GE LINES UPDATE – February/ March GE LINES NEWS: Fares increase 5th March: Post privatisation rail fare increases tended to reflect the RPI increase recorded for the previous year’s July – last year the RPI was a hefty 12.3%. The Government again abated the increase applied to Regulated Fares, this year to 5.9%, and postponed by two months the effective date for the increases to apply. GA website entry during January – can you make sense of it? 1316 Ipswich to Lowestoft due 1442 will no longer call at Ipswich, Woodbridge, Melton, Wickham Market, Saxmundham, Darsham, Halesworth, Brampton Suffolk, Beccles, Oulton Broad South and Lowestoft but will call additionally at Woodbridge, Melton, Wickham Market, Saxmundham, Darsham, Halesworth, Brampton Suffolk, Beccles and Oulton Broad South. The train did run. Network Rail news: Beaulieu (or Beaulieu Park?): The GEML’s first new station for over a century (the proposed track and signalling layout is now shown on ea signal maps website) – will be sited just north of Chelmsford and is due to open in 2025 aiding the development of up to 14,000 new homes in the locality. The £252m station is being funded by £218m from the Government’s Housing & Infrastructure Fund with the remainder from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership and developer Countryside Zest. It will have 3 platforms, parking for 700 cars and 500 cycle spaces plus a bus interchange. Network Rail has let the first contract worth £37.8m to J. Murphy & Sons. The enabling works contract will include earthworks and track and signalling modifications. Cambridge South: The Transport & Works Act Order has been granted for the £183.6m station adjacent to Cambridge Biomedical Campus including Addenbrooke’s Hospital (27,000 employees by 2031). It will have 4 platforms and its buildings will be 2-storey. 4000 new homes are to be built in locality. There will be parking for 1000 cycles. There are estimated to be 2m passengers a year. Two level-crossings are to be replaced and there will be improvements to Shepreth Junc and the southern approach to Cambridge station (the provisional track and signalling layout is now shown on ea signal maps website). Railway Industry strike action: Industrial action was still being taken towards the end of March regarding pay, conditions and job security. Strike action by the RMT continues with strikes called for 16th, 18th and 30th March and 1st April. RMT suspended its threat of strike action on 16th March on 7th March after receiving an improved pay offer from Network Rail which is to be balloted. The industrial action for the TOCs has just been paused. GREATER ANGLIA HAPPENINGS: Saturday 11th February: An early morning lineside fire in a scrapyard in the Needham Market area (probably at Claydon) led to significant cancellations and disruption. Norwich-London services were only running as far as Ingatestone (another weekend engineering blockade between Shenfield and London). The 0630 ex-Norwich was terminated at Stowmarket with the 1 Founded 1955 www.norfolkrailwaysociety.org.uk Norfolk Railway Society Volume 68 No.2 NEWSLETTER March - April 2023 1 In This Issue Track report National Network 1 Heritage Narrow-gauge and Miniature 3 Pick-up Goods 4 Feature The Coronation of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 by Peter Adds. 13 Working Timetable 16 National Network ____________TRACK REPORT - News from railways in and around Norfolk It isn’t unknown for a steam locomotive to masquerade as a long-withdrawn fellow class member, but we seem to have gone to extremes as 45699 Galatea has undergone an identity crisis with 45627, formerly Sierra Leone, on the front/ nameplates and 45562, formerly Alberta, on the cab sides! The RTC special was photographed on 4th February. Thankfully, it didn’t happen in the “good old days”! (Alan Wallwork).
2 ____________TRACK REPORT NORFOLK RAILWAY SOCIETY (Founded 1955) President: Ken Mills, Esq. Committee and Officers 2022-23 Telephone Chairman Andrew Wright 07988 209021 Vice-Chairman Richard Keeys 01603 926178 Past Chairman Brian Kirton 01603 926212 Secretary Shared by committee Treasurer John Laycock 01603 720125 Membership Sec Mike Handscomb 01953 605068 Newsletter Editor & Indoor Programme Edward Mann 01603 456372 Show Manager Peter Willis 01508 492562 Visits Organiser Malcolm Wright 01508 492535 Committee Members Trevor Wilcox 01603 439983 Brian Cornwell 01508 492596 Norfolk Railway Society Newsletter Editor: Edward Mann 16 Chestnut Hill, Eaton, Norwich, NR4 6NL. Tel: 01603 456372. Email: [email protected] Layout: Andrew Wright 33 St Mary’s Road, Poringland, Norwich, NR14 7SR Tel No: 07988 209021. Email: [email protected] Distribution: Graham Smith 7 Caistor Lane, Poringland, Norwich, NR14 7QT Tel: 01508 492096. Email: [email protected] Please contact Graham if the next edition does not arrive by the end of the month of publication. Opinions expressed in any articles are those of the author and should not be taken to represent those of the Society. Next issue published: 1st June 2023 Copy Date: 18th May 2023 0700/0732 cancelled. It was found that the OLE had been damaged by the heat of the fire necessitating repair. The Norwich main line services were reintroduced on an hourly shuttle to/from Colchester and due to the OLE damage these services were worked by 755 bi-modes. Thursday 16th February: A suspected broken rail between Elmswell and Bury St Edmunds led to the 0745 IpswichCambridge terminating at Bury St Edmunds (formed 0947 exCambridge departing Bury 24L) with the 0921 IpswichCambridge and 1001 Ipswich-Peterborough services (and their returns (1047 ex-Camb and 1150 ex-Peterboro) being cancelled. The 0800 Felixstowe-East Midlands Gateway container service was held approaching Europa Junc for over 1½ hours. The 1500 Norwich-London departed 22L and in a bid to recover time ran non-stop from Ipswich omitting 4 intermediate stops. Thursday 16th February: Signalling problems between Elmswell and Kennett meant that the 0745 Ipswich-Cambridge terminated at Bury St Edmunds, then to form the 0947 exCambridge departing Bury 24L. The 0800 Felixstowe-East Midlands Gateway was held at Europa Junc for over 1½ hours while the 0921 Ipswich-Cambridge and 1047 return plus the 1001 Ipswich-Peterborough (and 1150 return) were cancelled. Thursday 16th February: The 1528 Felixstowe-Doncaster had passed Stowmarket on time but was 17L at Haughley before failing between Haughley Junc and Elmswell at 1710. A light engine on the 1650 Whitemoor-Ipswich diagram was requisitioned at Stowmarket departing at 1818 to be attached to the rear of the failed train. It then dragged the failure back towards Ipswich passing Stowmarket at 1927 and reaching Ipswich Yard at 1950. The train was then returned to Felixstowe! The 1721 and 1821 Ipswich-Cambridge and 1742 IpswichPeterborough and their respective return services were cancelled. Friday 17th February: The first train to be affected by a 2½ hr signalling failure at Lowestoft was the 1116 ex-Ipswich which took 45 minutes to reach the terminus from Coke Ovens Junc just outside the station. The 1255 ex-Norwich was delayed by 36 minutes passing Reedham and 68L departing Somerleyton. The 1216 ex-Ipswich was held at Beccles for some 25 min. and then at Oulton Broad South for another 20 min. The 1306 Lowestoft to Ipswich departed 20L and passed Oulton Broad South 29L and the 1406 was cancelled. The 1348 to Norwich departed 41L and the 1405 ex-Norwich and the return 1457 ex-Lowestoft services were cancelled. Saturday 18th February: Train services were delayed by up to 45 minutes during the day and until late evening by a LC barrier failure at Brandon. The 1221 Ipswich to Cambridge and the 1347 return from Cambridge were cancelled due to a trespass incident. Thursday 23rd February: Overrunning engineering works caused the 0505 ex-Norwich to be terminated at Ipswich; the following 0530 was held at Ipswich departing 29L and the 0604 ex-Norwich was cancelled as were the 0730 and 0830 exLondon services. The 0700 ex-London was started from Colchester. A bridge strike at Thurston caused the 0656 IpswichCambridge to be terminated at Stowmarket; the 0641 Cambridge-Ipswich was cancelled, and the 0743 ex-Cambridge was started from Bury St Edmunds. Saturday/Sunday 25th/26th February: No GEML train services ran south of Witham and the Southend Victoria branch was also closed all weekend. From Witham, bus services operated to Newbury Park and then Central Line underground to central London! It was the same over the 4th/5th and 11th/12th March weekends. Tuesday 28th February: The 1401 Norwich-London had its windscreen broken by large bird resulting in the train being terminated upon arrival at Ipswich. The 1630 ex-London was formed by another train formation (2 x 720s?) but was then terminated at Ipswich. Wednesday 1st March: Structural damage to Brandon downside station building prevented Norwich- bound trains calling after the 1537 Stansted Airport to Norwich had called at 1649. Up services were unaffected and passengers for Brandon in the Down direction had to use replacement bus services running between Ely, Brandon and Thetford. On Thursday 2nd March Greater Anglia (who proposed the demolition of the building after the Friends of Brandon station failed to produce a viable restoration plan but subsequently the building was granted Grade II listed protection status) announced that following an inspection of the former Downside station buildings GA had been advised by their contractors that there was a potential risk of collapse. The removal of the roof as an emergency measure was being considered but the presence of a protected species of bat, hibernating in the building, complicates the work required. GA were liaising with a number of organisations, including the local planning authority and Breckland Council’s building control officer to ensure that all relevant factors were taken into account. In the meantime the station footbridge has been closed for safety reasons and to access the station to/from the car park (on the Downside) passengers had to walk round via the main road level crossing. These arrangements were expected to remain in force until 8th
March. GA stated that “it was vital that for everyone’s safety that we follow all safety protocols and consult with specialists” (i.e. such as Natural England re: the hibernating bats). The 8th March date kept getting put back - last report was 25th March! Wednesday 8th March: The 1118 Tinsley-Felixstowe container service failed shortly after passing March at 1510, 24L. A rescue locomotive 1Z99 was summoned, departing from Ipswich at 1545, reaching Manea at 1715. The loco used the crossover there before running wrong line to attach to the failure. The train then passed Manea almost 3 hrs. late, delaying several following freight services by some 2½ hrs. Blockage of the line disrupted passenger services operated by GA, EMR and Cross Country. GA’s 1550 Peterborough to Ipswich was cancelled, becoming the 1750 service, and the westbound train which would have normally formed the 1750 was terminated at Ely. Both trains then formed the 1750 diagram with the trains departing from Ely 4 minutes apart presumably due to short platforms en route although why the second set could not have been attached and the passengers transferred to the leading unit is rather a mystery – both trains reached Ipswich about 30L due to the congestion ahead. Friday 10th March: Contrary to the weather forecast East Anglia experienced snowfall and strong winds during the morning rather than rain causing level crossing problems on a number of routes including Ipswich-Felixstowe, Norwich-Stowmarket and Norwich-Ely. The LCs at Eccles Road and Harling Road proved particularly troublesome, causing delays of up to 35 minutes. A track circuit failure occurred on the Down line between Stowmarket and Diss. Network Rail imposed a 40mph speed limit on trains between Norwich and Stowmarket in both directions. Because of the late arrival (circa 30L) of Londonbound trains at Ipswich intermediate stops en route to London were omitted on a number of services so that return services to Norwich were not disrupted unduly. The 1230 ex-Norwich was terminated at Colchester with the 1400 return starting from Colchester. Saturday/Sunday 11th/12th March: As well as the GEML engineering blockades previously mentioned, more (essential?) engineering work was taking place between Ely & Cambridge meaning that there was no through Norwich-London rail service all weekend. Replacement buses ran between Ely-Cambridge/ Bury St Edmunds. Friday 17th March: Points and track circuit failures during the early afternoon in the vicinity of Haughley Junc led to the cancellation of the 1358 Ipswich-Peterborough at Stowmarket, with the 1420/1521 Ipswich-Cambridge and the 1742 to Peterborough amongst those cancelled. The 1447 CambridgeIpswich was terminated at Bury. The initial problem was resolved but it returned with a vengeance in the evening! Norwich-London services were delayed by up to 30-40 minutes with the 1703 ex-Norwich terminated at Colchester and the 1800 cancelled. The 1902 ex-London was held at Ipswich for 1¼ hrs, arriving Norwich 81L and the 1930 ex-London, starting from Colchester, was held at Manningtree for 1¼ hrs (Norwich 70L), with the 2001 Ipswich-Peterborough platformed at Stowmarket for some 80 min. The 1845 Cambridge-Ipswich was 99L passing Stowmarket following two container services which, after suffering heavy delays approaching Haughley, passed there some 2 and 3¼ hrs late. The following 1700 Bury-Ipswich was over 1½ hrs late at Stowmarket. The worst passenger train delay appeared to be to the 2020 Peterborough-Colchester which passed Kennett 5L, was then held at Bury for over an hour before passing Haughley 2½ hrs late and reaching Colchester almost 3 hrs late! Saturday/Sunday 18th/19th March: No GEML train services ran between Witham and Shenfield (bus service Witham to Billericay) presumably for the new Beaulieu station preparatory work and no service ran between Ely-Cambridge with replacement buses between Ely-Cambridge/Bury St Edmunds. (Peter Adds) Mid Norfolk Railway On 24th February two MNRPT Trustees, both recently elected to the Trust Council last October, announced their resignations. The following day MNRPT* members attending a meeting in Dereham were advised that train services would not commence during March as expected due to trackwork issues notably the failure of the waybeams supporting the permanent way on the bridge carrying the railway over the B1135 at Crownthorpe (between Wymondham and Kimberley Park); the loop at Wymondham Abbey being deemed unsafe to use and the need to renew at least one level crossing deck at Dereham. An emergency appeal for funds is about to be launched to fund these essential works. On 13th March the MNR launched its “Back on Track” Emergency Appeal to help fund the restoration of the Crownthorpe bridge and associated works to reopen the railway for train services. Charlie Robinson, the Chairman of the MNRPT, said: “Despite significant investment in the railway’s infrastructure in recent years, the reality is that when the Mid Norfolk Railway started in the 1990s it began with a railway line that had not been maintained since the 1960s. Significant progress in addressing this has previously been made but the rate of deterioration is accelerating and costs for long term refurbishment have risen significantly. This means additional funding must be found just to maintain what we have. This appeal will make a significant difference and will create a window of opportunity for the railway to develop new income streams” [what might those be?]. “Before that can be done, however, every pound donated is a small step to ensuring the railway’s future. I therefore appeal to everyone be they from the region or a rail enthusiast, or both, to give generously at this difficult time for all, to ensure that the MNR has a future”. The Appeal launch came as the MNRPT announced on 14th March further details of the management and business restructuring process that is designed to create a new business model that delivers the charitable aims of the MNRPT and creates a strong sustainable business. Being introduced is the concept of Linked Trustees designed to give executive support to the MNR delivery teams. They create a defined route to TC** decision making, TC meeting updates, applications for funding and ensuring due diligence for that delivery team. The Linked Trustees are designed to operate in pairs to give breadth of support and cover in the event one is unavailable. The trustees’ role is therefore to give strategic support not micro manage. Trustees are not intended to be specialist heads in disciplines, the key to the concept is improving internal communication and ensuring that the railway is obtaining/procuring specialist knowledge as and when required to demonstrate due diligence in the overall management of the railway. The MNRPT constitution provides that there can be up to 15 Trustees. The new management structure creates 11 functional departments, some combined, requiring 8 pairs of Linked Trustees. Whilst other heritage railways, such as the Severn Valley Railway, are experiencing financial problems the continuing uncertainty as to when any train service might be introduced on the MNR and the reasons why has provoked much comment on social media. Recent contracts such as the Polar Express (the MNR intend to run 92 trains this year compared with 90 last 3 ____________TRACK REPORT Heritage, Narrow-gauge and Miniature
4 ____________TRACK REPORT year), the £3m contract with Greater Anglia providing additional infrastructure to store new/old trains when the GA fleet was being renewed and the annual RHTT maintenance at Dereham do not appear to have generated sufficient proceeds to cover overheads including maintenance. * MNRPT = Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust; ** = Trust Council North Norfolk Railway During January the NNR renewed 3 points at Weybourne – the Sheringham end crossover and the Yard exit point – at a reported outturn cost of some £290k with Trackwork Limited undertaking the work. In early March (no public services advertised to run during the month) the points and associated signalling were still awaiting recommissioning. (Peter Adds) “The Transformation of the Western Region” (Zoom meeting) - Paul Stanford (2nd February) For this meeting Paul Stanford joined us as presenter. Paul is a fourth-generation railway worker (his great-grandfather was foreman at Cadbury’s Bournville railway) who, until his retirement a couple of years ago, had worked in railway engineering and management for 37 years. He began by giving us an overview of the old Western Region, seen by many as largely a ‘holiday route’. Its main motive power was diesel-hydraulics in the 1960s, then HST sets from 1976. The Beeching Report had done away with many branch lines (and had Option A of the subsequent Serpell report been followed, the only WR main line with us today would be LondonBristol/Cardiff) In July 2009 the government announced plans to electrify the Great Western Main Line, the South Wales Main Line, and other associated lines. Besides electrification, the work was to include re-signalling, new rolling stock and station upgrades. We saw a flow chart of the project, described by a colleague of Paul’s as ‘running a marathon whilst undergoing a major operation’. The programme began in June 2010. On a ‘virtual journey’ along the route out of Paddington we saw some of the major works associated with the electrification. At Paddington itself the roof has been repainted and reglazed, and with scarcely any diesel fumes these days it should remain in good order. There have been major track changes at Old Oak Common where the erstwhile Eurostar depot is now a servicing point for the new IET units. Reading station, whose smooth operation is the key to the whole Western Region functioning well, has seen major changes. As well as passenger facilities being upgraded for the 21st-century, platforms were added, a new depot was brought into use, and new grade separations improved traffic flow. HM The Queen opened the station in 2014. At the start of the programme a fleet of electric Class 801 trains had been ordered as replacements for the ageing InterCity 125s. In May 2016 it was confirmed that the new trains would instead be built as Class 800 high speed bi-modal multiple unit (BMUs), meaning they can run on either diesel power or OHL. This was as a result of the Cardiff to Swansea electrification being cancelled and four sections of the original plan being deferred indefinitely, namely: Oxford to Didcot Parkway; Bristol Parkway to Bristol Temple Meads; Thingley Junction to Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads; and Thames Valley branches to Henley and Windsor. The Class 800s came into service on 16 October 2017, under the brand name Intercity Express Train. Teething problems were soon rectified and they now perform well in service. Other major ‘Western’ schemes illustrated by Paul included: ■ two more tracks being laid on Filton Bank, Bristol, making it a four-track stretch once again ■ reopening of the Portishead branch to freight (passenger trains will follow) ■ a flood alleviation scheme at Cowley Brdge Junction, Exeter ■ track improvements at Oxford ■ reopening of the Dartmoor line to Okehampton ■ major seawall strengthening at Dawlish (the line was reopened in five weeks after being breached by the sea in 2014) ■ the construction of a new Train Care Depot at Long Rock, Penzance And that’s not the end of it. Paul concluded by reminding us of the work that continues: HS2 works at Old Oak Common and a new station; Cornish re-signalling (visit those mechanical boxes while you can, he urged us); the recently announced ‘Mid GWR dmu no. 150233 arrives at Okehampton on opening day, 20th November 2021 (Paul Stanford). GWR 800017 waits at Paddington with a westbound service on 15th February 2018. Behind can be seen the angular roof covering the escalators and stairs to the new footbridge (Andrew Wright). ____________PICK-UP GOODS A miscellany of news and members’ contributions Recently at URC Hall
5 Cornwall Metro’ and Oxford Corridor enhancements among others. Chairman Andy Wright thanked Paul for an extremely interesting presentation. “The RER System” (Zoom meeting) - Michael Bunn (16th February) Michael has entertained us in the past with presentations on various aspects of French railways, and we know how thorough and detailed is his knowledge. And so it was on this occasion, when he described the history and development of the RER (Réseau Express Régional) System. The RER is a hybrid commuter rail and rapid-transit system which not only serves Paris but also extends into the banlieus (suburbs) in the larger Île de France administrative area. Thus it acts as a combined city-centre underground rail system and suburbs-to-city-centre commuter rail. In the city centre it has fewer stops than the Métro, so acts as a faster counterpart. The RER is operated partly by RATP, the authority that operates most public transport in Paris, and partly by SNCF, the national rail operator. The predominance of suburban SNCF track on the RER network explains why RER trains use overhead line power and run on the left, like SNCF trains (on the Métro trains use third-rail power and run on the right). Services run by both operators share the same track infrastructure, which has required the development of specific trains capable of operating under both 1.5 kV DC (RATP) and 25 kV / 50 Hz AC (SNCF). The RER consists of five lines: A, B, C, D and E. The lines are identified by letters to avoid confusion with the Métro lines, which have numbers). Michael went through them in turn. The genesis of the network came in the 1960s; vast housing estates had been built around the city and transport was needed to cater for the new residents. The government decided to construct an east-west line (Ligne A). In the first phase of construction, the Vincennes and Saint-Germain lines became the ends of the line, the central section of which was opened station by station between 1969 and 1977. On its completion, Ligne A was joined by the initial southern section of the north-south Ligne B. Ligne C (along the Left Bank of the Seine) was added in 1979, which necessitated construction of a link between Invalides and Musée d'Orsay. Line B was extended to Gare du Nord in 1981 with a new deep tunnel from Châtelet-Les Halles, a major hub and one of the largest underground stations in the world, connecting three of five RER lines and five Métro lines. Châtelet-Les Halles hosts 750,000 travellers per weekday, 493,000 for the RER alone. Ligne D (north to south-east via Châtelet – Les Halles) was completed in 1995 with the construction of a deep tunnel between Châtelet-Les Halles and Gare de Lyon, and Ligne E was added in 1999, connecting the north-east with Gare SaintLazare by means of a new deep tunnel from Gare de l'Est. The RER is one of the busiest urban systems in Europe. Notwithstanding that, we learnt, there are plans to close many ticket offices (a familiar story!) to encourage on-line purchases of tickets. Michael had paid many visits over the years to the RER. While he admired much of the contemporary architecture of the RER ’s stations, he was dismissive of some (“Like a B&Q, without the charm” was one pithy aside). He also warned the innocent railway photographer against relaxing with an expensive camera on show in some of the poorer districts. Chairman Andy Wright, who masterminded proceedings as usual, thanked Michael for an absorbing presentation with its wealth of illustrations both historical and current. “All Change on the Wherry Lines and Exploring the Elizabeth Line” - Andy Wright (2nd March) So, after a winter interval of Zoom meetings, here we were back at our real-time home: the Blake Room of the United Reformed Church Hall. And our chairman Andy Wright, who was also the evening’s speaker, reminded us that the idea of a January ‘Chairman’s Address’ had fallen by the wayside after the untimely death of our previous chairman Warren Wordsworth, so we could look on this meeting as a revival, albeit slightly belated, of the tradition. Andy’s evening fell neatly into two halves. To begin with he gave us a very thorough conducted tour of the Wherry Lines, from 2017 to the present. In February 2020 over a century of signalling history had come to an end when the Norwich to Yarmouth and Reedham to Yarmouth lines reopened with a new computerised signalling system controlled from Colchester. Using both ground-level and airborne images, Andy illustrated the modernisation which had taken place at locations including Brundall, Lingwood, Cantley, Acle and Yarmouth. Several full barriers and crossing lights had been installed, along with upgrading work to user-worked crossings. We then moved on to the Reedham - Lowestoft line, pausing to see improvements at Somerleyton, Haddiscoe and Oulton Broad North. ____________PICK-UP GOODS Above, The RER routes within central Paris Below, A partially double-deck X'Trapolis Cityduplex EMU on test. SNCF has ordered a batch of six-car and seven-car trains, for Lines D and E, from the Alstom-Bombardier consortium (Michael Bunn).
6 ____________PICK-UP GOODS “Rail/Sea/Rail by Sir Morton Peto” - Trevor Garrod (16th March) Sir Samuel Morton Peto (1809 - 1889) is a familiar name locally. Not only did his firm construct Norfolk’s first railway (the Yarmouth & Norwich, 1844) and other local lines, including the first Trowse swing bridge, but he was also the driving force behind Lowestoft’s change from a small market town to a bustling port and resort. And if a traveller arriving at Norwich station looks up, he’ll see John Pooler's bust of Sir Morton overlooking the concourse. Less well known are Peto’s overseas exploits, which the evening’s speaker, Trevor Garrod, was to tell us about. Trevor has been member of the NRS (though not continuously, he admitted) since the early 1960s and he recalled names from the Society’s formative years: Messrs Harvey, Wright, Joby and Rathbone. He has also been active in the Wherry Lines Community Partnership and the East Suffolk Travellers’ Association; as if that wasn’t enough, he volunteers at Lowestoft station and the Transport Museum at Carlton Colville. Why, he wondered, could you find Denmark Road, Tonning Street and Flensburgh Street all near each other and just yards from Lowestoft station? The answer lay in Peto’s enterprises in Schleswig-Holstein. A shipping link had been opened between Tönning, on the northern bank of the Eider river, and Lowestoft in 1847, the same year that trains reached Lowestoft. Four years later, Peto met the King of Denmark and was granted the franchise to build a railway from Tönning to the Baltic port of Flensburg. The Flensburg-Husum-Tönninger Railway Company opened in 1854, and both Peto and the King were present at the inaugural ceremony. A major reason for the rail link was the export of live cattle to England - and in particular Lowestoft, whence they would be offloaded and sent by rail, mainly to London. War between Denmark and Prussia meant that the region over which Peto’s line ran became Prussian; the route, though, remained largely intact and today parts of it are incorporated in two north-south rail corridors. Peto went on to establish the North of Europe Steam Navigation Company, whose aim was to establish "a through route from London to St Petersburg via Lowestoft, Tönning, Flensburg, and Inevitably all this work this meant the end of the manual boxes; we saw the exterior and interior of many. Those of us who’ve never ventured inside Yarmouth or Lowestoft boxes were taken aback by the the size of the buildings and their lever frames - not quite Severn Bridge Junction, but impressive all the same. Of course, by the time they closed their doors for good, most of the levers were out of use. At Reedham, before-and-after shots of the box’s removal reminded us that it’s been safely transferred to a new life at the NNR’s Holt terminus. Hopefully we, as a donor society, can visit it when it’s ready for the public gaze. In several of the pictures Andy had captured locos and units which we no longer see in our area, such as 153s, 156s, 170s, not forgetting the gricers’ favourite: the 37-hauled ‘short set’. After the break came a total contrast. We sped to London to see the brand-new Elizabeth Line (I guess it’ll be a while before we stop calling it ‘CrossRail’). Andy gave us a rundown of the much-delayed opening which happened in stages, and projected a futuristic film from 2014 which showed how it was planned to look upon completion. On his visits there he’d travelled from Abbey Wood, the southeastern terminus, to Hanwell and Southall in the west. These of course are both above ground, but it appeared that at just about every stop on the underground central section - from Custom House to just west of Paddington - he’d taken the opportunity to go up to the fresh air in order to examine how the new stations had altered the streetscape. At Paddington he’d been surprised to notice a glass roof was decorated with ‘clouds’; at Canary Wharf the highest storey of the building contained a garden. Last of the central stations to open (October 2022) had been Bond Street, where one escalator is the longest on the line at 60 metres long, and the second longest on the TfL network, just short of those at Angel station. At Hanwell, only the modern TfL and GW units tell you that you’re in the 2020s - the station has retained much of the GWR architecture and signage. While impressed overall with the new line Andy did have some reservations. The in-carriage line diagrams he found too small to read easily, and with the line ‘squeezed into’ the existing station at Stratford, the signs could confuse the intending traveller. A most interesting evening, enjoyed by the large audience. Flensburg–Husum–Tönning line (with spur to Rendsburg) - from German railway map of 1861. On 23rd November 2017 156418 approaches Reedham Station with a train for Norwich. Just behind the train Reedham Junction signalbox is still operational. (Andrew Wright).
7 ____________PICK-UP GOODS Copenhagen”. A weekly boat train would leave for Lowestoft from the GER’s then terminal at Bishopsgate. Peto's fortunes eventually declined. He was forced to sell his home at Somerleyton Hall. But he was remembered with gratitude in Norfolk. As well as his railway enterprises, he had represented Norwich as an MP between 1847 and 1854 . vTrevor’s presentation was enlivened by many maps and photographs, and information he had gleaned from meeting historians in Tönning. Their station has been totally rebuilt since Peto’s day. Closure has been proposed at least twice, but thwarted by local pressure. Trevor drew comparisons between Tönning and Lowestoft stations - both have a skeleton staff and enjoy an hourly service every day of the week. On behalf of the large audience, Chris Mitchell thanked Trevor for a most illuminating presentation about little-known aspects of a ‘local hero’. Thank you to Mike Handscomb for writing the meeting reports. Kingsway Tram Tunnel Visit (Alan Wallwork) On 31st January, I attended a National Transport Trust Red Wheel Event to mark just over 70 years since the last London tram ran through the tunnel between The Strand and Southampton Row which was built to connect the tram systems north and south of the river, primarily to allow trams in North London to access the central repair workshops at Charlton. The tunnel opened to trams on 24th February 1906 for services from The Angel, Islington to Aldwych and through services began on 10th April 1908 which lasted with several service alterations until 5th April 1952. The southern part of the tunnel was subsequently repurposed to allow motor vehicles to use it to avoid a traffic bottleneck at the junction of the Strand and Aldwych and it re-opened in 1964 as the Strand Underpass, whilst the northern section and its steep ramp up to Holborn remains largely as it was. The tram tracks and the central conduit that provided power for many of the trams remains. It has been used for storage, as a film set, as access to Crossrail (which is what has delayed the earlier planned installation of the Red Wheel) and there have been proposals to use the tunnel for light traffic to access the Strand Underpass, which, however, now seems unlikely. There were also plans at one stage for a cycleway, which, following the Crossrail construction, would be difficult if not impossible. The tunnel is listed Grade II. There were two stations in the tunnel – Holborn (re-named Union Street when used in a 1950s film) and Aldwych (which has now disappeared as part of the Strand Underpass). Members of the public rarely get access to the northern section, which is now mainly used for the storage of road signs and materials and we were fortunate to gain access thanks to assistance from the Mayor of Camden and officials from TfL. Personally, I don’t remember trams running in London as I was only 3 years old when the last one ran, but I do remember the trolleybuses which replaced them and lasted until 1962. There was originally a plan to allow them to run in the tunnel once the trams finished and a prototype No.1379, with exits on both sides incorporating folding doors, was constructed for feasibility tests through the tunnel, but these proved to be unsuccessful. The problem was that as headroom restrictions made it impossible to use overhead current collection, trolleybuses would have had to run on battery power through the tunnel, unlike the trams which used power from the conduit. Despite my not having ridden on a London tram before 1952, I have managed to do so since then as the Crich Tramway Village runs a number of London trams as part of its fleet. Finally, anyone wishing to visit the tram tunnel should watch out for the ‘Hidden London’ tours organised by the London Transport Museum which arranges visits from time to time but you’ll need to be quick off the mark as those tours get booked up very quickly. Top, National Transport Trust plaque. Above, Inside the tunnel during the visit. Left Metropolitan 331 at Crich terminus (Alan Wallwork).
8 ____________PICK-UP GOODS Mainly on the Buses (Chris Eve) Most in the Society will be aware of my love of the railways, particularly in the local area. However less well known is my love of commercial vehicles. I have had a passing interest in buses and coaches going back to my schooldays when I used to get the Bedford YMQ Supremes and Leyland Tiger Duples of Dereham Coachways to school. Now and again that fascination for buses got rekindled by bus rallies, but has been truly awoken since joining the Society and its subsidiary Transport Group. This love of buses is soon to be a career though, as I leave my insurance job of 25 years in May to become a new driver for First Eastern Counties out of the Vulcan Road Norwich depot in June. Whilst at the interview I was tipped off about the “LT to LRT” bus rally at the Epping Ongar the following weekend, 18th/19th February. As I was already planning a day out on the 18th to Manea for the Class 47 hauled LNER services this became one of those last-minute random weekends away that my campervan conversion has enabled over the last couple of years. After an overnight stop at Stansted services (for just £15 for the night) I arrived at Epping’s Underground station just before 9am on Sunday 19th. The day got off to a good start when it turned out the ANPR cameras on the car park had failed, so phone calls to the parking company finally sorted out parking for the day for myself and several others – what was wrong with good old-fashioned cash? Thankfully this proved to be the only hiccup of the day, and a truly excellent day out began with a ride on Daimler Fleetline DMS DM1052 (GHV 52N) which ran the route 339 shuttles from Epping to North Weald station on the E&O, along with Titan T986. The DMS’s self-changing gears transmission brought back early memories of the Bristol VRs from my early working days commuting from Dereham to Norwich on the 57 route. Several buses were on display at North Weald, but the day was about getting the miles in on some fantastic heritage buses. Of course no bus rally event is complete without at least one ride on a Routemaster, and RM1993 was on hand to provide that experience on a photo run to Toot Hill recreating the 581 route. RM1993 was one of many AEC RMs to be refitted with Leyland 0600 power units in the 1970s, with this example being reengined in 1977. The next journey was taken on board the Green Line liveried AEC Regal IV RF136 (MLL 523), this time on a Route 500 circular to Ivy Chimneys returning via Theydon Bois and Epping. I had paid for the bus & railway day ticket so I had to drag myself away from the buses to take a ride behind the E&O’s GWR 4575 class no. 5521 (L150) to Ongar, and a return behind recently-reinstated 47635 Jimmy Milne. A very nice way to wind down with a bit of lunch and the beautiful countryside kissed with late winter sunshine.
It was then time to pick a bus for the afternoon’s bus run to North Weald airfield. One bus that really caught my eye was Volvo Ailsa V3 (A103 SUU). Having never ridden on an Ailsa before and being a fan of old Volvos this was my choice. I said earlier that the car park fiasco was the only hiccup, however at first it appeared I had cursed the Ailsa when the battery decided it didn’t want to work anymore. After a bit of a mild panic, a jump start off the Skid Bus (RT1530) coaxed the ailing Ailsa back into life, with the Volvo B55 roaring back into life. Despite a failing alternator the Ailsa was to perform faultlessly for the journey to Loughton station, then onto North Weald airfield via Epping and the M11 junction. At North Weald airfield the day was to reach its breath-taking climax with more than a dozen buses making for a wonderous running up and down the airfield access roads making for a classic photo opportunity. After some road-side photos it was back onto RM1993 for a few runs up and down the airfield before the final journey back to Epping station, completing a truly memorable day out. Who knows, maybe one day yours truly may even get to drive one of these historic vehicles… Editor’s Note: Knowing very little about LT/LRT I cannot write captions for Chris’s excellent images but I have selected an image of every bus Chris has mentioned in his text. It took me some time to work out RT 1530 (KGU 290) but it masquerades as “The Skid Bus” – everything else can be cross-referenced by fleet or registration number (excepting 5521, of course). “Badge of Office” missing The accompanying image from Richard Adderson shows what used to be our Vice-Chairman’s “Badge of Office”. If you’re wondering, it’s a cast-iron M&GN bridge number which once adorned Aylsham North footbridge. Unfortunately, the combination of the death of our past Chairman (formerly ViceChairman), Warren Wordsworth, and the early 2021 Covid lockdown contributed to this “Badge of Office” going astray and, so far, we have been unable to find it. We believe it was disposed of by Warren’s executors who would have been unaware of its extra significance but we would like to know for certain or (better still) get it back. If anyone is able to help, please speak to Mike Handscomb at a meeting or phone him on 01953-605068. Thank you. 9 ____________PICK-UP GOODS Elderly Railcar at Manningtree (Brian Kirton) Unit 153311 stands in a siding adjacent to the down platform at Manningtree on 13th March – the destination blind still shows “Cleethorpes”! A staff member remarked that the siding is sometimes used to accommodate a “Thunderbird” loco but didn’t think this unit would be up to the job! More likely, its use is in connection with track maintenance.
10 ____________PICK-UP GOODS During the first two decades of the Society’s existence, brake van trips were a regular feature of the programme. These enabled members to travel with the guard in the brake van of nominated goods trains, and mostly, but not always, provided a rare opportunity for riding over lines which had been closed to passenger traffic. As far as I can make out, the earliest of these trips was back in 1958, and Society records show that at least 26 such trips were made by members in the 3-year period 1958, 1959 and 1960. Fortunately all the correspondence relating to these trips has survived in a file entitled “Brake van trips” in the Society records and, coupled with contemporary Newsletter reports, has enabled me to build up a picture of these outings over the years. The separate listing (see page 12) is hopefully self-explanatory, and it does emphasise the variety of goods trains radiating from Norwich during those years. In addition to the trips listed, outings on the 1035 Wensum to Yarmouth Vauxhall and 1045 Norwich City to Wensum were also offered by the authorities in 1958, but it would appear that these options were not taken up. It seems that the B.R. Norwich office provided the Society’s Secretary with details of the trains suitable for such trips. These were listed in the monthly Newsletter with suggested dates, and would-be participants were asked to contact the Secretary who then liaised with B.R. The first stage was for each participant to sign an indemnity form which was valid indefinitely, not just for the one trip. With this formality completed, a permit for the party to travel was then issued, and on production of this the Society brake van trips (Richard Adderson) Cawston 3rd May 1958. 65519 and the return goods from Reepham with two NRS members travelling. East Rudham 17th February 1968. Extra brake vans for the NRS party. Badges of Office (see NRS/NL 68/1 p.10) When there’s an industrial railways query I turn to local expert Chris Fisher. In the case of our “Alpha” conundrum, however, he was unable to help although he provided much interesting supplementary information which is well worth repeating here. Briefly, there was no “Alpha” locomotive that fitted the bill but Chris copied me in on this extract from Colman’s in-house magazine – The Carrow Magazine. Its January 1918 issue showed their “Alpha” (Hudswell Clarke & Rodgers 183 of 1878) which had previously spent time at Melton Constable. This loco spent about 10 years at Carrow before being displaced by fireless locomotives, one of which was Gamma, an Andrew Barclay product. Are you able to help man our stand? The Society’s stand will be at two more model railway shows this Spring: Norwich (Hellesdon High School) on Sat 15th April and Bawdeswell (32A MRC) on Sat 22nd April. Any members who would like to help out will be welcome. There is a particular need on 22nd April; please contact Richard Keeys if you can help; some members will be visiting Fawley Hill on this day, the Society’s first outdoor visit of the year. Thank you. More New Members We are pleased to welcome Ian & Jean Bloomfield of Hoveton and Eric Kirk of Drayton and we look forward to seeing them at future meetings.
individual members were then able to purchase their travel tickets from the station booking offices. When the outing included goods-only lines, the fare was calculated by the officials in the BR office at Norwich. On the day of the trip, the participants were asked to gather at the starting point of their journey 45 minutes before the train was due to depart. They were then met by the guard, who would escort them to their train. Goods trains of course didn’t normally set out from station platforms, so an element of track walking was required, especially for those workings originating at Wensum sidings and in Norwich goods yard. No fewer than 24 individual members took part in the trips between 1958 and 1960, some of them enjoying several trips. As a matter of interest Gerry Wright, who older members will recall was Secretary for many years, travelled on no fewer than 11 occasions, and I trust that a young man by the name of Ken Mills enjoyed his ride on the Reepham train on 17th May 1958. Only 65 years ago Ken! Brake van trips continued into the 1960s, but there is little record of those that ran – I have not found any relevant correspondence, and Newsletter references are very sparse. Mostly these references are a couple of sentences to the effect that “Members interested in brake van trips should contact the Secretary” and certainly a few were arranged between 1961 and 1967. One which did not take place, sadly, was a proposed trip over the Quay lines from Yarmouth Vauxhall in 1966 – I clearly remember being the only person to show any enthusiasm after it was discovered that it would entail a very early morning departure. However, there appears to have been an upsurge in interest between 1968 and 1972, with 12 brake van trips being recorded in that time. In the past, trips had been limited to a maximum of 4 or 5 members whereas in early 1968 extra brake vans were added to 2 of these trains to accommodate the number travelling. By this time there were considerably fewer trains from which to choose, but members still managed to sample the lines to Dereham and Norwich City and, further afield, to Leiston and Sizewell. There were also 2 night-time trips from Norwich to March and back in 1970, which must have been quite an experience. It was one thing to trundle along country branch lines with a few wagons on a fine summer’s day, but quite another to be at the back of a lengthy main line goods travelling through the night for 2/3 hours! I can find no evidence of any brake van trips after the Fakenham trip on 23rd August 1972. Editor’s Note: What a fascinating insight into the Society’s early days. If anyone has experience of other brake van trips, in East Anglia or further afield, please let me know. Thanks also to Richard for the images, either his own or from his collection. One wonders what the traffic imperative was that scuppered the Yarmouth Quay lines trip! With this article is a table detailing reported trips. Wroxham 4th June 1968. Three extra brake vans for NRS members. Another goods, heading for Norwich City, waits at the signal. 11 ____________PICK-UP GOODS Fakenham 23rd August 1972 B. Adams. Probably the last NRS brake van trip. Sizewell 16th August 1972. Not much protective equipment or security, although the members who had ridden from Ipswich were tested with geiger-counters before the return journey!
12 ____________PICK-UP GOODS Date Itinerary Remarks, inc fare and loco number, date of newsletter report in italic. 03/05/1958 7.05 am Wensum to Reepham and return Fare 8/-. 2 participants. Loco 65519. 03/05/1958 8.04 am Wensum to Bungay and return Fare 9/4d. 3 participants. 03/05/1958 8.10 am Norwich to Fakenham and return Fare 10/4d. 2 participants. Should've gone to Foulsham but traffic for Fakenham instead. Loco 64644. Sept 1958 10/05/1958 7.05 am Wensum to Reepham and return 3 participants. 10/05/1958 6.03 am Norwich to Brandon 2 participants. Loco 62040. 10/05/1958 8.10 am Norwich to Foulsham and return. 2 participants. Return train cancelled at Dereham. Loco 65566. July 1958. 17/05/1958 7.05 am Wensum to Reepham and return 3 participants. 17/05/1958 8.10 am Norwich to Foulsham and return 2 participants. 31/05/1958 8.51 am Norwich to North Walsham 3 participants. Loco 61571. Sep 1958. 02/05/1959 8.04 am Wensum to Bungay and return 2 participants. 09/05/1959 8.08 am Wensum To Melton C and return 2 participants. Loco 64761. 09/05/1959 10.41 am Wensum to Yarmouth Vaux and return 3 participants. 16/05/1959 8.04 am Wensum to Bungay and return 2 participants. Loco 65469. 19/05/1959 10.19 am Wensum to Norwich City, 4.30 pm back 4 participants. 26/05/1959 8.04 am Wensum to Bungay and return 2 participants. 27/05/1959 8.50 am Wensum to Reepham and return 2 participants. 30/05/1959 7.05 am Wensum to Reepham and return 2 participants. 30/05/1959 8.41 am Wensum to Lowestoft Central 2 participants. 30/05/1959 2 pm Yarmouth Vaux to Wensum 2 participants. 09/09/1959 Thetford Bridge to Watton (8.00 ex Bury) and 12.37 Watton to Bury St Edmunds Fare 6/6d. 4 participants. Loco 65578. September 1959 02/04/1960 11.11 am Norwich City to Wensum 3 participants. 20/04/1960 11.55 am Heacham to Burnham Mkt and back Fare 4/6d. 3 participants. 21/04/1960 11.55 am Heacham to Burnham Mkt and back Fare 4/6d 3 participants. 28/05/1960 2.10 pm Lowestoft South Side to L'stoft Cent Fare 9d. 4 participants. July/Aug 1960. 10/09/1960 11.11 am Norwich City to Wensum 4 participants. Last trip before Themelthorpe curve opened. Loco 90709. Oct 1960. 01/10/1960 9.02 am Drayton to Norwich Fare 7/6d. 3 participants. . Via Themelthorpe curve, first "passengers". Loco D8200 + D82xx. 28/10/1961 12.20 pm Wells to Trowse 4 participants. Loco 65586. Dec 1961. 20/04/1963 9.40 am Norwich City to Thorpe Fare 10/6d. 4 participants. Loco D5560. 11/05/1963 9.40 am Norwich City to Thorpe No details, arrangements finalised by phone 18/05/1963 9.40 am Norwich City to Thorpe No details, arrangements finalised by phone 19/06/1965 Norwich City to Thorpe Loco D5561. 30/04/1966 Norwich City to Thorpe No details but pictures exist. 17/02/1968 Kings Lynn to East Rudham and back 3 extra brake vans for party. Loco D5631. Mar 1968. 04/06/1968 Norwich City to Norwich Thorpe Three extra brake vans to cater for party. Loco 5545, d/h by D5563 from Lenwade. 08/10/1968 3.20 Norwich City to Wensum sidings 4 participants. Loco D5682. Nov 1968. May 1969 Dereham to Fakenham and back 30/5 trip was reported to be the 2nd that month 30/05/1969 Dereham to Fakenham and back 5 participants. Loco D5661. Oct 1969. Sept 1969 March to Wensum Jc 4 participants. Loco D6813. Dec 1969. July 1970 23.50 Wensum to Whitemoor and 04.40 back 4 participants. Cl 47 outward. Sept/Oct 1970. 08/07/1970 23.50 Wensum to Whitemoor and 04.40 back 2 participants. Took in Norwich Victoria line on return. Loco 1862 out, 5525 back. Sept/Oct 1970. 02/06/1971 Ipswich to Sizewell and back 4 participants. Loco 5851. June/July 1971. 04/06/1971 Ipswich to Leiston and back Aug/Sept 1971. 16/08/1972 Ipswich to Sizewell and back 4 participants. Loco 5635. Sept 1972. 23/08/1972 Dereham to Fakenham and back to Norwich 2 participants. Loco 5697.Oct/Nov 1972.
13 ____________PICK-UP GOODS The Coronation of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 (Peter Adds) The editorial in the Railway Magazine for June 1953 read: - “For the fifth time in their history, British railways are carrying visitors to and from London during a Coronation period. When Queen Victoria was crowned on June 28, 1838, opportunities for reaching the Metropolis by rail were few. There was still a gap in the London & Birmingham Railway between Denbigh Hall (near Bletchley) and Rugby, and the Great Western Railway extended only from Paddington to Maidenhead. South of the Thames, the London & Southampton Railway had been opened to Woking, and the London & Greenwich Railway to Deptford. Long before the nineteenth century ended, the present system of lines was substantially complete, and the railways offered almost unrivalled travel facilities at the Coronations of Edward VII, in 1902, and George V, in 1911. Despite the growth of road transport, they played a leading part when George VI was crowned in 1937, and their role on the present occasion is no less important.” The death of HM Queen Elizabeth II on 8th September 2022, at the age of 96 years, ended her reign of 70 years 214 days. The Queen had become the longest reigning monarch in British history, and that of female head of state in the world on 9th September 2015 which coincided with her re-opening the reborn Borders Railway between Edinburgh Waverley and Tweedbank that day aboard a special train hauled by A4 Union of South Africa whilst travelling in Pullman car 310 Pegasus within a rake of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society’s maroon liveried Mk1 carriages. Upon the death of her father King George VI on 6th February 1952 the then Princess Elizabeth ascended to the British and Commonwealth throne whilst she and her husband Prince Philip were on tour in Southern Africa. Her Coronation took place on 2nd June 1953 and the celebrations not only resulted in the television audience growing exponentially but were also marked by British Railways organizing additional train services bringing well-wishing sightseers to London and offering day excursions to destinations from London as the following examples show. A 56 page A5 size timetable booklet titled Coronation 1953 publicised additional trains and altered train arrangements between London (Liverpool Street) and the Eastern Counties for the period Friday 29th May to Sunday 7th June 1953. The booklet referred to am and pm timings but the 24hour clock has been adopted here. In the preBeeching cuts era on Coronation Day additional through trains to London ran from Yarmouth (South Town), Lowestoft, Sheringham, Cromer High and Haverhill involving very early morning departures (Sheringham 0005, Yarmouth 0110, Haverhill 0235) with arrivals in London between 0332 and 0532. The return additional trains had late departure times between the 2053 to Haverhill (arr 2315); 2345 to Norwich (0245), Cromer (0347) and Sheringham (0405). To make stock available for the additional services some long distance services including the
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morning 0745 Norwich to London (The Broadsman) were cancelled. Similar alterations were made to other services serving the Eastern Counties routes. Dining facilities were amended with the 1530 (The Broadsman) from London to Cromer and the 1745 ex-Norwich (The Norfolkman) services being examples of trains not conveying refreshment cars that day. The second promotion was for day excursions to a variety of destinations from the then 6 Southern Region terminals in London on Coronation Day itself. The leaflet was a single A4 sheet, printed on both sides, folded to A5 size with the wording “Quicker on the Journey, Longer by the Sea”. The most expensive tickets were to the Isle of Wight via Portsmouth and Ryde Pier with the highest fare being for a day excursion to Cowes costing £1.05 (a guinea or £1/1/= in 1953). Other public events took place such as the Coronation Pageant held at Luton Hoo, Luton, between 9th-13th June 1953. With seating for 14,000 visitors plus standing areas for more than 2,000 the venue was served by bus services from Luton railway station. Although not a railway promotion BR offered party bookings for parties of 8 or more coming from the same place, such as London St Pancras at the single fare plus 50%. The Coronation of King Charles III on Saturday 6 th May 2023 will not see such enhanced train services as seen provided for the 1953 Coronation. 15 ____________FEATURE
16 _____________WORKING TIMETABLE a selective look ahead at local railway events Printed by Pride Press Ltd. Tel: 01603 665045. Society & Transport Group Meetings Details will be emailed to current Society members a few days before the event. Starting time for all Society and Transport Group meetings will be 1930. All will be in-person at the URC. Thu 6th April - Norfolk Railway Society - “The Days of the Norwich Trams: Transforming Streets, Transforming Lives” - Presentation by Frances & Michael Holmes. Thu 20th April - Norfolk Railway Society - “The Rise, Wobble & Fall of the Commercial Light Railway” - Presentation by George Falkner. Thu 27th April - Norfolk Transport Group - “O. Winston Link - Part 2” - Presentation by Mike Fordham & “Active Service in the R.A.F.” - Presentation by Chris King, based on his late father’s logs. Please note there is no meeting on Thursday 4th May due to local elections. Thu 11th May – Norfolk Railway Society Joint meeting with the NDSME - “Superfreighters & Streamliners in Australia” - Presentation by Chris Eve. Thu 18th May – Norfolk Railway Society - Presentations by members of the Ipswich & District Historical Transport Society -“The V1 – the World’s First Cruise Missile” (Mervyn Russen) & “D-Day 75 – June 2019 Commemorative Events” (David & Sylvia Kerridge). Thu 25th May - Norfolk Transport Group - Members’ Evening - Digital images and video - no slides. Your contacts: NRS – Andrew Wright – [email protected] or Edward Mann (see p.2). Transport Group – Mike Fordham – [email protected] Meeting Venue: United Reformed Church Hall, Ipswich Road, Norwich, NR4 6QR. NRS Outdoor Visits Thursday 1st June - East Anglian Transport Museum at Carlton Colville. Meet in car park at midday. A tour of site has been arranged. No booking required. Pay your own entrance fee on they day. Saturday 17th June - Great Central Railway for the 50th Anniversary Weekend. This promises to be one of the premier railway weekends of 2023. We are providing transport only and have booked a coach for which payment is required in advance. Cost of coach £32.50. You will be responsible for purchasing a ticket for entrance to the railway either in advance (when released) or on the day. We will be leaving from Eaton Park, Norwich (Model Engineers Car Park) at 0730. Booking and payment required - details below. Wednesday 5th July - NDSME BBQ at Eaton Park starting at 1830.Park in NDSME car park. Cost per person £10.00. Strict closing date 29th June. Booking required - details below. Friday 7th July - Visit to Hardingham and Kimberley Park Stations on the MNR. Members only up to a maximum of 25. You must contact Malcolm Wright if you wish to attend. Tel 01508 492535 or email: [email protected] We start at 1800 at Hardingham Station, NR9 4EQ, and then go to Kimberley Park Station, NR18 9HB. If possible, please travel with other members due to lack of vehicle spaces. Please remember that these are private dwellings. Thursday 27th July - Invitation to visit Parklands Railway, Hemsby, NR29 4HE Starting at 1400. Come to watch and ride on the trains. Refreshments available. No booking required. Booking and Payment Details Payment options: 1) By cheque payable to “Norfolk Railway Society” and sent to Malcolm Wright, 17 St Annes Rd, Framingham Earl, Norwich, NR14 7TH 2) By bank transfer: Account Name: Norfolk Railway Society (business account), Bank: Lloyds Bank, Sort Code: 30-96-17, Account Number: 00497296. Please quote ref: Your surname and “GCR” for 17th June visit or “BBQ” for 6th July event. A Most Direct and Perfect Railway - Exhibition at Downham Market A new temporary exhibition at the Discover Downham Heritage Centre opens on 30th March and looks at the way the coming of the railway to Downham Market helped shape the town. The Centre, at The Old Fire Station, 30 Priory Road, Downham Market, PE38 9JS, is open Thursdays and Fridays 10.00 - 16.00 and Saturdays 10.00 - 13.00. If you are in the area this should be worth a visit. Website: www.discoverdownham.org.uk