writing this, the Mid Norfolk railway is running special services to Hoe crossing and hopefully will extend their heritage service along this part of the old line to hopefully one day to County School. 

DEREHAM STATION HOUSING OLD GREATER ANGLIA STOCK
MID NORFOLK RAILWAY YARD
DEREHAM STATION HOUSING OLD GREATER ANGLIA STOCK
end ofline

End of the line

800_6201.jpg

Thanks for making it this far, and I hope I have not bored you with my humble attempt at Norfolk's old railway history.

The Lynn to Dereham line was the second line I traced after the Lynn to Hunstanton branch line.

These two lines are the lines so far I have traced the most; being born in King's Lynn, these lines meant the most historically to me personally.

Like the Hunstanton branch, I have revisited the Dereham line time after time.

 

The more I traced and researched, the more parts I discovered still existed and the more I looked on social media, the more and more bridges appeared and off again. I went hunting for all these long-lost wonders before one day, like Wendling station, they are lost forever or filled in like many bridges now are.

The Dereham line surprised me with how many bridges there were along this short line for a supposed flat Norfolk.

The Hunstanton Line only had one small Bridge passing over a small river, and the Dereham line had many fantastic built bridges that remain today.

 

It shows the quality that the railway navvies in the construction days put into building the railways back in the day.

Also, what surprised me is that both stations are still in use, King's Lynn as the Cambridge-London Fenline. 

Dereham was used as the Mid-Norfolk Heritage railway.

 

Even though Dereham is still open, the railway is now in private Heritage use and not the railway that the Lynn line used.

 

Only platform 4 remains at Dereham; the entry path where the rails once ran have long been ripped up and built over.

 

The Mid Norfolk uses the Wells Wymondham branch.

 

Some parts, like the Narborough walk and the Walk at Swaffham, are busy public walks with some unique bridges to be seen along these walks.

 

Some were more challenging to find, and after a few arguments with stinging nettles, I got some pictures.

One bridge I still need to get to is the bridge in King's Lynn, where the M&gn passed over the Dereham line. This bridge is seen clearly from the A149 bypass, but to get to this bridge, you will be trespassing on farmland and Network rail land as this old crossing is still in use as the railway is still used by freight traffic as far as Middleton Towers.

The M&gn part of the crossing and the track has long been lifted, but like many lines, they are still visible where they once ran.

The Dereham line, I noticed, has hardly been built over and remains clear in many parts until Swaffham and the A47 close to Dereham, where the car that helped kill the railway now travels along where the sound of the railway could once be heard.

 

So from 2020 to 2022, I hope this page is finished after adding more and more parts.

Until maybe either I discover another bridge or someone Tweets me and says you missed this one, and off again I go hunting.

I do know there was another bridge before the Swaffham raceway. Still, social media tells me it's either filled in or so overgrown it's pretty much impossible to reach and also would mean trespassing to get this maybe remaining wonder.

 

I bid you farewell and thank you for reading my website.

 

  • Twitter
norfolks-disused-railways-high-resolution-color-logo_edited.jpg
bottom of page