swaffham railway walk

[23] The council subsequently put it up for rent or sale and discussed exchanging it with Swaffham Town Council in return for 5 acres (2.0ha) of building land. The new route running. Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes, "The Man Who Became Rich through a Dream: Folktales of Type 1645", "Is this the infamous Norfolk panther prowling near Saxlingham Nethergate? The nearest railway station is at Sheringham for the Bittern Line which runs between Sheringham, Cromer and Norwich. A Brief History of the Watton and Swaffham Railway - also known as the Bury and Thetford (Swaffham Branch) Railway Route map drawn by Alan Young. The last train to Thetford left at 7.16pm and arrived back at Swaffham at 10.01pm. The village lies 6.9 miles northwest of the nearby town of Fakenham. Swaffham became a junction station on 20 September 1875 when goods services commenced on the line from Watton and Thetford; passenger traffic started on that route a couple of months later on 25 November. The Pingo Trail Walk - Explore Norfolk UK [2] References [ edit] ^ a b Butt, R. V. J. Apr 2023 - Watton-Swaffham railway line could become 15km walking link There was no Sunday service. You occasionally have to keep an eye out for way markers, but Norfolk Trails have upgraded the posts, so you shouldn't have a problem. From here you continue along the path and over the common land until you reach a junction with fairly open land on your right hand side. The A1065 Mildenhall to Fakenham road still passes through the centre of the town on its northsouth route, intersecting with the A47 at a grade separated junction north of the town.[18]. The Pingo Trail Circular Walk Length: just under 8 miles Ease of Walk: easy and flat What you'll see: Pingos, long horned cattle, woodland and common land, wetland and swamps, Thompson Water, water violets Dogs : Dogs are allowed on this walk but they must be under control, especially on Thompson Common Postcode: NR17 1DP OS Map: No 229 (advisable) The turbines were originally associated with the EcoTech Centre, a visitor centre which was opened in 1999. . Early tickets had serial number and date on the face, right and left sides respectively: later ones had the serial number twice on the face and the date on the back. The town is well known for the legend of the so-called Swaffham Pedlar, a local man called John Chapman who had gone to London and met a stranger on London Bridge. These two busy routes provide Swaffham with a large volume of passing trade and travellers, especially at weekends and during the summer months. In 1926 the LNER rationalised the signalling with a tall signal box beside the level crossing; it had three tracks in front and one behind. The pub the Startled Duck in the TV series is better known as the Greyhound Inn, in which the Earl of Orford created the first coursing club open to the public, in 1776. [23] The height of the attraction's popularity was in 2016, when 22,000 people visited the centre and 8,000 climbed the turbine. The area was named "Loch Neaton" in honour of the Scottish navvies who built the line, with Neaton being the local hamlet. Many of our walk leaders research their routes in advance and bring along resources such as archive photographs, books and historical notes. Photographs from the 1950s show passenger work in the hands of D16 4-4-0s and goods trains hauled by various former Great Eastern 0-6-0 types. I had a lovely treat watching this fox run in front of me, and then had the pleasure of seeing it again as I neared the end of the walk. Climb to a junction and then turn left along White Cross Road. There was more activity on the main line, by that time part of the Great Eastern Railway and the branch to Thetford was, from 1879, worked by the same railway under a leasing agreement. Most send out two newsletters per year. Swaffham Walks - Open Paths and Trails The pace and physical demands on our walks is more Rob Bell than Bear Grylls. The Bury and Thetford (Swaffham Branch), also known as the Crab and Winkle Line,[1] was a railway line in England. A Swaffham circuit | AA RatedTrips.com Steam locomotives worked out of Swaffham engine shed, a sub-shed of Norwich Thorpe (shed code 32A in BR days). The market cross here was built by George Walpole, 3rd Earl of Orford and presented to the town in 1783. Tickets from Michael Stewart (except 1527) Brian Halford. Disused Stations:Swaffham Station Swaffham to Wells-next-the-Sea - 2 ways to travel via taxi, and car We have developed resources to help our walk leaders design and plan railway walks ranging from straightforward events over official railway paths to walks which require negotiation with landowners. Kent to Swaffham by train, walk and bus 157 Weekly . Near the road the large goods shed, extended to cover the route of the railway between station and level crossing, now houses a motor company. by dislodging some masonry or mortar from the arch below. Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk. The Leeds engines were 0-6-0 tanks with three-foot driving wheels. When she was completing her 47th and final race, Orford became so excited that he fell off his horse and died. Additional information Trackways on former railway line Open farmland Under control and on lead through town OS Explorer 238 Dereham & Aylsham ', 'Inspired by the BBC series, Railway Walks with Julia Bradbury, this section aims to document the surviving remnants of Britain's many disused railways (unfortunately without the assistance of Julia Bradbury). This article is about the town in Norfolk. This type of risk is remote, which is probably why the premiums for Civil Liability insurance are usually reasonable. Carry on along the track, passing more Pingos, and more open common land. The Pingo Trail walk is a really extraordinary and fascinating walk in Mid Norfolk, just north of Thetford in the heart of The Brecks. Throughout its life there was little change in the number and frequency of passenger trains on the branch. They are all around the Norfolk Coast. Parking is normally possible at various places in Turbine Way but near the junction with Brocks Road may be preferable. ', 'The UK's specialist club for exploring old railways: it organises walks throughout the country for varying ages and abilities, usually on disused railways but occasionally on an old canal or even Roman road. Record Card: NAU Staff. The Thetford branch saw a more moderate increase. Swaffham Belt Path | Map, Guide - Norfolk, England | AllTrails This had happened since Great Eastern Railway days, providing evidence of low numbers of passengers using the lines smaller stations. Swaffham railway station was located in Swaffham, Norfolk. Experience a V shaped wood, an ancient ice house, an extraordinary church interior and a beautiful lake. Just after Swaffham, the line split into two, one branch heading south to Thetford, and the other east towards Dereham. After exploring the church, continue to head north and cross the road at a busy junction with traffic lights, passing the George Hotel. [12], One of the ballast quarries created during the construction of the railway through Watton was converted into a leisure park and bathing lake known as Loch Neaton. Where the island platform is an ugly and untidy business park. Our area groups publish periodic local newsletters, usually by email, which set out what is happening in each area. Theres a well-equipped kitchen, enclosed Little Flint and Lyons Green are two secluded, traditional brick and flint English country cottages built in the early 18th century, both with inglenook fireplaces, beams and many original features. The Pingo Trail starts in the car park off the main A1075. ", "Environmental centre was 'too difficult' to convert into leisure facility, says council", "International firm to move global HQ to Norfolk town", "History of Greyhounds: 18th and 19th Centuries", Information from Genuki Norfolk on Swaffham, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Swaffham&oldid=1144919603, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Articles with MusicBrainz area identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 16 March 2023, at 08:46. Further round the coast you'll findGreat Yarmouth, one of the most popular resorts in the UK and packed full of amusements, shops and seashore entertainment. Fourteen walks around and about Swaffham. 'Inspired by the BBC series, Railway Walks with Julia Bradbury, this section aims to document the surviving remnants of Britain's many disused railways (unfortunately without the assistance of Julia Bradbury). Our walks are open to all members from any area of the club. RailwayRamblers - Exploring old railways The North Norfolk Coast is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and probably the finest of its kind in Europe. In the parish of Saham Toney some length of embankment remains in view and, close by, substantial brick-built abutments of an overbridge survive on Long Road at Woodbottom Farm. Here youll find a string of quaint villages and small towns Holkham, Wells-next-the-Sea and Cley next the Sea are 21st-century favourites, whileSheringham and Cromer are classic examples of a good old-fashioned seaside resort where grand Victorian hotels look out to sea. He asserted that he did not know whether the Watton and Swaffham company had ever issued its own style of ticket: all that he found bear the name of the working company. The road bends left and heads into the countryside, with the sails of a giant wind turbine turning up ahead. It was the junction for lines to King's Lynn, Dereham, and Thetford. . Once past this stretch of open meadow, youll have a very pretty walk in amongst woodland and alongside a stream and eventually arriving at more Pingoponds and then the wonderfully picturesque Thompson Water. Turn left and walk for 0.25 mile (400m) to a crossroads by Reepham town centre. If you're chattering away, you may miss this and continue on around the woods. Goods services to Swaffham began on 20 September 1875 but it was not until nearly two months later that the supervising authorities were satisfied that the new embankments at Neaton were safe for passenger traffic to commence: it did so on 15 November. The railways nine-mile route from the main line at Roudham Junction across an agricultural and partly wooded landscape was easy terrain, required no significant earthworks or gradients and the railway was opened through to Watton on 18 October 1869. For example, since the rail replacement bus service between Maiden Newton and Bridport (Dorset) was withdrawn in 2015, anyone tracing that route which is only partially open to walkers anyway will find no public transport at all between Maiden Newton and the outskirts of Bridport. Freight services commenced in January 1869, with passenger services in October 1869. The authors of the Watton and Swaffham town plans say however that the new link could generate some300,000 trips per year, increasing footfall into local businesses and boosting the area's economy. Continue up the hill and bear left, (leaving the Peddars Way which bears right). [27] In 2021 the building was sold to manufacturer Flexion Global for use as their headquarters. The clue is in the name! In this vast open landscape, it is easy to appreciate the power of the wind. 2007 - 2023 Norfolk Historic Environment Service, Priory of St Mary in the Meadow, Beeston Regis, Kings Lynn Urban Archaeological Database (2017-2022), Early Prehistoric Record Enhancement (2014), World War Two Fighter Pen & Shed Restoration, The Heritage Explorer Project (2005-2007), Great Yarmouth Archaeological Map (2004-2006), Route of Thetford, Watton and Swaffham Railway (later Great Eastern). Swaffham railway station - Wikipedia Get your free copy of the "Quick Guide To Norfolk Beaches". The first of these began operation in 1999[19] and the second in 2003. Click here for a brief history of the Lynn & Dereham Railway The railways were all closed as part of the Beeching Axe, though the possibility of rebuilding a direct rail link from Norwich to King's Lynn via Swaffham is occasionally raised. At Roudham the junction faced west towards Thetford. Peddars Way - Swaffham to Castle Acre I just remember thinking water, water everywhere! For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of Breckland.[3]. This page is not available in other languages. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. They were joined by a second-hand rebuilt 3ft 6in gauge locomotive whose. Passing through Thetford Forest between Stow Bedon and Hockham Heath the trackbed is a Permitted Public Path before once more being obliterated by agricultural activity towards the site of Roudham Junction. Some of these ponds were stagnant, others had pretty water Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. People who join our taster events must intend to join the club. On 7 July 1869, the company had obtained an additional Act that allowed its trains running powers on Great Eastern tracks from Roudham Junction to Thetford and to form a junction with the Bury St. Edmunds and Thetford Railway at Thetford. The name is still used today. Indeed, on weekdays, a traveller might reach Swaffham only as late as 9.44 pm, whilst on Sunday evening it was midnight exactly when the second train reached the town! . The 1932 LNER Working Timetable showed a steady flow of passenger and goods traffic at Swaffham. If you enjoy walking holidays, then you may like to walk the "Ice Age To Royalty" Norfolk Stately Homes walk. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's The equivalent down working called at 7.52pm. On the west side of Swaffham Market Place are several old buildings which for many years housed the historic Hamond's Grammar School, as a plaque on the wall of the main building explains. [28] Shortly after the sale, Swaffham Town Council gave BCD a parcel of land next to the centre on which BDC intends to build a leisure centre. If you want to see what's in store for you before you go, why not check out the video below! There were no bay platforms: the line to the rear of the down platform formed a loop used for goods traffic. See full article, An article on Somerset Live regarding traffic free routes See full article, HRE Group Press release: The latest around Great Musgrave See full article, Saughtree Station is a wonderful stone built property See full article, The British Film Institute has published a 2 minute video of the Selsey Tramway in operation. Timetables from Alan Young . A transport companys premises are on the site of the engine shed. Enjoy this 2.0-mile out-and-back trail near King's Lynn, Norfolk. The line closed on 15 June 1964. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 39 min to complete. I have done it quite a few more times and each time I love it more than the last time! Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. tokeep up to date with 4 different tips every month for enjoying what Norfolk has to offer. Using photos and text, the course of each lost railway line is described in detail, enhanced where possible by photos taken . However, it helps to ensure that our walk leaders do not overlook anything, and there is much to be said for that. The turntable line was reached from the signal box by way of west-facing points. Beside the cycleway the substantial black-brick wall that lay alongside the sidings is largely intact, still preventing the adjoining land slipping onto the railway. In the summer of 2006, location filming was done in the town for the ITV1 series Kingdom, starring Stephen Fry. There were only 70 passengers on the final stage of the journey. Keep straight ahead on an old Roman road, now a shady path, passing a Norfolk Songlines Sculpture on your left, to reach a crossroads. The road was not, however, constructed. Part of the extraction site was flooded and became known locally as Loch Neaton, allegedly after the Scots navvies who built the railway. Rose (NAU), 22 September 1986. The stationmasters house was an unassuming, two-storey structure of pale cream brick under a hipped roof with a tall central chimneystack. There's electric heating throughout and an open fire with coal and logs provided. As I came out of the first wood and faced a very open Pingo, I wondered which way I should go until I saw a sign to my right. This route ran from the Roudham Junction of the Norfolk Line (NHER 13571), and had stations at Wretham and Hockham, Stow Bedon, Watton, and Holme Hale, as well as sidings at Stow Bedon, Watton and. [11], The Swaffham Museum is a small, independent social history museum for Swaffham and the surrounding villages in Norfolk from the Stone Age to the modern. (October 1995). The path crosses the dismantled railway and, after about a mile (1.6km) of peaceful traffic-free walking, comes out on the North Pickenham Road. All of the other services called at all stations if required to do so. The North Norfolk Railway (NNR) - also known as the "Poppy Line" - is a heritage steam railway in Norfolk, England, running between the coastal towns of Sheringham and Holt. Opened in 1875, the Watton and Swaffham Railway was also known as the Crab and Winkle line - and it connected the towns with Thetford in one direction and King's Lynn in the other. Eight up trains left for Lynn, including that off the Thetford branch. Common. About 8km to the north of Swaffham can be found the ruins of the formerly important Castle Acre Priory and Castle Acre Castle. The centre provided a venue for school trips and event hire, and had educational displays focussing on sustainability in food, energy and transport. [33] Peter Kingdom's office is Oakleigh House, near the town square (formerly the house of the Head Master of Hamond's Grammar School), with the coastal scenes filmed at Wells-next-the-Sea on the north Norfolk coast. Swaffham (/swfm/) is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District and English county of Norfolk. He took up office around the turn of the 20th Century and stayed in post until after Grouping in 1923. It would construct a line to reach a west-facing junction with the former Lynn & Dereham Railway, now part of the Great Eastern, close to Swaffham. 1974-1988. I had the joy of watching a kite scanning the area and seeing the sun glistening on the water. Pointwork at each end allowed trains to use any of the three lines whether from Kings Lynn to the west or either the Dereham or Watton lines in the other direction. It was vested into the GER in 1897, becoming part of the London and North Eastern Railway on 1 January 1923. The timetable for 1866, nine years before the line through Watton opened, shows that Swaffham saw four up and four down trains each weekday and one each way on Sundays. Then with a S-Train to Dsseldorf main Station. Five Down trains ran throughout, supplemented by an 8.03 am Watton departure to Swaffham (the first up train made a long stop at Watton so may have detached a unit there to form the extra train). The latter are often the most interesting walks, but they take a lot of time, effort and skill to arrange. He had a fine hound called Czarina, who regularly chased hares across the heaths surrounding Swaffham. early on as you walk through the woods and the first stretch of Thompson The delightful village of Castle Acre boasts an extraordinary wealth of history and is a very rare and complete survival of a Norman planned settlement. Rose (NLA), 29 January 2005. A former Norfolk railway line could become a new walking and cycling route between two of the county's towns, according to newly-published documents. Parking is normally possible at various places in Turbine Way but near the junction with Brocks Road may be preferable. Some integration had happened and one train ran through from Lynn to Thetford, going forward to Bury, except on Mondays. It was formed of the Watton and Swaffham Railway, founded in 1866 as an independent venture by the Thetford and Watton Railway Company. Swaffham Station signal box was at the east end of the Up platform, alongside the footbridge, controlling the station area with the crossing gates being hand-worked. . On Mondays and Fridays Swaffham sent out a light engine to Dereham at 6.00am. Drive. Swaffham railway station when part of the Eastern Region of British Rail Until 1968 the town was served by Swaffham railway station on the Great Eastern Railway line from King's Lynn. [22] It was also built with an observation deck just below the nacelle which was open for the public to climb during the 2000s and 2010s, the only wind turbine in the world to have such a facility. The up platform was linked to the down side platform by a footbridge at the east end of the station. A short distance beyond the engine servicing area a second signal box was later provided on the south side to control the junction of the Lynn & Dereham Railway and the Watton & Swaffhams line. Browse the best walks around Swaffham and see interactive maps of the top 8 hiking trails and routes. The railway also secured a rebuilt 3 ft 6 in saddle tank. The latter are often the most interesting walks, but they take a lot of time, effort and skill to arrange. A little further north a brick overbridge is intact crossing Hale Road. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. It was given to the town by Lord Orford in 1783. A sign erected by Breckland Council marks the entrance to the former station yard at the back of which the station building and adjoining house are intact but much altered since closure of the line. P.S. Rose (NLA), 18 February 2002.Holme Hale station is preserved intact, including a signal to the east. The club are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at Shoemakers Lane. Just after Swaffham, the line split into two, one branch heading south to Thetford, and the other east towards Dereham. By 1882 the station was a much busier place. Streetmap, A circular walk from Turbine Way, Swaffham; heading west from Swaffham along Shouldham Lane, turning south then east from Town Farm along Shoemakers Lane towards the southern end of Swaffham, joining Dulgate Lane to head north on tracks and paths until the route of an old railway line is reached, turning west on this route and continuing on paths and roads back to the start. The engines were housed in a shed at Watton. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Sometimes, our own walk leaders were there to take some archive photographs. Route-of-Thetford-Watton-and-Swaffham-Railway-(later-Great - Norfolk There was also a theatre, which entertained such august personages as Horatio, Lord Nelson and his family (and his mistress, too, according to the records). Several distinct ticket types were issued: all were standard Edmondson size. Swaffham Belt Path. Apr 2023 - Watton-Swaffham railway line could become 15km walking link A former Norfolk railway line could become a new walking and cycling route between two of the county's towns, according to newly-published documents. Additionally, at 8.30 am, a non-stop train left Thetford and terminated at Watton. 2. There are still rumours of a puma-like black cat wandering around Norfolk[15] and Cambridgeshire.[16]. Powered by HBSMR-web and the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd, and mojoPortal CMS West of the station an earth bund prevents access and sight along the trackbed. violets. The view from the hide overlooking Thompson Water. For Swaffham Bulbeck in Cambridgeshire, see. The line was important for coal, poultry, sugar beet and RAF cargo, and joined the Lynn and Dereham Line (NHER 13600) at Swaffham. Once through Cranberry Rough, you then follow the straight disused Thetford to Swaffham railway track for a while, along open farmland, and this path eventually takes you all the way back to the car park. See full article, Click below for an interesting article on New Civil Engineer website titled "Abandoned rail links can boost transport connectivity" See full article, Our Southern Area Coordinators, Keith Lawrie and Kevin Arnold are giving a talk about RR at the Slough & Windsor Railway Society on Friday evening 10th March. [5] On the top is the statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of the harvest. Rose (NAU), 18 May 1983.Roudham Junction to Stow Bedon - trackbed removed but greybrick overbridges remain.Underbridges mostly removed.Overgrown despite section Cranberry Roughs - Stow Bedon being marked as road on Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 map. Norfolk prides itself on its wealth of historic houses, the most famous beingSandringham, where Her Majesty the Queen and her family spend Christmas. Last walked on 23 July 2016, A circular walk from Turbine Way, Swaffham; heading west from Swaffham along Shouldham Lane, turning south then east from Town Farm along Shoemakers Lane to reach the centre of Swaffham, heading east by the churchyard and then to the southern end of Swaffham by streets, joining Dulgate Lane to head north on tracks and paths until the route of an old railway line is reached, turning west on this route and continuing on paths and roads back to the start. [12], Swaffham was struck by a tornado measuring F1 on the Fujita scale and T2 on the TORRO scale on 23 November 1981 during the 1981 United Kingdom tornado outbreak. As you drive along the main road, about 3 miles south of Watton youll see a largish lay-by. Its construction was delayed and complicated due to difficult land at Neaton, just north of Watton. However, for some distance north of Watton, the line can be seen as a wooded interruption to extensive fields of arable crops. On Wednesday only market-goers bound for Watton were catered for by a 1.20 pm departure from Swaffham: it set out on its twenty-minute return journey at 3.15 pm. With what may seem like undue haste Ernest Marples, Minister of Transport, received a report on 9 January 1965 and gave his consent to closure on 27 February. There was a smaller building, little more than a shelter, on this platform facing the south platform; the pent roof of this structure sloped upwards towards the platform face and its angle was continued by the timber awning. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 39 min to complete. This club organises walks over disused railway lines, and non-members can sample up to two of these before joining. A former Norfolk railway line could become a new walking and cycling route between two of the county's towns, according to newly-published documents. Re-connecting Watton and Swaffham: re-purposing the Watton and Swaffham Railway line as a walking and cycling route will better connect the two towns for residents travelling for education, employment and leisure purposes while also creating a new attraction to encourage people to visit and spend money in local businesses. In addition there was an 8.00 am Watton to Swaffham service. The shopkeeper laughed, and replied that he often dreamed that if he went to a certain orchard in Swaffham and started digging, he would find buried treasure.

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