About The Mid-Norfolk Railway
The Mid-Norfolk Railway is the longest standard gauge heritage railway in East Anglia and runs through the Heart of Norfolk from Dereham to Wymondham. The railway has its headquarters in Dereham and runs frequent trains south towards Wymondham across the year. The line is currently being restored to The MNRs northern most station County School, with engineering trains currently being able to run as far as North Elmham.
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The Mid-Norfolk Railway is owned & ran by the registered charity, The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust which is goverened by the Trust Council. The Trust itself is owned by the Railway's members.
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History of The Mid-Norfolk Railway
The MNR began from a base at Yaxham Station and originally the railway ran services between a temporary halt in Toftwood alongside Rash's Green and Yaxham. Since those early days in 1995, the railway has expanded with services running for 11 miles through ‘The Heart of Norfolk’ between Dereham and Wymondham Abbey.
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In addition, occasional services run northwards to Hoe, with the line to North Elmham and County School currently being restored ready for passenger services. Once complete the railway will run for a total of 17.5 miles – 28 km.
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The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust was set up in 1995 to buy the line from Wymondham to Dereham. Yaxham became the centre of operations, and permission was given to clear the line of undergrowth and to build a platform to run trains. The station at Dereham was cleaned up, and open days held. After building a platform at Rash’s Green near Dereham, passenger trains were run between there and Yaxham in 1995. This was an enormous success and supplied tangible evidence of the Trust’s achievements and its ability to operate the line. After relaying track into Dereham station in early 1997, the first train ran from the station in the summer of that year.
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​After many years of patient negotiations, and with considerable help from Norfolk County Council, Breckland District Council and South Norfolk District Council, the Wymondham to Dereham section of the line was bought in April 1998 and became the property of the MNRPT. The line and its connection with the main line at Wymondham were passed for use by freight trains in June 1998, and within a few days a test freight train from Eastleigh worked onto the line – the first train to work into Dereham from the national rail network since closure of the line in 1989.
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Since then, the MNR has restored Dereham Station to its former glory, and installed run-round loops at Dereham, Wymondham and more recently Thuxton with a fully operational signal box. The line between Dereham to Worthing has also been reopened to passenger trains.
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In 2012, the railway won the Heritage Railway Association “Rail Express” Modern Attraction Award recognising our Class 47 Golden Jubilee Gala. After a bumper year in 2013, featuring our Big Four Steam Gala and the opening of the line north of Dereham to Hoe, we won the Heritage Railway of the Year Award 2013 at the National Railway Heritage Awards.
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​In the last couple of years, the railway has built a new maintenance shed at the Dereham site. The shed means that for the first-time maintenance of the railway’s traction and rolling stock can be carried out under cover. In 2020, the railway restored several carriages and serviced locomotives & units to keep them running for the years to come!
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As part of a commercial contract with Greater Anglia, the railway has benefited from newly built sidings at Kimberley and a whole new running line between there and Hardingham. These new facilities have increased the railway's operational and storage ability tremendously.
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In 2020, the railway invested in the renewal of the Yaxham Road automatic level crossing; this significant investment ensured the railway has a crossing of the highest standard where the line crosses the main road into Dereham from the south. Garvestone crossing has been given similar treatment. Greens Road/Hall Lane automatic level crossing is planned to be upgraded in the near future.
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Between 2021 and 2023, reinstated Dereham Central signal box along with signalling works to increase capacity at the station and Dereham North gate box has been upgraded with signalling that is linked to Dereham Central.
There is further track & signalling work required to restore regular passenger running on the line north of Dereham to Worthing, North Elmham and eventually County School station. Additionally we have Wymondham Church Lane signal box being restored (after being rescued from Spooner Row on the mainline) which will eventually control the Wymondham end of the line.