6/12/09
Wheel-lathe in
heavy use
The company's wheel lathe has restored profile to
all the B12 tender wheels and a number of coach wheels.
This useful machine can handle all but the bigger driving
wheels.
Click here
for picture and details
4/11/09
Wissington Progress:
Coming home soon:
Click here
for details.
15/09/09
Autumn Gala Pictures.
Click here
for details.
2/08/09
Holt
Station new webpage. The friends of the station have
created their own page.
Click here
for details.
25/07/09
Return of the Colman's
Van to the museum at Holt following restoration.
Click here
for details.
14/05/09
The Midland and Great Northern takes to the road.
Click here
for picture and details.
05/04/09
This will go ahead next year in order to not disrupt holiday
road traffic, whilst cables are relocated. Meanwhile
fundraising and preparatory works are proceeding.
Click here
for fundraising and other details.
3/4/09
"That's Yer Lot".
50th Anniversary of closure STEAM GALA 2009. This was
one of the biggest events the railway has held and judging
from comments in Heritage Railway and the local press was
considered to be one of the best events of its kind.
Click here
for photos on the NNR website and
here
a few photos by society members and friends.
14/10/09
The Society's 50th
Anniversary
We are all aware of the 50th anniversary of the closure of
most of the M&GN system on 28 February this year, but
another important anniversary should not be overlooked.
Saturday 10 October 2009 was the 50th anniversary of the
formation of the M&GN Joint Railway Preservation Society
with the inaugural meeting being held at the Town Hall Great
Yarmouth on Saturday 10 October 1959.
The idea of saving a section of the M&GN goes back to
mid-1958 when the closure proposals were first announced and
indeed literature was produced under the name M&GNJRPS
(proposed) very early on and certainly before the official
inaugural meeting.
The original scheme was for the retention of the North
Walsham to Yarmouth Beach section as this was thought to be
the most well used and attractive part of the route.
However, as is well known, BR were determined to remove all
traces of the M&GN as soon as possible starting with the
Yarmouth section. As a result a large number of potential
supporters became disillusioned with project and there was
considerable debate about whether we should actually go
ahead, hence the long delay between initial concept and
actually forming the Society.
In spite of all this doubt, Brian Clark and I went ahead
with the inaugural meeting and the Society was born.
The rest is another story.
David Rees
7/10/09
NEW ENGINEERING MANAGER FOR POPPY LINE
The North Norfolk Railway has appointed production engineer
Harvey Smith as Engineering Manager in charge of the
railway’s extensive workshops at Weybourne.
Harvey’s career began at the well-known Norwich firm of
Laurence, Scott & Electromotors, where he worked on nuclear
and military projects before being appointed as assembly
manager on large rotating machines and generators. Then
after a two-year stint in the road safety equipment
industry, he became production manager at Lignacite in
Brandon, where he introduced start-of-the-art robotics to
the concrete products industry.
Harvey told us he’s never really wanted to do anything other
than engineering – unless the entry requirements for an
astronaut suddenly get downgraded! “If it moves under power,
then I’m happy,” he says. “I feel very fortunate that I’m
now surrounded by loads of new (old!) toys. What more could
a boy ask for?”
15/09/09
Autumn Steam Gala 4th-6th September, a few pictures by Ann
Alldred.
15/09/09 CURRY TRAIN - GATE OF
INDIA OPENS ON POPPY LINE
The Poppy Line is running its first-ever curry dining train
on Saturday October 3rd. The fine Indian cuisine will be
provided by Aylsham’s Gate of India restaurant in the "North
Norfolkman" saloon carriages.
The train will leave Sheringham at 7.00pm, and the meal and
travel is £29.50 per head, drinks extra. Advance booking via
www.nnrailway.co.uk or 01263 820 800.
This is a chance to have a genuine Indian meal and a steam
railway trip in one unique package.
11/08/09
The society attended the Southwold model railway show, on
8th and 9th August, we will be at the M and GN circle's
Gayton meeting on 5th September and at the September Gala at
Weybourne on the same weekend, Lowestoft model railway show
on 20th September and at Norwich in April next year.
Click here
for picture and details.
16/07/09 and 15/09/09
Wissington's boiler passes initial inspection and smokebox
parts take shape
Click here
for picture and details.
14/05/09
The Midland and Great Northern takes to the road.
Click here
for picture and details.
02/03/09
50th ANNIVERSARY GALA WEEKEND FIRST PICTURES.
Click here
for details.
14/02/09
50th ANNIVERSARY GALA WEEKEND LAUNCH PROGRAMME, Friday 27th
February. Railway veterans return to the railway to
start the programme of activities for this very special
event, sponsored by the local bus company.
Click here
for details.
14/02/09
TRACK WEEKEND AT HOLT, 7th and 8th February. Several
(3 on Saturday and 5 on Sunday) brave souls set out during
the big freeze to lay the second siding at Holt, behind the
platform.
photo Nigel Scarlett. Further
volunteers gratefully accepted for this and other projects!
14/02/09
WISSINGTON Further progress.
Click here
for pictures.
6/1/09
LATEST STEAM GALA NEWS . "Thats yer lot" - 50th
anniversary of closure.
The Steam Gala takes place on 27th Feb to 1st March and 7th/8th
March 2009 and .will be the biggest event ever held at the line
in its 35 year history.
The Thompson B1 4-6-0 No. 1306 'Mayflower' and standard class 4MT 2-6-0 are
attending. The 4MT
being especially common on the M&GN lines during the latter
years. In addition a Fowler 4F, ex L&Y 3F 0-6-0 Class A
(later Class 27) and a "Mickey mouse" Ivatt 2MT should be
there. These will be joined by the NNR's home fleet of
'WD' 2-10-0 No. 90775, 'J15' No. 65462 and 'N7' No. 69621.
The NNR's general manager Geoff Gowing said: "This is the
biggest event we have ever hosted and we couldn't let the 50th
anniversary pass without celebrating this event as its part of
the forming of the NNR. We are extremely lucky to be able to
have these five unique visiting locomotives and the February 27
will be operating will be devoted to the operation of the
visiting engines".
The title refers to the chalked graffiti on the
last services.
There will be classic buses in attendance, showing how
replacement of the trains was achieved upon closure. There is a
shed photo-shoot on Saturday evening 28th February. The
one day rover fare for society members will be £10.00, with chid
members charged at £8.
The re-commissioning of Holt signal box (which will be opened
just a few weeks before the gala) will greatly enhance the
operation flexibility of the intensive timetable that will be in
use over the two weekends, which will feature a demolition-train
and the newly restored, award-winning Gresley 'Quad-Arts'. In
total, four passenger trains will be in use.
The NNR's newly launched 'North Norfolkman' dining train will
also be in use on the evening of February 28 hauled by visiting
'B1' 'Mayflower'. Advanced booking is highly recommended.
Additionally, there will be special vintage bus tours of
sections of the closed M&GN in Norfolk with renowned railway
author Adrian Vaughan as guide. These tours will operate on
Sundays only, with the morning tour covering the line towards
Norwich and the afternoon over the route towards Lynn; heading
as far as Massingham.
Away from the NNR and rising from the ashes on February 28 the
M&GN station at Whitwell and Reepham will be opening its doors
to the public for the first time in fifty years. The station
will play host to visiting Peckett No. 2000, returning to its
East Anglian roots having formally worked at British Sugar
Corporation in Ipswich.
Geoff Gowing added: "It's unlikely that a steam gala will be
held on a similar scale for the foreseeable future, so we urge
enthusiasts to come and see this unique spectacle".
We would also like to thank the following for their support:
Steam Railway magazine, Allelys and the Midland & Great Northern
Joint Railway Society.
Click here
for latest full information on the NNR website.
Click here
for the "that's yer lot poster, members are invited to print it
off, put it in your car and workplace- lets let those railway
enthusiasts who aren't part of our railway know about this
fabulous event!
