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PLEASE NOTE THAT THE PROGRAMME HAS CHANGED SINCE THE ORIGINAL PUBLICATION OF THIS ARTICLE, MORE INFORMATION HERE . The Mid Norfolk Railway is planning a full programme of events for 2023. The events will include a Steam and Diesel Gala together with a number of other special events weekends. The programme of events is intended to once again feature a busy mix of speciality weekends together with railway themed events and it is planned that this will be the first time the railway has been able to run such a programme since 2019. Charlie Robinson the Chairman of the Mid Norfolk Railway said: “We are all excited by the programme, it will finally mean that we have overcome the issues that Covid caused the railway. The 2022 season has been disappointing and it could be argued that we at the railway underestimated how the effects of Covid had impacted the railway. This programme will I am sure show the railway is back and in many ways better than before. I am also pleased to say that in many of the departments we have new faces that are working to make this a success, in 2023 we are planning to add new services, new catering opportunities and new events, plus bringing back some popular events we have just not been able to run over the last few years.” The 2023 Mid Norfolk Railway operating season will open on the 4th March with the return of the Model Railway Exhibition at Dereham. Standard running days will be a mix of Steam hauled, Diesel hauled, or Diesel Multiple Unit services. The first planned steam day will coincide with Mothers Day, over the weekend of 18th and 19th March. In addition a new feature will be a Champagne Afternoon Tea service. 14th May will see the ever popular Vintage Bus Day together with a new Vintage Fair. This event includes the ‘rail replacement’ service to the railway’s County School, which will again be open at weekends and will feature the ever expanding Miniature Railway of the North Norfolk Model Engineering Club. Another new service the MNR will be offering on selected weekends is ‘The Brecklander Ploughman's Luncheon’. 2023 will also see the return of the Gin Train on the evening of 27th May and 16th September. Also new this year will be a Murder Mystery train on the evenings of 10th & 11th June and 9th September.   The weekend of the 23rd to 25th June will see the first MNR Steam weekend for some years. This event is planned to also be combined with the National Armed Forces Day on the 24th June and will see Service personnel, their families and the UK military veterans community able to travel on the railway at a discount with appropriate identification, on the day. 5th and 6th August will see the return of the 1940s Weekend with re-enactors setting up displays all along the line and visitors are encouraged to enter into the spirit of the event by dressing accordingly. A number of other themed weekends are planned and details on these different themes will be announced in due course as the planning turns to reality. The summer running season events will conclude with a Diesel Gala from 22nd to 24th September. This will again feature visiting mainline and heritage diesels to supplement the MNR home fleet. The railway will also open for the Norfolk schools autumn half term break during October and will end the running season with the return of the ever popular Polar Express, that will run during November and December leading up to the Christmas. Throughout the 2023 running season, in addition to the new ‘Brecklander Ploughman’s Luncheon’ service the railway will once again be running the popular ‘Breckland Fryer’ fish and chip trains during the evening of selected Saturdays and what is now being branded as the ‘Heart of Norfolk’ Afternoon Tea on selected Sunday Afternoons. The railway will also be retaining its ‘Kids Go Free’ group tickets that was successfully introduced in 2021. These tickets will be available for all standard running days, but do not include special events or special trains. James Oakley, the Railways Commercial manager said: “In addition to the programme of events for next year's running season, it is important for the railway that we seek to develop the services for passengers once they come to the railway. Next year therefore we have expanding our on train catering services. This therefore means that in addition to what we have previously offered, we are introducing our new ‘Brecklander Ploughman’s Luncheon’ service. This will compliment the return of our themed event running days, which will also see the launch of several new themed running days”, He added. All on train meal services must be pre booked via the MNR Website at www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk .   Further details on the 2023 running season will also appear in due course.

The Mid-Norfolk Railway is pleased to announce that the management of the railway is to be restructured with the new arrangements to be put in place for the beginning of 2023. The Trust Council of the Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust will remain as the overarching strategic management organisation of the Mid-Norfolk Railway. The Trust Council members will, therefore, continue to be elected from the membership of the Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust. As part of the restructuring the post of General Manager will be made redundant on the 31 December 2022. Charlie Robinson, the Chairman of the Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust Council, said: “It has become clear this year that the railway has outgrown its old management structure and the General Manager’s role, as currently constituted, has become too broad a task for any one person to carry out. “I would, therefore, on behalf of the whole railway, like to thank George Saville for all his efforts over the last few years, as the railway’s General Manager. He has made a significant contribution to the development of the railway and the point it has now reached.” Mr Saville has, been offered a new part time position at the MNR from 1 January 2023. His experience and knowledge of railways in general and heritage railways in particular has proved to be a huge asset to the MNR and one the Trust Council is keen to keep at the railway, if at all possible. A new full-time post of Operations Manager will be created, details of which and how to apply will be published shortly. It is intended that the new appointment will take effect on the 1 January 2023. Derek Orr, the current volunteer Operations Manager, will be stepping down on the same date and the MNR owes a great debt of gratitude to Derek for managing this position for a number of years despite having a full-time job elsewhere and a young family to look after. The Trust Council is delighted Derek will continue as a Trustee of the Railway and with the railway management team and help with the smooth transition in the New Year. Steph Garthwaite, the current Deputy General Manager, will continue in her volunteer capacity to ensure that the introduction of the new Operations Manager will be as straightforward as possible. She will act as the Line Manager for the various individual Departments and be the link between them and the Trust Council. A new Leadership Team will be established to take over the day to day running of the railway, provide all working Members with a direct line of communication to management and ensure that communications generally within the railway are improved.

A statement from the Mid-Norfolk Railway: On behalf of the Railway and all our community, we are very saddened to hear of the death of Her Majesty The Queen and offer our condolences to the whole Royal Family at this very sad time, with gratitude for decades of public service as the longest-serving monarch in British history. Our trains and events will continue to run as normal except on the day of the Queen's funeral when no trains will be running. If you have booked a ticket, it is still valid, or you can purchase your ticket on the day in the normal way. We know some visitors may wish to change their plans to pay respects, we can rearrange your booking if you wish by contacting Dereham Station on 01362 851723 or emailing bookings@mnr.org.uk

The Mid Norfolk Railway is to a run a busy Diesel weekend this September from Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th. The weekend will feature some guest Mainline and Heritage engines. The mainline operating company Direct Rail Services that are active in the region will be supplying either a Class 57/3 or a class 66 locomotive depending on their own operational requirements elsewhere. Also making a visit will be a class 20 locomotive, D8001 (20001) courtesy of the Epping and Ongar Railway. D8001 will be making its first visit away from the Epping and Ongar Railway and to another railway following three years out of traffic while the engine underwent a refurbishment and painting. The guest locomotives will be joined by the Mid Norfolk Railway's resident Diesels hauling a two-train service. Coaches in use will consist of a British Railways maroon liveried Mk1 and Mk 2 vacuum braked set and an Ex Greater Anglia Mk 3 set. The railway is planning for class 47s County of Essex and Aldeburgh Festival together with the Class 14 to all be in action. The Programme will also include an evening ‘Beer Ex’ train, with beer from the Tindall Brewery of Seething, Norfolk, being available on board. Tickets for the event will be priced at £20 for an adult Rover ticket, A senior Rover is priced at £15 and Children and MNR members at £10. Two day Rover tickets are also available at £30, £25 and £20. The Rover tickets are also valid for the evening Beer Train. Separate tickets for this service are also available at £10 for Adults and £5 for accompanying children. The MNR has suspended the ‘Kids go Free’ promotion for this event. Further details including the timetable will be available from the MNR website at https://www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk/dieselgala

We are pleased to announce that train services have returned to Wymondham Abbey from Saturday 6th August. In 2022, the line was closed between Thuxton and Wymondham Abbey to allow for significant Engineering Works to take place. The first locomotive to arrive back at Wymondham abbey was our Class 33, 33202. Further details can be found here.

Due to the fire risk of running steam this weekend (16th & 17th July) after no rain and the forecast of very high temperatures, steam services at the Mid-Norfolk Railway on both days have been withdrawn as a safety precaution. Trains on Saturday will be hauled by our Class 14 diesel locomotive and one of our Class 47s will be doing the honours on Sunday.

Please note that for operational reasons, the Mid-Norfolk Railway will be running only one train on Wednesday 13th July. This will be the 11.30am departure to Thuxton return. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, trains on Thursday 14th July are unaffected and will run at the times published on the Green Timetable.

The public can once again catch a train at the Mid-Norfolk Railway's County School Station, as the North Norfolk Model Engineering Club’s railway opens for business this summer. The club, which has been busy building a new miniature railway at the Mid-Norfolk Railway site have now started running trains every Sunday till the end of August from 11.00 to 16.00 weather permitting. The new railway is known as the Wensum Valley Miniature Railway. The newly laid track has three rails and allows both 5-inch and 3.5-inch model engines to run and will eventually haul special passenger wagons on a journey around the site. The line is not yet complete, but this summer enough has been laid to begin public operations. Formerly based at the North Norfolk Railway, the NNMEC had to find a new home as their previous site was due to be developed as part of the ongoing work at the NNR’s Holt Station. The Mid-Norfolk Railway however was able to step in and off the NNMEC a new home. Explaining the arrangement, Richard Cullen, the Mid-Norfolk Railway Station Master at County School said: “It will be a while yet before the MNR is able to run trains from Dereham to County School Station, but while we wait for that day to arrive, lots of work is being done here to create an attraction worthy of a visit. When the opportunity of offering a home to the NNMEC’s miniature railway at County School Station presented itself, it was an easy decision to make”. Richard added: “The way we have planned this track means that it will not interfere with the full-size track, when that is eventually laid. As from now therefore we have another attraction to add to the popular nature walks, museum and café we already run here.” Gordon Ford the Chairman of the North Norfolk Miniature Engineering Club said: “We are grateful to the North Norfolk Railway for giving us a home for 17 years, but we are all excited as we begin a new chapter in our story, here at County School Station. The move was agreed in 2019, but due to Covid we had to pause the project until last year, when work could began. The members are all looking forward to once again be able to run our trains and begin a regular passenger service here at County School”. County School Station  is the northerly end of the Mid-Norfolk Railway owned track bed. The café and museum are open weather permitting from 1200 to 1500, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays till September. MNR working members meet on Wednesday and Sunday to maintain the facilities and prepare for the eventual reinstatement of the line south to North Elmham that will allow a regular service to once again run. Those who would like to join in the work can volunteer after first becoming a member of the railway. Details at the railway’s website www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk/volunteering   The NNMEC hold regular meetings at High Kelling Village Hall on the first Friday of the month and has a working party at County School on most Thursdays and when not running Sundays as well. More details can be found on the club's Facebook page .

Members of the Mid-Norfolk Railway were on hand to welcome home to the railway, resident steam engine 80078, British Railways Standard Class 4MT. The engine has been away on its travels over the winter and will now soon resume service hauling trains on the railway. 80078 returns to the railway following service over the Christmas period at the Swanage Railway in Dorset, winter maintenance and then most recently a guest spell on the Epping and Ongar Railway. “I am pleased to see 80078 back at the Mid Norfolk Railway after its recent travels and together with the rest of the railways steam crews, we are all looking forward to once again working the engine during this summer’s steam service”. Stewart Robinson Mid-Norfolk Railway's Honorary Vice President and Owner of 80078 80078 will be rostered to haul trains from Dereham to Wymondham Abbey station once the current track work is completed by next month on the Blue Steam Timetable that will run at most weekends during the school holidays. In the meantime, the engine will go back into service on the current service to Thuxton and return. A 10-mile round trip that gives passengers the opportunity to see the new station buildings that are nearing completion and the signal box. “We are all pleased to see 80078 back at the railway and we are all looking forward to the summer holiday period when we will see steam trains once again travelling through the beautiful Norfolk countryside from Dereham to Wymondham”. Charlie Robinson, Chairman Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust The railway’s popular evening ‘Breckland Fryer’ fish and chip trains and afternoon tea specials will also be steam hauled, and the ‘Kids Go Free’ family tickets that was successfully introduced in 2021 will again be on sale. These tickets will be available for all standard running days but do not include special events or special trains. Further details of events and timetables are available on the railway’s website at www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk

Following the decision to put up for sale some of the railway’s assets that were assessed as being surplus to requirement, the Trust Council of the Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust has recognised that some members of the railway have misgivings over this decision. As such the Trust Council has therefore decided to withdraw from sale all assets while a consultation exercise is conducted with the membership. The original decision was made following a strategic review of the Railway’s assets. This has included the rolling stock and the turntable currently in storage at Dereham Station. The identified assets were deemed to be surplus to current requirements based on a number of factors. The coaches identified for sale, was based on the operational needs of the railway and their likely future use in service, the need to free up siding space and reduce shunting operations. The cost of refurbishment and finally the time it will take to get some of the coaches back into service were the factors considered. It has however now become clear, that the Trust Council had not fully appreciated the sentiment that some members have towards some of the coaches in particular and as such a consultation exercise that will allow members to express their views will be held. The consultation exercise will therefore give members the opportunity to suggest alternatives to disposal or indeed confirm the decision. The submissions will then inform the Trust Council’s future decision-making process on the various coaches future or otherwise on the railway. Regarding the turntable, the disposal or otherwise will also be considered again in the context of the future development of the Goods Shed and Stable Block as part of an East Anglian Railway Heritage Centre that has long been a railway aspiration. Views, opinions, suggestions and plans can be submitted either in writing addressed to the Trust Council at the station or by email to trust.council@mnr.org.uk The closing date for submissions is 15 August 2022 and then following a review and discussion the Trust Council will inform the membership of the result of the consultation exercise in due course. The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust Council 17 June 2022

MID-NORFOLK RAILWAY PRESERVATION TRUST COUNCIL STATEMENT The Trust Council of The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust, the operators of the Mid-Norfolk Railway have received as have some media outlets and email by part of the railway’s Steam Dept. in which they have raised some issues that relate to the running of the railway's steam services. They have also raised an issue of a lack of communication in addressing these issues. The Trust Council therefore wish to place on record that we are working to resolve these points and will strive to find the right balance between resolving these issues but also acknowledging the three key considerations of, Safety, Financial Security and Volunteer Enjoyment in all areas of the Railway. The Trust Council assesses the key issue is a break down in communication and take responsibility for this failure. We must however say we clearly value our steam department and they, like all of the departments at the railway, are integral to the success of the railway and we acknowledge that like everyone else at the railway we all make a significant commitment to do this, our hobby. We, the Trust Council, will now evaluate how communication works within the railway internally and how issues as they arise are addressed. This evaluation will happen now and we will issue new guidance very shortly. As part of this process we, the Trust Council, will want to hear the memberships views. Currently the Trust Council receive reports at the regular meetings of the Trust Council from the Department Heads. The Trust Council then seeks to address any concerns that are raised and communicate how the concerns will be addressed. This process in this case would appear to have broken down and that is what will be evaluated to understand why and steps will be made to rectify this. The Railway as a whole, like all other heritage railways, has struggled with the effects of the Covid pandemic and some of the issues are only now becoming apparent and are being addressed. The Trust Council however, is confident that all of the issues the railway faces can be overcome and our working members, members, friends and general passengers will be able to enjoy a bigger and better railway for many years to come.

The Mid-Norfolk Railway relaunched its running season in May, featuring the first regular passenger service to run north of Dereham since British Railways closed the line to passengers in October 1964. The railway is now pleased to announce that trains are again planned to run to Wymondham Abbey station from Dereham by the summer school holidays in July, once the engineering works that have caused the closure are completed. A supplier of coal has also been found that means the steam service’s blue timetable days will run with either the resident BR standard Class 4 MT engine or for this year only, the on-hire Austerity Tank engine No 22, hauling the maroon vacuum braked coach set. The new service north is part of the diesel multiple unit service’s green timetable days, which sees two trains a day travel north to Hoe Crossing. The 2022 running season has seen the introduction of the diesel engine service’s orange timetable days. This timetable sees the railway’s heritage diesel engines hauling trains and have featured the rostering of the class 33 and class 47s in service. Explaining the relaunch, Charlie Robinson, the Chairman of the Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust (MNRPT), said: “I know that there has been disappointment and uncertainty due to our postponed reopening caused by the long-standing engineering issues and the impact of the lost income from the cancelled Polar Express service at Christmas. It is therefore important that the railway has decided to relaunch our running season and make it clear we are open, running trains and looking forward with confidence to the rest of the year. “The Mid-Norfolk Railway, despite not being able to currently run south of Thuxton to Wymondham is however, able to start a regular service running north from Dereham. This therefore marks an important point in the railway’s history and is another small step towards the eventual return to County School”. The ongoing engineering work is seeing track maintenance being carried out between Thuxton and Hardingham and track near Bridge 1675 will be realigned to remove the excessive curves that British Railways introduced when the line was singled. Both issues have been long known but had to wait while other higher priorities were addressed in recent years. Throughout the 2022 running season, the railway is running the popular ‘Breckland Fryer’ fish and chip trains in the evening and afternoon high tea trains on selected running days. The railway will also continue to run the ‘Kids Go Free’ family tickets that were successfully introduced in 2021. These tickets will be available for all standard running days but do not include special events or special trains. The MNR shop at Dereham Station has also had a refresh with new lines of merchandise and clothing that feature the railway’s new ‘Heart of Norfolk’ logo on offer. Further details of events and timetables are available on the railway’s website at www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk