We used to take a coal train from Whitemoor to Norwich Victoria, and have to reverse the train into the coalyard there, guards brakevan leading , usually with a Tinsley based Class 37, the coal came from collieries at Ollerton, Thoresby or Mansfield, I revisited the station site in 1977 and in 2018
I enjoy this Lost Stations series. Excellent job and superbly narrated. As you say, Trowse station is too close the current Norwich Thorpe yet I hope that one day, someday, it could be spruced up and house a museum depicting the stations and lines around Norwich.
Isn't there a proposal for thousands of homes next to it? Given a walk to the nearest station is 25 minutes and a bus about 15 mins that would suggest scope for reopening. Plenty of cities haver stations closer together than that. EDIT: Yep just googled it and more than 3k homes planned and 4k jobs. That seems enough for a serious look at reopening.
I travelled from the City station to Melton Constable, then on to East Rudham in either 1944 or 45. Hard to recall details, but I do remember the second train pulling in at MC, then the horse and trap that collected us at ER. Thanks for the memory.
Another excellent film, I lived in Norwich for 20 years. The atmosphere in your films always seems a more contented, slower paced period with not a hint of the mess the country has become with mass immigration, net zero and endless "equality and diversity"!
We still have some of these foot bridges here in São Paulo, Brazil. They were brought here in the XIX century when the British built the São Paulo Railway Company.
I do like your stories on the lost railways. This video was again a fine example of them. Very sad to see how we treat our industrial heritage. Kind regards 🚂
Another great video, thank you. I found the story of Trowse particularly fascinating, with it's "on-again/off-again" history. Such a pity that such a fine building can be left to slowly disintegrate.
Great video. As a Norwich resident, I remember the reopening of Trowse station in 1986. As part of the electrification they also completely replaced the river bridge on a slightly different alignment. Controversially, the original slew bridge was double-tracked while its swing-bridge replacement was single track. There were plans around 8 years ago for replacing the single-track bridge (which keeps breaking down) with a double-track version "by 2024" - I think that date might have been a bit optimistic!
Another brilliant video. Full of fun facts, historical data, old and new photographs, all of which come to gether to make a superb presentation. Should any or some of these stations have been saved? Absolutley, bearing in mind the need for moving people around without blocking up Norwich's roads.
I always await your latest video which are always brilliant thank you. It always amazes me how many beautiful station buildings were either demolished or simply left to decay after the lines closed rather than becoming homes. You see examples of this all over the country and its hard to understand. I think the answer is that in the days of closure the railways were seen as old and outdated and people wanted to live in the new estate type houses with mod cons, not what they saw as dirty old railway buildings, familiarity breeds contempt?. What fine homes many have made, if only people had the foresight.
Wonderful, thank you. The re-development of Norwich on land given up by the railways is pretty depressing. A fine historic city with brutalist buildings all over (and dull, partly empty shopping centres).
Correct. Whoever was responsible for knocking down the fine Bank building on Magdelan St, and replacing it with the montrous Anglia Square, Odeon, and Sovereign House, should be put on trial.
Fascinating survey of what once was a hub of railway activity. I enjoyed the way you contrasted 'now' and 'then' with the use of archive footage and an elegant , informative narrative.
very interesting video 👍so sad so many stations around Norwich closed 😥this what happens when there's not much passenger service i dread to think how many stations have closed in England Scotland Wales and Ireland
The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway (terminus Norwich City) was an entire network which would keep this channel in business all by itself for two years. In peak Victoriana it had made out of the obscure medieval hamlet of Melton Constable an industrial metropolis of workshops and carriage sidings, now all gone, and Melton Constable has resumed its medieval slumber. Sic transit gloria mundi.
I have strongly considered making a video devoted to covering the whole of the M&GN... it is tempting to be sure...massive undertaking also...but I have heard about Melton Constable - like a Crewe of Norfolk - what an extraordinary story!
@@RediscoveringLostRailways It was indeed, I believe they even built engines there. Now it hasn't even got a railway station, thus my flight into Latin. I can only warmly encourage at least parts of the truly "massive undertaking", maybe the line from Melton Constable (erstwhile centre of the universe) to Melton Mowbray, the next big station a mere 5 km after Saxby on the M&GN, my place of birth, and producer of the world's most succulent pork pies. Now if that's not worth a few bramble entanglings ...
My partner comes from Cromer and like me is a history/train fanatic. This video is something we have been waiting for. It’s truly fabulous. Very enjoyable
And the proposed residential development of the Deal Grounds where Colman used to store timer and fabricate its product despatch boxes.In County Council employees are entitled to car parking at County Hall and this employment right will not be easily bought out. Since County Hall was first occupied 2 car park extensions have been made in spite of the County Police HQ moving to Wymondham.
Hang on babe, another Rediscovering Lost Railways video just dropped. Jokes aside, great video. I've heard that Norfolk is maybe the most barren area of the UK for remaining railways. Either way, it's interesting to see these few lost stations of Norwich, especially since it had 3 termini! I also wonder if Trowse's 1980s opening is the shortest use of a station in the UK, i.e. has any other station been open for fewer days so randomly? Can't wait for the next video!
My brother's and I used to stand on the whitlingham bridge and wait for the old steam trains to come through underneath. I can still smell them. Our great uncle was a train driver. His black leather hat, thick wooden black trousers, striped collarless shirt and red and white handkerchief round his neck. we'd wave to him if he was on route. It's a shame Trowse station building couldn't be reconditioned/refurbished back to a beautiful period house.
Another great film RLR. The thing I love about this channel is seeing stations I wouldn't normally be inclined to find out about, you make me care RLR.
Thanks for the great video, I've been a resident of Norwich since 87/88 - 2010 and 2022 - present day and in the last year I've learned so much about Norwich's railways! I only thought Norwich had 2 stations until I discovered Victoria, which is on the direction of the former Brazen Gate, and walking down the Lakenham Way you can see all the rail bridges in close detail from that period. Also, the station close to Whitlingham was the scene of the Thorpe Railway Disaster, which has a commemorative plaque near the sight down Girlings Lane. Also, on Marriotts Way, a short walk after the station is a bridge that saw a disaster as well! Plenty of interesting facts and a lot of other hidden stations as you continue down the Way.
Great content as always! Really nice seeing someone cover the history of my former local stations. Also kind of ironic in a way that 3 of the stations featured, when they were built, weren't considered part of Norwich. But thanks to the modern sprawl of the city they are! As a local resident, to me it would make perfect sense if Marriots Way was at least converted into a light rail system. Traffic around that part of the city is always a nightmare...
That station really needs restoring, If nothing else, it would surely make a fab house. Another interesting and informative video. I knew nothing about this area at all, Thank you!
hooray , hooray , been waiting for this . in the interim , took my buddy on his first railway walk up to haigh junction , after fighting our way through the set of apocalypse now , he found a full ridge tile from the box and pulled a lnwr track chair from a tree , even stamped 1915 , anyway as ever , thanks for doing this for all of us , god bless from tracys husband , still in wigan . still very much part of lancashire
I don't know if I mentioned this before but there's an abandoned station not far from me which is still in pretty good condition for it's age and it can still be seen from the line once served it ( now a shared cycle route ) and you can still see a station building from the main road and if you look extra carefully you can just about see and work out the opposite platform with some ballast from all them years ago ( definitely worth walking or cycling if anyone gets a chance )
@@RediscoveringLostRailways It would be something pretty cool for the channel and plus the old waiting room is now a cafe which was restored back in 2010 and you can tell if it's a waiting room as it says "Waiting room on the door"
Very informative. I did not know of these lost stations other than that the Railway from Melton Constable terminated here. Trowse station is a fine example of Norfolk flint and brick construction and is worthy of preserving, if anyone can find the money. At least it still stands unlike what looks to have been a wonderful station building at Norwich Victoria. Its demolition and replacement by a Legoland office block is sad to see.
It's not an area with which I am familiar, but still I found this very interesting to watch, thank you. I thought it was very well scripted, produced and presented, and very professional.
Great review! Whilst the former M&GN line from Norwich City was much underused in its day, it's closure and that of the line from Wymondham to East Dereham to Kings Lynn left a very large public transport gap in Norfolk that persists to present times.
I think Trowse was still used after its official closure for "football specials". This is because it is located nearer Norwich City's Carrow Road ground, and it kept football fans away from Thorpe.
Another great video! Enjoyed this one as I have a big soft spot for Norwich. My wife grew up in Hellesdon and had no idea it used to have a station. Must travel over there for an explore.
Interesting and well-presented. My late mother was from Lowestoft, and when we went there for family holidays I often used to hang around both Lowestoft Central (with its fine roof) and Lowestoft North (now vanished under a housing estate - although the station master's house remains). Happy memories.
Oh and there were plans to extend the line from Norwich City further into the heart of the city, believe it would've terminated partway way between the castle and Thorpe station. If built, the line would've cut through the grounds of Norwich Cathedral which prompted much opposition to the plans and in the end parliament ruled against it.
This a very enjoyable and fascinating video, thank you. I do like to see the old photos of the stations in their heyday, but it feels so sad to see how these lovely buildings have been replaced by ugly monstrosities. What a poor decision it was to get rid of so many lines seeing as the powers that be now want us to use public transport rather than drive.
As always very informative and interesting video. It is difficult to imagine any of these lines opening up now as the dependency on cars is so common It begs the question though if these lines had not closed, would car use be so dominant in our transport requirements?
I was born in Overstrand Norfolk which had its own station of the Norfolk and Suffolk Joint Railway until its closure in 1953, The line went from North Walsham to Cromer. Please do a video on this line as much of the route of the line and bridges remain although no tracks are left and much is overgrown. Thank you.
Interesting that Victoria was closed so early. It doesn't make sense that the trains from London terminate at a separate station from the regional trains so that you can't transfer easily. Trowse could actually function as a pass-through station so that trains could run straight through Norwich from east to west without reversing and terminating trains from London could call so that passengers can transfer.
Very informative and well produced as always. I didn't know too much about the railways of Norwich, so interesting to see what is there and what is not.
Many thanks! Beyond its lost stations I must confess I know next to nothing about Norwich, but having visited a few times, I can say it is a pleasant place!
Another great video :) and a great reason to go exploring these spots. I drive past the Norwich Vic site almost every day and never knew it once was a station !
I city once known for having a church for every sunday of the year, and a pub for every day. No-longer true, but it's packed with fine old buildings in odd spots. I love Norwich, and grew up near there. But it was a deathly dull place to live as a youngster. Maybe it's improved now.
Norwich railway station is my favourite. But yes the city centre is lovely. Also with the Class 379 Electrostars which are parked up and unused. I do think that they are likely to be cascaded to Great Northern.
Very well done. As the last station building is listed it would be possible for the local authority to serve a repair order of some form upon the owners (if not them).
Reminded me of Lost Rail Services. i.e. There use to be "Asparagus Specials" to London from East Anglia/Norwich and from the Evesham area of the Cotswolds. I know the Cotswolds still grows Asparagus, does E Anglia? Fish Trains down to London from East Anglia and even North East Scotland. The Summer Seaside Specials. The Slip Coaches on the Trains down to Cornwall. The Car Train from Paddington to Europe. Now an NCP or other Car Park.
Perfect time to reinstate the Norwich Victoria station as the 1970ish Marsh office block has just been demolished. It's not decided what's going on the site yet. To be fair they'd have to restore a couple of miles of rail lines as well along what is now an ex rail pathway to rejoin the line outside the city. So can't see that happening.
Interesting view of the new short sidings in the fork between the line to Thetford and Ipswich and the line to Yarmouth etc. The sidings were completed perhaps 2 years ago and remained empty until a few weeks ago. Current stock in occupation look like the new outer suburban trains awaiting introduction for the Essex and Suffolk services out of L'pool Str. These trains have been fragmented because of the short siding capacity. The sidings compound is well built and secured by split top palisade fencing and generous flood lighting.
The frames of Nowrich city shed were recovered by the NNR and erected at Weyborne. Some of the guttering acted at the water trough for the end sequence in the Dads Army episode "The Royal train".
Looking at all the graffiti scrawled over these disused buildings makes one realise how society has imploded since the 1950's. A great window into the past. Many thanks.
Really good video thank you. Regarding the line from Norwich City Station to Melton Constable, I have an old timetable from Summer 1958 and on Mondays to Fridays there were nine trains in each direction and a journey time of 40 minutes for the 21.25 mile route.
Thanks, a fine film. The Whitlingham footbridge remains and is maintained because there's a public right of way going over it. As such, it will probably exist forever in some form.
A very interesting video, thank you for producing it. I volunteer on the Whitwell & Reepham Railway, not too far down the line from Norwich City, essentaily the mid-way point on the Line between Norwich & Melton.
In my opinion. None of these stations should have never been closed. We have a dire need in Britain now have a decent railway system and I think a decent railway line between Norwich and King's Lynn would be a great idea and also opening up the branch line for Dereham to Fakenham would also be a great idea. Since all these lines were initially closed the population and housing a swelled inexorably. The populations of Dereham. Fakenham and Norwich have almost doubled. Along with the planned thousands of houses on both the Eastern fringes and western fringes of Norwich. Also for thousands of home plan for Dereham Fakenham and Attleborough. More Station should be planned and the railway operator could make these upgrades pay. I think we should Electrify older branch lines out of Norwich. From Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. Norwich to Cromer and Sheringham and also Norwich to Cambridge. With new high speed trains travelling over 100 miles an hour. This would open up the Norfolk region totally two business and passengers alike. I think we should open up original Marriotts way line as well. As I think it's very needed. With stations at Hellesdon. Drayton. Taverham. Lenwade and so on write the way to Kings Lynn. I think it's shocking that there's no direct railway connection between Norwich and Kings Lynn. This in my opinion is a must for the region. Thank you for uploading this video. Could you please do a video on the Long Melford to Bury St Edmunds branch line and also the Bury St Edmunds to Thetford railway line? Pure.
I can remember - when I was *very* small - taking the train from Hemsby to Beach Station. It ran in part along the sand dunes approaching Yarmouth. I loved it. Of course, I used Southtown Station as well.
Thanks for sharing 🙂 I have a suggestion for a future video: the Salt Line from Alsager via Malkins Bank and Wheelock to Sandbach. Seems to have evaded in-depth coverage. Closed ‘71, lifted ‘74. Elton Crossings signalbox was transplanted to the North Staffs Railway but the crossing-keeper’s cottage is still in situ, albeit recently modified. The NSR goods shed in Elworth is still in situ, now a car body repair shop. No evidence remains of the former connection to the former Fodens Limited site in Elworth but the trackbed of the link between the Salt Line and Sandbach Station is still visible, trailing to the left when heading to Crewe. There’s even some controversy; a cutting at Malkins Bank was subsequently used as a landfill and by all accounts, some pretty nasty stuff was illegally dumped there before it was landscaped and of all things, became part of a golf course. My interest in this line? The former trackbed (now Salt Line Way) runs past the end of my garden, about 50 metres from Elton Crossings 🙂
Victoria Station the round booking office was once a circus. I manged a ride from the Crown Point area in the cab of an 03 up to Victoria - one way only! This was the end of a late night trip in the brake van of the Lowestoft to Whitemoor freight. We returned on the coal train. Now as for Whitlingham Jc station. I was told that it was making a profit and the accountants nevertheless wanted to shut it. Racking their destructive brains they calculated the cost of each train starting and stopping. To their - no doubt - positive delight it now made a loss. The rest his history and like the M&GN out of Norwich needed now to ease car pollution.
My mum used to play in the old Hellesdon station as a child in the 70s. The building was eventually torn down when it became a favoured haunt for drug dealers. Allegedly. I don't know if there's any truth to that, or if it was just hearsay. My mum is adamant though that some fright trains continued to run along some of the line up until the 80s. My Dad is of the same opinion, even though he grew up near Attleborough. With both sides of my family working on the railways (my grandad & uncle were both signalers - my mum's Dad & brother. My grandmother - my Dad's mother - was a level crossing controller) I know they're not both mistaken, but I can't help wonder if they're mistaken on the location. I wonder if its actually the old line & sidings at the remains of the old City Station. My Dad seems to think the trains were transporting concrete or building materials of a similar nature. Both grandparents are no longer here to ask.
The Themelthorpe curve linked the former Great Eastern Branch from Wroxham (part of which is now the Bure Valley narrow gauge railway) to a short length of the MGN heading back towards Norwich, but only as far as Lenwade (north of Drayton).
(I'm subscribed to this channel, but I have hardly found the opportunity to watch videos. And I'm Dutch, in the Netherlands.) Me too, I feel that nostalgia. It probably started when I walked the track bed of the former Coniston branch line (in the Lake District) in 1971. But I also recognise different sides. There is the side of the "buildings and tracks" and the side of transport possibilities. The buildings (if not too big) could have been preserved, perhaps disassembled then re-assembled on a heritage line, and the tracks could have been handed to heritage lines. The buildings may also show a change in use through the years: from few people having to wait long to many people having to wait a few minutes (apart from the spiralling down that seems to have occurred both in Britain and in Germany, at least). And for goods maybe the change from parcels to pallets or even entire sea containers as the units moved. But I'm more concerned about the transport possibilities (for people and for goods). The closure of lines (notably for passengers) seems to have gained momentum in the 50s, even before Dr. Beeching got involved. (Here in the Netherlands, the process had started around 1936.) But then, should everything have continued as it was: a few slow trains per day for dwindling passenger numbers, a freight network of countless tiny wagons for companies with ever more, ever bigger, ever faster trucks, with at Beeching's time leaving a loss of (quoting from memory) a million "uninflated" pounds each day? There may come a time (or it may already have come) when it does make sense to re-create transport services along roughly former lines. Like using comfortable and frequent light-rail stock. (I don't even have a driving license.) It may (or may not) be great to transport sea containers to and from the East Coast ports, rather than have lorries (with drivers, despite a shortage!) stuck in Kent waiting to cross from Dover. And in moving these containers, rekindling some railroads could be instrumental. (I don't have specific suggestions in mind, though.) In short: "the times they are a-changing". Scenes may have been idyllic, and it's nice to have them remembered in videos like this, but it may be time to move on. (Pun accepted.)
Whilst Victoria was the best sited of the terminals it had the simply unfortunate circumstance of not serving the branchlines. Since Trowse is on the mainline, and so close to the main station, re-opening seems very unlikely, especially considering the Cambridge branch trains are the only ones that would probably stop there.
It's so sad that so many railway buildings of architectural merit have been destroyed to make way for purely utilitarian structures that do nothing to improve the environment, and which, in some cases, just look grim.
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We used to take a coal train from Whitemoor to Norwich Victoria, and have to reverse the train into the coalyard there, guards brakevan leading , usually with a Tinsley based Class 37, the coal came from collieries at Ollerton, Thoresby or Mansfield, I revisited the station site in 1977 and in 2018
I enjoy this Lost Stations series. Excellent job and superbly narrated. As you say, Trowse station is too close the current Norwich Thorpe yet I hope that one day, someday, it could be spruced up and house a museum depicting the stations and lines around Norwich.
Couldn't agree more - what a fine use of that delightful old building it would be!
Isn't there a proposal for thousands of homes next to it? Given a walk to the nearest station is 25 minutes and a bus about 15 mins that would suggest scope for reopening. Plenty of cities haver stations closer together than that. EDIT: Yep just googled it and more than 3k homes planned and 4k jobs. That seems enough for a serious look at reopening.
Wow, the sound of slides switching took me back.
It's a lovely noise isn't it!
I travelled from the City station to Melton Constable, then on to East Rudham in either 1944 or 45. Hard to recall details, but I do remember the second train pulling in at MC, then the horse and trap that collected us at ER. Thanks for the memory.
Thank you for your memories - fascinating - they speak of another world!
Another excellent film, I lived in Norwich for 20 years. The atmosphere in your films always seems a more contented, slower paced period with not a hint of the mess the country has become with mass immigration, net zero and endless "equality and diversity"!
@johnallen7807 really glad you enjoyed the film. When it comes to the modern world, I'm happy to bury my head the sand...
We still have some of these foot bridges here in São Paulo, Brazil. They were brought here in the XIX century when the British built the São Paulo Railway Company.
Wonderful to learn they are still standing!
What a tragedy Trowse is! Another well-narrated film - currently "binge viewing" them all and daydreaming... Thank you!
Yes agreed! Hope the binge has left you wanting more!
I do like your stories on the lost railways. This video was again a fine example of them. Very sad to see how we treat our industrial heritage.
Kind regards 🚂
Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for your very kind remarks about my films!
Another great video, thank you. I found the story of Trowse particularly fascinating, with it's "on-again/off-again" history. Such a pity that such a fine building can be left to slowly disintegrate.
Yes agreed. Thanks for your comment.
Hi Very enjoyable, I left my heart in Norwich years ago(over 65years ) should not have been shut at All, All the best Brian 😃
Very kind of you to say so - and I'm glad it stirred some good memories!
Great video. As a Norwich resident, I remember the reopening of Trowse station in 1986. As part of the electrification they also completely replaced the river bridge on a slightly different alignment. Controversially, the original slew bridge was double-tracked while its swing-bridge replacement was single track. There were plans around 8 years ago for replacing the single-track bridge (which keeps breaking down) with a double-track version "by 2024" - I think that date might have been a bit optimistic!
Many thanks for the info - yes I read that this single track presents a bottleneck - bizarre that the line was not doubled there!
Another brilliant video. Full of fun facts, historical data, old and new photographs, all of which come to gether to make a superb presentation.
Should any or some of these stations have been saved? Absolutley, bearing in mind the need for moving people around without blocking up Norwich's roads.
Many thanks for you comment and thoughts - very much appreciated!
I always await your latest video which are always brilliant thank you.
It always amazes me how many beautiful station buildings were either demolished or simply left to decay after the lines closed rather than becoming homes. You see examples of this all over the country and its hard to understand.
I think the answer is that in the days of closure the railways were seen as old and outdated and people wanted to live in the new estate type houses with mod cons, not what they saw as dirty old railway buildings, familiarity breeds contempt?. What fine homes many have made, if only people had the foresight.
Many thanks for you kind remarks, thoughts and comments - I'd love to live in a fine old station house!
Wonderful, thank you. The re-development of Norwich on land given up by the railways is pretty depressing. A fine historic city with brutalist buildings all over (and dull, partly empty shopping centres).
Most kind. Yes, so many places seem to have suffered from such grim brutalism!
Shopping centres are the same countrywide nowadays.
Correct. Whoever was responsible for knocking down the fine Bank building on Magdelan St, and replacing it with the montrous Anglia Square, Odeon, and Sovereign House, should be put on trial.
I always enjoy the education your films provide. Thank you.
So pleased you enjoy them - thank you!
Fascinating survey of what once was a hub of railway activity. I enjoyed the way you contrasted 'now' and 'then' with the use of archive footage and an elegant , informative narrative.
Thank you for your very kind remarks about my film and narration - much appreciated!
very interesting video 👍so sad so many stations around Norwich closed 😥this what happens when there's not much passenger service i dread to think how many stations have closed in England Scotland Wales and Ireland
Thank you very much indeed - and agreed!
Another superb film. Expertly narrated and produced.
Very kind of you to say so, thank you!
The last station should definitely be restored to it's former glory. Shameful display!
It is a shame to see it decay in this way
A nice video into the past. Thank you for the great video and chat. Cheers!
Many thanks for you comment - very much appreciated!
The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway (terminus Norwich City) was an entire network which would keep this channel in business all by itself for two years. In peak Victoriana it had made out of the obscure medieval hamlet of Melton Constable an industrial metropolis of workshops and carriage sidings, now all gone, and Melton Constable has resumed its medieval slumber. Sic transit gloria mundi.
I have strongly considered making a video devoted to covering the whole of the M&GN... it is tempting to be sure...massive undertaking also...but I have heard about Melton Constable - like a Crewe of Norfolk - what an extraordinary story!
@@RediscoveringLostRailways It was indeed, I believe they even built engines there. Now it hasn't even got a railway station, thus my flight into Latin. I can only warmly encourage at least parts of the truly "massive undertaking", maybe the line from Melton Constable (erstwhile centre of the universe) to Melton Mowbray, the next big station a mere 5 km after Saxby on the M&GN, my place of birth, and producer of the world's most succulent pork pies. Now if that's not worth a few bramble entanglings ...
My partner comes from Cromer and like me is a history/train fanatic. This video is something we have been waiting for. It’s truly fabulous. Very enjoyable
I'm glad it didn't disappoint and did justice to your partner's neck of the woods!
Always a pleasure to watch, excellent again! 👏🙂
Very kind of you to say so, thank you!
Trowse would serve County Hall, home of Norfolk County Council, very nicely.
Yes, very convenient!
And the proposed residential development of the Deal Grounds where Colman used to store timer and fabricate its product despatch boxes.In County Council employees are entitled to car parking at County Hall and this employment right will not be easily bought out. Since County Hall was first occupied 2 car park extensions have been made in spite of the County Police HQ moving to Wymondham.
Hang on babe, another Rediscovering Lost Railways video just dropped.
Jokes aside, great video. I've heard that Norfolk is maybe the most barren area of the UK for remaining railways. Either way, it's interesting to see these few lost stations of Norwich, especially since it had 3 termini! I also wonder if Trowse's 1980s opening is the shortest use of a station in the UK, i.e. has any other station been open for fewer days so randomly?
Can't wait for the next video!
Hahaha! Really glad you enjoyed this one - and yes, that's a fascinating thought RE: Trowse's brief reopening!
My brother's and I used to stand on the whitlingham bridge and wait for the old steam trains to come through underneath. I can still smell them. Our great uncle was a train driver. His black leather hat, thick wooden black trousers, striped collarless shirt and red and white handkerchief round his neck. we'd wave to him if he was on route. It's a shame Trowse station building couldn't be reconditioned/refurbished back to a beautiful period house.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful memories
Excellent once again please keep them coming.
Thanks, will do!
Fascinating thanks. I enjoyed cycling the Marriotts Way a few years ago now.
My pleasure! And it's a fine ride!
Superb as always my good man
Always glad to get the approval of my long-term subscribers!
You have done a sterling job as usual 👏🏻
Many thanks for all your hard work.
All the best 😊🍻👍🏻
Very kind of you to say so!
Another great film RLR.
The thing I love about this channel is seeing stations I wouldn't normally be inclined to find out about, you make me care RLR.
Thank you indeed!
Ive been searching for a film about these stations, and now ive found it. Brilliant !
So glad you found it!
This channel is so pleasurable to watch, the narration is wonderful.
Thank you. I always try to elevate the language in these films, not always successfully!
Thanks for the great video, I've been a resident of Norwich since 87/88 - 2010 and 2022 - present day and in the last year I've learned so much about Norwich's railways! I only thought Norwich had 2 stations until I discovered Victoria, which is on the direction of the former Brazen Gate, and walking down the Lakenham Way you can see all the rail bridges in close detail from that period. Also, the station close to Whitlingham was the scene of the Thorpe Railway Disaster, which has a commemorative plaque near the sight down Girlings Lane. Also, on Marriotts Way, a short walk after the station is a bridge that saw a disaster as well! Plenty of interesting facts and a lot of other hidden stations as you continue down the Way.
Glad you enjoyed the film...I should have approached you for all the historical knowledge!
This was an interesting watch - thanks for all of the effort that you put into it - it is appreciated :)
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great content as always! Really nice seeing someone cover the history of my former local stations. Also kind of ironic in a way that 3 of the stations featured, when they were built, weren't considered part of Norwich. But thanks to the modern sprawl of the city they are! As a local resident, to me it would make perfect sense if Marriots Way was at least converted into a light rail system. Traffic around that part of the city is always a nightmare...
Yes I was conscious that Drayton was pushing it a bit in terms of calling it a lost station of Norwich. Really glad you enjoyed the film!
@@RediscoveringLostRailways It's a suburb now, but it wasn't when the station closed. So, as always, YMMV.
That station really needs restoring, If nothing else, it would surely make a fab house. Another interesting and informative video. I knew nothing about this area at all, Thank you!
Agreed, some sort of restoration feels essential. Glad you enjoyed the film!
hooray , hooray , been waiting for this . in the interim , took my buddy on his first railway walk up to haigh junction , after fighting our way through the set of apocalypse now , he found a full ridge tile from the box and pulled a lnwr track chair from a tree , even stamped 1915 , anyway as ever , thanks for doing this for all of us , god bless from tracys husband , still in wigan . still very much part of lancashire
Sounds like to some great finds! Glad you enjoyed the fillm!
I don't know if I mentioned this before but there's an abandoned station not far from me which is still in pretty good condition for it's age and it can still be seen from the line once served it ( now a shared cycle route ) and you can still see a station building from the main road and if you look extra carefully you can just about see and work out the opposite platform with some ballast from all them years ago ( definitely worth walking or cycling if anyone gets a chance )
Always happy for a recommendation!
@@RediscoveringLostRailways It would be something pretty cool for the channel and plus the old waiting room is now a cafe which was restored back in 2010 and you can tell if it's a waiting room as it says "Waiting room on the door"
Great video and very informative.keep up the good work.many thanks.
Thanks, will do!
Very informative. I did not know of these lost stations other than that the Railway from Melton Constable terminated here. Trowse station is a fine example of Norfolk flint and brick construction and is worthy of preserving, if anyone can find the money. At least it still stands unlike what looks to have been a wonderful station building at Norwich Victoria. Its demolition and replacement by a Legoland office block is sad to see.
It seems the the answer to pleasant architecture, is always ugly architecture!
Excellent as always 👍
Very kind of you to say so, thank you!
It's not an area with which I am familiar, but still I found this very interesting to watch, thank you. I thought it was very well scripted, produced and presented, and very professional.
Really very kind of you to say so, thank you 😀
Great review! Whilst the former M&GN line from Norwich City was much underused in its day, it's closure and that of the line from Wymondham to East Dereham to Kings Lynn left a very large public transport gap in Norfolk that persists to present times.
Yes, Norfolk is very ill served by the railways, which was not always the case!
I enjoy the poetic narration. Well done.
Thank you! I had to make my literature degree count for something!
I think Trowse was still used after its official closure for "football specials". This is because it is located nearer Norwich City's Carrow Road ground, and it kept football fans away from Thorpe.
Thank you indeed for your comment - yes, given its proximity, that would make good sense!
Glad you mentioned that. I was beginning to wonder if my memory was playing tricks. Yes, definitely used for football specials.
Oh good!! Love these videos! Thanks for sharing this!
My pleasure and thanks for your support!
Another great video! Enjoyed this one as I have a big soft spot for Norwich. My wife grew up in Hellesdon and had no idea it used to have a station. Must travel over there for an explore.
Many thanks for you comment and thoughts - very much appreciated!
Very good video. Shame it's all gone.
Agreed - and many thanks!
Fascinating journey around the former stations of Norwich - thank you! Informative...as always!
My pleasure, thank you
Lovely video mate more places to add to my list..so well made and narrated well done
Very kind of you to say so, thank you!
Interesting and well-presented. My late mother was from Lowestoft, and when we went there for family holidays I often used to hang around both Lowestoft Central (with its fine roof) and Lowestoft North (now vanished under a housing estate - although the station master's house remains). Happy memories.
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your memories!
The signal box at Whitlington Junction survived into the 2000s, but was demolished when the signalling on the line to Cromer was 'modernised'.
Oh and there were plans to extend the line from Norwich City further into the heart of the city, believe it would've terminated partway way between the castle and Thorpe station. If built, the line would've cut through the grounds of Norwich Cathedral which prompted much opposition to the plans and in the end parliament ruled against it.
Great bits of information, thanks for sharing 👍
This a very enjoyable and fascinating video, thank you. I do like to see the old photos of the stations in their heyday, but it feels so sad to see how these lovely buildings have been replaced by ugly monstrosities. What a poor decision it was to get rid of so many lines seeing as the powers that be now want us to use public transport rather than drive.
Very kind of you to say so and thank you for your thoughts!
Fantastic video. (As always!)
Many thanks for you comment - very much appreciated!
As always very informative and interesting video. It is difficult to imagine any of these lines opening up now as the dependency on cars is so common
It begs the question though if these lines had not closed, would car use be so dominant in our transport requirements?
Many thanks for you comment and thoughts - very much appreciated!
I was born in Overstrand Norfolk which had its own station of the Norfolk and Suffolk Joint Railway until its closure in 1953, The line went from North Walsham to Cromer. Please do a video on this line as much of the route of the line and bridges remain although no tracks are left and much is overgrown. Thank you.
Many thanks for the tip!
Interesting that Victoria was closed so early. It doesn't make sense that the trains from London terminate at a separate station from the regional trains so that you can't transfer easily. Trowse could actually function as a pass-through station so that trains could run straight through Norwich from east to west without reversing and terminating trains from London could call so that passengers can transfer.
Many thanks for your thoughts!
Very informative and well produced as always.
I didn't know too much about the railways of Norwich, so interesting to see what is there and what is not.
Many thanks! Beyond its lost stations I must confess I know next to nothing about Norwich, but having visited a few times, I can say it is a pleasant place!
Thank you for another interesting and informative video, always a pleasure to watch! Mike
Glad you enjoyed it - and thank you for your continuing support of my channel!
7:29 that building is now getting demolished. You can still see original bridge posts on the road looking north west in that picture.
Thanks for the update 👍
@@RediscoveringLostRailwaysno worries
Absolutely love your videos, thank you
Very kind of you to say so, thank you
Very entertaining, thank you.
My pleasure, thank you!
Is the sainsburys on the site of an old railway yard or station?
The yard, I believe
Well documented alongwith emotions as always 👌
Very kind of you to say so
Superb video. Thank you
You are welcome!
Another great video :) and a great reason to go exploring these spots. I drive past the Norwich Vic site almost every day and never knew it once was a station !
Very kind of you to say so and I'm glad it offered a surprise of sorts!
I used to live near Norwich and its such a wonderful city. As it's known as the "Fine City". And my parents also likes Norwich.
I don't know it very well but I have enjoyed visiting it a few times - that title seems well earned!
I city once known for having a church for every sunday of the year, and a pub for every day. No-longer true, but it's packed with fine old buildings in odd spots. I love Norwich, and grew up near there. But it was a deathly dull place to live as a youngster. Maybe it's improved now.
Norwich railway station is my favourite. But yes the city centre is lovely. Also with the Class 379 Electrostars which are parked up and unused. I do think that they are likely to be cascaded to Great Northern.
Very well done. As the last station building is listed it would be possible for the local authority to serve a repair order of some form upon the owners (if not them).
It would be great to see that lovely building have some sort of afterlife!
Reminded me of Lost Rail Services. i.e. There use to be "Asparagus Specials" to London from East Anglia/Norwich and from the Evesham area of the Cotswolds. I know the Cotswolds still grows Asparagus, does E Anglia? Fish Trains down to London from East Anglia and even North East Scotland. The Summer Seaside Specials. The Slip Coaches on the Trains down to Cornwall. The Car Train from Paddington to Europe. Now an NCP or other Car Park.
Yes, you don't get many named services anymore - that quirk seems to have died out!
As Norwich grows I bet some of these station would now be very useful..
Commuting traffic into Norwhich is a nightmare now so short sighted
You are probably right!
Perfect time to reinstate the Norwich Victoria station as the 1970ish Marsh office block has just been demolished. It's not decided what's going on the site yet. To be fair they'd have to restore a couple of miles of rail lines as well along what is now an ex rail pathway to rejoin the line outside the city. So can't see that happening.
Very nicely put together thank you
My pleasure - thank you!
A great and interesting video. So much is lost.
Glad you enjoyed it
Interesting view of the new short sidings in the fork between the line to Thetford and Ipswich and the line to Yarmouth etc. The sidings were completed perhaps 2 years ago and remained empty until a few weeks ago. Current stock in occupation look like the new outer suburban trains awaiting introduction for the Essex and Suffolk services out of L'pool Str. These trains have been fragmented because of the short siding capacity. The sidings compound is well built and secured by split top palisade fencing and generous flood lighting.
Thanks for the details - I did not know anything about the Crown Point Depot redevelopment until recently!
The frames of Nowrich city shed were recovered by the NNR and erected at Weyborne. Some of the guttering acted at the water trough for the end sequence in the Dads Army episode "The Royal train".
So some of it still survives, that's great news!
Looking at all the graffiti scrawled over these disused buildings makes one realise how society has imploded since the 1950's. A great window into the past. Many thanks.
Thank you indeed! As for graffiti, it is a real blight...
Really good video thank you. Regarding the line from Norwich City Station to Melton Constable, I have an old timetable from Summer 1958 and on Mondays to Fridays there were nine trains in each direction and a journey time of 40 minutes for the 21.25 mile route.
What a great journey it must've been behind some fine old engine!
Thanks, a fine film. The Whitlingham footbridge remains and is maintained because there's a public right of way going over it. As such, it will probably exist forever in some form.
Thank you indeed - and good to know that footbridge has a future!
really nicely presented - thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it!
A very interesting video, thank you for producing it. I volunteer on the Whitwell & Reepham Railway, not too far down the line from Norwich City, essentaily the mid-way point on the Line between Norwich & Melton.
Thank you for your kind words about my film 😀
Very interesting, an put together. Perfect
Thank you indeed!
Fascinating. Thank you
My pleasure!
Trowse is crying out for salvation. What a beautiful tractor dealership it would make...
Yes, just so!
a very interesting Video... Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video, would have been nice if you'd have included the A frame bridge at Drayton.
Many thanks indeed 🙏
In my opinion. None of these stations should have never been closed. We have a dire need in Britain now have a decent railway system and I think a decent railway line between Norwich and King's Lynn would be a great idea and also opening up the branch line for Dereham to Fakenham would also be a great idea. Since all these lines were initially closed the population and housing a swelled inexorably. The populations of Dereham. Fakenham and Norwich have almost doubled. Along with the planned thousands of houses on both the Eastern fringes and western fringes of Norwich. Also for thousands of home plan for Dereham Fakenham and Attleborough. More Station should be planned and the railway operator could make these upgrades pay. I think we should Electrify older branch lines out of Norwich. From Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. Norwich to Cromer and Sheringham and also Norwich to Cambridge. With new high speed trains travelling over 100 miles an hour. This would open up the Norfolk region totally two business and passengers alike. I think we should open up original Marriotts way line as well. As I think it's very needed. With stations at Hellesdon. Drayton. Taverham. Lenwade and so on write the way to Kings Lynn. I think it's shocking that there's no direct railway connection between Norwich and Kings Lynn. This in my opinion is a must for the region.
Thank you for uploading this video.
Could you please do a video on the Long Melford to Bury St Edmunds branch line and also the Bury St Edmunds to Thetford railway line?
Pure.
I'll certainly look into it. Thank you for your thoughts and comment - Norfolk surely suffered more railway cuts than most back in the day!
Can you maybe do lost station of great yarmouth? I would love that
I can certainly look into it - thanks for the tip!
I can remember - when I was *very* small - taking the train from Hemsby to Beach Station. It ran in part along the sand dunes approaching Yarmouth. I loved it. Of course, I used Southtown Station as well.
Thanks for sharing 🙂 I have a suggestion for a future video: the Salt Line from Alsager via Malkins Bank and Wheelock to Sandbach. Seems to have evaded in-depth coverage. Closed ‘71, lifted ‘74. Elton Crossings signalbox was transplanted to the North Staffs Railway but the crossing-keeper’s cottage is still in situ, albeit recently modified. The NSR goods shed in Elworth is still in situ, now a car body repair shop. No evidence remains of the former connection to the former Fodens Limited site in Elworth but the trackbed of the link between the Salt Line and Sandbach Station is still visible, trailing to the left when heading to Crewe. There’s even some controversy; a cutting at Malkins Bank was subsequently used as a landfill and by all accounts, some pretty nasty stuff was illegally dumped there before it was landscaped and of all things, became part of a golf course. My interest in this line? The former trackbed (now Salt Line Way) runs past the end of my garden, about 50 metres from Elton Crossings 🙂
Many thanks for this recommendation!
love these
Most kind, thank you!
I would love to see the old branch line to March from Kings Lynn. Any plans??
Already made, see my film 'how do you reopen a lost railway?'
Victoria Station the round booking office was once a circus. I manged a ride from the Crown Point area in the cab of an 03 up to Victoria - one way only! This was the end of a late night trip in the brake van of the Lowestoft to Whitemoor freight. We returned on the coal train.
Now as for Whitlingham Jc station. I was told that it was making a profit and the accountants nevertheless wanted to shut it. Racking their destructive brains they calculated the cost of each train starting and stopping. To their - no doubt - positive delight it now made a loss. The rest his history and like the M&GN out of Norwich needed now to ease car pollution.
Many thanks for your memories, thoughts and comment!
My mum used to play in the old Hellesdon station as a child in the 70s. The building was eventually torn down when it became a favoured haunt for drug dealers. Allegedly. I don't know if there's any truth to that, or if it was just hearsay. My mum is adamant though that some fright trains continued to run along some of the line up until the 80s. My Dad is of the same opinion, even though he grew up near Attleborough. With both sides of my family working on the railways (my grandad & uncle were both signalers - my mum's Dad & brother. My grandmother - my Dad's mother - was a level crossing controller) I know they're not both mistaken, but I can't help wonder if they're mistaken on the location. I wonder if its actually the old line & sidings at the remains of the old City Station. My Dad seems to think the trains were transporting concrete or building materials of a similar nature. Both grandparents are no longer here to ask.
Many thanks for your thoughts and memories!
The Themelthorpe curve linked the former Great Eastern Branch from Wroxham (part of which is now the Bure Valley narrow gauge railway) to a short length of the MGN heading back towards Norwich, but only as far as Lenwade (north of Drayton).
Nice summary of developments if not progress.
Many thanks indeed!
I really do love all the disused railway videos.
I'm wondering if that makes me quite sad. But I don't care🙂🚂
It puts you in good company I'd say! Really glad you enjoyed the film 😀
(I'm subscribed to this channel, but I have hardly found the opportunity to watch videos. And I'm Dutch, in the Netherlands.)
Me too, I feel that nostalgia. It probably started when I walked the track bed of the former Coniston branch line (in the Lake District) in 1971. But I also recognise different sides. There is the side of the "buildings and tracks" and the side of transport possibilities.
The buildings (if not too big) could have been preserved, perhaps disassembled then re-assembled on a heritage line, and the tracks could have been handed to heritage lines. The buildings may also show a change in use through the years: from few people having to wait long to many people having to wait a few minutes (apart from the spiralling down that seems to have occurred both in Britain and in Germany, at least). And for goods maybe the change from parcels to pallets or even entire sea containers as the units moved.
But I'm more concerned about the transport possibilities (for people and for goods). The closure of lines (notably for passengers) seems to have gained momentum in the 50s, even before Dr. Beeching got involved. (Here in the Netherlands, the process had started around 1936.) But then, should everything have continued as it was: a few slow trains per day for dwindling passenger numbers, a freight network of countless tiny wagons for companies with ever more, ever bigger, ever faster trucks, with at Beeching's time leaving a loss of (quoting from memory) a million "uninflated" pounds each day?
There may come a time (or it may already have come) when it does make sense to re-create transport services along roughly former lines. Like using comfortable and frequent light-rail stock. (I don't even have a driving license.)
It may (or may not) be great to transport sea containers to and from the East Coast ports, rather than have lorries (with drivers, despite a shortage!) stuck in Kent waiting to cross from Dover. And in moving these containers, rekindling some railroads could be instrumental. (I don't have specific suggestions in mind, though.)
In short: "the times they are a-changing". Scenes may have been idyllic, and it's nice to have them remembered in videos like this, but it may be time to move on. (Pun accepted.)
Many thanks for your thoughts and comments. Really appreciated. Glad you've managed to check out one of my films. Thanks for the subscription!
Brilliant video.
Very kind of you to say so
Whilst Victoria was the best sited of the terminals it had the simply unfortunate circumstance of not serving the branchlines. Since Trowse is on the mainline, and so close to the main station, re-opening seems very unlikely, especially considering the Cambridge branch trains are the only ones that would probably stop there.
Yes agreed. Many thanks for your comment.
I used Trowse station during the electrification in 1986.
Not many will have walked on that platform since!
It's so sad that so many railway buildings of architectural merit have been destroyed to make way for purely utilitarian structures that do nothing to improve the environment, and which, in some cases, just look grim.
Agreed. It is a sad story repeated across the land!