When you reach the A47, cross it (very carefully) and aim for the lane opposite and slightly to the right, passing beneath the wind turbine on your left. Light railway steam locomotive for use on branch lines. Shortly after its arrival a light engine set off from Dereham back to Swaffham! 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. The Bury and Thetford (Swaffham Branch), also known as the Crab and Winkle Line,[1] was a railway line in England. 1869 - Image ID: D96P36", "Important Improvement In Steam Carriages", "Route of Thetford, Watton and Swaffham Railway (later Great Eastern)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bury_and_Thetford_(Swaffham_Branch)&oldid=1013832911, This page was last edited on 23 March 2021, at 18:08. Find out more about our monthly newsletterhere, Email: suzy@explorenorfolkuk.co.ukTel: +44 (0) 7765 668188Address: Explore Norfolk UKPalgrave HouseSporleKing's LynnNorfolkPE32 2EN, Booking FormEnquiry FormTerms and ConditionsFrequently Asked QuestionsPayment Page, Copyright© explorenorfolkuk.co.uk; 2013- All Rights Reserved, If you enjoy walking holidays, then you may like to walk the. Tickets from Michael Stewart (except 1527) Brian Halford. The cheapest way to get from Swaffham to Wells-next-the-Sea costs only 8, and the quickest way takes just 32 mins. Harry Carter, the grammar school's art teacher of the 1960s, was responsible for a great number of the carved village signs that are now found in many of Norfolk's towns and villages, including Swaffham's own sign commemorating the legendary Pedlar of Swaffham,[6][7][8] which is in the corner of the market place just opposite the old school's gates. This club organises walks over disused railway lines, and non-members can sample up to two of these before joining. After about 0.5 miles (800m) you reach a sign on your right saying 'Peddars Way Restricted Byway Pickenham 3km'. Closure notices were served for the Lynn & Dereham line in 1968 and it closed to passengers with effect from 9 September 1968, with the last trains running on Saturday 7 September. The view over the lake is beautiful and youll probably catch sight of the resident swan just beneath the hide. 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. [20] Together they generate more than three megawatts. As the glaciers retreated, they left hard masses of ice which eventually had soil over them. 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. 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. From this distance in time we can only speculate about why this was scheduled. Opened in 1875, the Watton and Swaffham Railway - also known as the Crab and Winkle line - connected the towns with Thetford in one direction and King's Lynn in the other. Once called the Butter Cross, this Palladian-styled structure is topped by a little figure of the goddess Ceres, holding a sheaf. Steam locomotives worked out of Swaffham engine shed, a sub-shed of Norwich Thorpe (shed code 32A in BR days). Rose (NAU), 21 July 1982.Watton station gone, but at Church Road crossing cottage and gates remain.Rest of track as far as Saham Toney removed, bridges all gone.E. All passenger services to Watton and Thetford ended on 15 June 1964 although the final trains had run on 12 June. Goods traffic continued on the line as far as Watton until 19 April 1965 and Swaffham lost all of its goods trains in 1966. Swaffham is near the crossroads of the west-east ( Kings Lynn (15 miles) to Norwich (30 miles)) A47 and the south-north A1065 ( London, Cambridge and Newmarket to Fakenham and North Norfolk). Both companies lines were double track at that point although each became single less than 100yd beyond the junction. Just after Swaffham, the line split into two, one branch heading south to Thetford, and the other east towards Dereham. As you venture out in to the rural surrounds of the town, you will have the opportunity to explore the fascinating remains of castles, churches and priories, to learn more about Breckland's natural environment and discover how this has influenced land-use and communities throughout the ages.'. Turn left to continue along this road, past a few cottages until it turns into a track straight ahead. Thirteen down trains stopped: one came from Thetford via Watton. "Ice Age To Royalty" Norfolk Stately Homes walk. Almost immediately you pass the entrance to the parish Church of St Peter and St Paul's, which dates mostly from the 15th century and whose distinctive spire can be seen for miles around. Theres a small bird watching hide overlooking Thompson Water surrounded by lots of bird feeders hanging from the trees, and its definitely worth stopping at, not least to rest your legs! The mostly spacious bedrooms are thoughtfully furnished to ensure guest comfort You can read all about the history of Swaffham, along with seeing an excellent exhibition dedicated to Howard Carter and his discoveries in Egypt. A Gannett Company. 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. Streetmap Nat.Grid: TF 817 095 GPS: Lat,Long 52.6535,0.6851 what3words: seated.clerk.corded These two busy routes provide Swaffham with a large volume of passing trade and travellers, especially at weekends and during the summer months. Here can still be seen the crossing-keepers hut and, beside it, a gatepost and the remnants of the personnel gate that was part of the level crossing. That came to fruition on 15 November 1876. [13], Swaffham is one of the many locations for The Man Who Became Rich through a Dream folk tale (Aarne-Thompson type 1645). Eastwards towards Dereham they ran, at first, only as far as Sporle from 26 October 1847: Sporle to Dereham opened on 11 September 1848. 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. Thompson Water is actually a man-made lake which was created in 1845 along a tributary of the River Wissey, and has nothing to do with the Pingos! 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. '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). Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). The club are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at Shoemakers Lane. It would be quite fun to take a little boat and row your way around here! 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. Many of our walk leaders research their routes in advance and bring along resources such as archive photographs, books and historical notes. It was given to the town by Lord Orford in 1783. Its construction was delayed and complicated due to difficult land at Neaton, just north of Watton. There was no Sunday service. This is Downton station, the first stop south of Salisbury on the LSWRs cross-country line from Salisbury to Wimborne, whence most services continued to Bournemouth West (although Dorchester and Weymouth could also be reached directly). Its quite a long walk, but I would highly recommend it. Two sidings shunted from the east lay on the north side of the running lines and there was a long one on the south side. BRIDGE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD), HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD), RAILWAY (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD), RAILWAY TRANSPORT SITE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD). The line from the junction with the Dereham line at Swaffham remains unobstructed, although with some bridges removed. P.S. stations on the Watton & Swaffham Railway click on the station name: 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. After exploring the church, continue to head north and cross the road at a busy junction with traffic lights, passing the George Hotel. 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. The last passenger service, the 9.21 pm from Thetford to Swaffham, ran on 12th June 1964 and was formed of a two-car diesel multiple unit with driver David Grant of Dereham in charge, carrying, it was reported locally, seventy passengers. The current building, dating from 1454, is built on the foundation of the original church. Where the island platform is an ugly and untidy business park. In 1876 two larger Sharpe, Stewart & Co 0-4-2 tender engines joined the fleet, presumably because of the motive power needs of the new Swaffham extension. East of the A1065 another unsightly business park lies over the running lines and northern sidings. The pedlar set off home with great haste, discovered the treasure and donated his money to the towns church. 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. 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. 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. For more information on what we can offer on our Norfolk Walking Holidays, click here, Foxley Norfolk, Norfolk Wildlife Trust Bluebell Wood Spectacular. It was formed of the Watton and Swaffham Railway, founded in 1866 as an independent venture by the Thetford and Watton Railway Company. Some of the main platform edging and surface survives. North of Watton a nominally independent company, the Watton and Swaffham Railway was incorporated on 12 July 1869. Market-goers returned on the 5.20pm from the city, changing at Dereham. It was vested into the GER in 1897, becoming part of the London and North Eastern Railway on 1 January 1923. (Tim Chant). [9] These locomotives were maintained at a shed at Watton. As you drive along the main road, about 3 miles south of Watton youll see a largish lay-by. Sunday saw two trains, both late in the day, the first activity being at 4.32 pm from Swaffham. You meander through Cranberry Rough where on either sideyoure surrounded by water and wetland, dykes and pools. The nearest Met Office weather station to provide local climate data is RAF Marham, about .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}5+12 miles (9km) west of the town centre. ', '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). The church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul is one of only a few churches that have angels carved in wood instead of stone around the top of the walls. [9] Carter was a distant cousin of the archaeologist and egyptologist Howard Carter[10] who spent much of his childhood in the town. This area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of the pollen and the plant remains in the peat which is below all this wetland. (Jeff Vinter). Walk from the gracious town of Swaffham to the ancient Peddars Way. There was no Sunday service. Two giant wind turbines dominate the views to your right, and the eight turbines of the wind farm at North Pickenham are visible across the fields to your left. Follow the path through the hedge and walk straight ahead where you'll then come to another small fence and steps which take you down to the disused railway. Under the proposal, the former Watton-Swaffham railway line would be repurposed to become a walking and cycling link. Swaffham railway station was located in Swaffham, Norfolk. . You continue along the Peddars Way track which then turns into a tarmac lane. A transport companys premises are on the site of the engine shed. Swaffham owes much of its present-day elegance to late 18th-century and Regency times, when it was a centre for well-connected people to attend balls, soires and concerts. 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. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can 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). Immediately south of Watton little remains of the line in Thompson Parish except at Griston where the railway crossed a minor road. 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. The clue is in the name! Browse the best walks around Swaffham and see interactive maps of the top 8 hiking trails and routes. It took me about 2 hours, with a slightly niggly back, but it is definitely a walk I would do again. Get your free copy of the "Quick Guide To Norfolk Beaches". 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. The railway was taken over by the Great Eastern Railway in 1880, with the locomotives joining the GER stock list. An 8.20 am Thetford to Watton train returned from the market town at 8.49 am after a five minute stop. The line was important for coal, poultry, sugar beet and RAF cargo, and joined the Lynn and Dereham Line (NHER 13600) at Swaffham. 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? 58 - 92. The view from the hide overlooking Thompson Water. Swaffham Belt Path. This is now part of the Peddars Way Long Distance Trail. See full article, Ralph Rawlinson Gazetteer of Disused Lines, Apr 2023 Landmark 5m bridge to cross valley between Oldham and Tameside approved, Apr 2023 Watton-Swaffham railway line could become 15km walking link. Our walks are split roughly 4:1 between walks over official railway paths and walks over old trackbeds which are privately owned. Common. Along with the very picturesque Thompson Water, a man-made lake,this is a very picturesque walkin amongst marshy woodland and wetland, walking on part of an old Roman Road called thePeddars Wayand across Thompson Common and finally finishing up along a disused railway line where you pass some incredible beautiful swamps. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 39 min to complete. [17] A wood carving of the Pedlar of Swaffham is also in the church. The Pingo Trail starts in the car park off the main A1075. Under the proposal, the former Watton-Swaffham railway line would be repurposed to become a walking and cycling link. . It was the junction for lines to King's Lynn, Dereham, and . . Route map drawn by Alan Young. Turn left here for yet more glorious views and wetlands! Roudham Junction to Watton closed completely. Walk on the pavement along Station Road until you see Sporle Road on your right. The walk begins in the centre of Swaffham, near the Market Cross. 3rd class returns were green and buff. Follow the lane over a bridge over a disused railway line and past Grange Farm, to eventually reach the A47 once more. The lake used to be dominated and almost completely covered with a plant called Water Soldier, and although it provided ideal habitat for a lot of wildlife, it also takes the oxygen out of the water. Manning Wardle of Leeds supplied the companys first locomotives after an offer from Robert Fairlie to test his Fairlie Steam Carriage was rejected. 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. 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. [14], In medieval folklore, a black, hairy dog called the Black Shuck was rumoured to have wandered the three settlements of Swaffham, Castle Acre, and Great Cressingham, ambushing merchants who were on their way to large towns to sell their goods. [25] A proposal to convert the building into a leisure centre was considered by BDC but ultimately abandoned. The latter are often the most interesting walks, but they take a lot of time, effort and skill to arrange. A near-flat awning with plain valance, supported by remarkably large and chunky brackets with trefoil motifs in the spandrels, was attached to the station building on the platform elevation. Turn left and walk for 0.25 mile (400m) to a crossroads by Reepham town centre. Oxburgh Hall is a glorious place to visit. The line to Kings Lynn became single track immediately after leaving the station area. All of the other services called at all stations if required to do so. 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. The pedlar returned to Swaffham, and found the treasure. The line was lifted after closure. Nowadays, the station site is occupied by a small housing estate called The Sidings, which is as predictable as any name in such a location. Some steam turns continued on goods trains on the remaining lines to Kings Lynn and Dereham until Norwich Thorpe shed closed to steam on 2 April 1962. Using photos and text, the course of each lost railway line is described in detail, enhanced where possible by photos taken during the line's heyday.'. The name of the town derives from the Old English Swfa hm = "the homestead of the Swabians"; some of them presumably came with the Angles and Saxons. Additional information Trackways on former railway line Open farmland Under control and on lead through town OS Explorer 238 Dereham & Aylsham Additionally, at 8.30 am, a non-stop train left Thetford and terminated at Watton. 'Walking your way around Swaffham, you will see many fine examples of historic architecture and you will experience a sense of traditionalism mixed with the energy of modern day life. Via Airport sky train to Airport railway Station. The quiet market towns of Fakenham and Swaffham are prime examples, as well as Thetford, with its popular museum focusing on the TV comedy seriesDads Armywhich wasfilmed in the area. The underbridge at the Lynn Road, also of black bricks, is in good condition and carries a barely readable bridge number dating from BR times. This produces a lot of information which doesnt lend itself easily to a short rubric that we can publish in our magazine. Cross the busy road and head for the path for cyclists and walkers only. Takes 50 minutes from Airport (Train and walk). Experience a V shaped wood, an ancient ice house, an extraordinary church interior and a beautiful lake. Timetables from Alan Young . contact the editor here. Overview. One of the most prestigious events in the days of the Regency was the annual hare coursing hosted by the Swaffham Club. The main line saw a big increase in services: eleven up trains bound for Lynn stopped at Dunham, one more ran only to Swaffham where a change for Lynn was offered. One post-holder of note at Swaffham was John Coker who supervised the no doubt large workforce required for a busy junction station for more than 25 years. Place. Enjoy this 2.0-mile out-and-back trail near King's Lynn, Norfolk. Freight services commenced in January 1869, with passenger services in October 1869. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Drive from Kent to Swaffham. Railway Station to Swaffham, Kings Arms. Send us photos or a comment about this route. Roudham Junction to Watton was closed completely at this time, and the remainder was closed to freight on 19 April 1965, after transporting the final sugar beet and coal traffic. The 1953 steam-worked timetable shows six through trains with no extra services to or from Watton. Norfolk prides itself on its wealth of historic houses, the most famous beingSandringham, where Her Majesty the Queen and her family spend Christmas. The Leeds engines were 0-6-0 tanks with three-foot driving wheels. The up platform was linked to the down side platform by a footbridge at the east end of the station. This photograph was taken shortly after 4th May 1964 and all services had been withdrawn. 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. I have done it quite a few more times and each time I love it more than the last time! I skirted the pond and quickly found a well-trodden track which I followed. 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. There's electric heating throughout and an open fire with coal and logs provided. . It remained a stabling point (including overnight at weekends in particular), with water, turning and basic servicing facilities, until final closure on 2 April 1962. The route either side of Stow Bedon station has been removed, and the station site levelled. Swaffham Raceway, a former greyhound track, hosts stock car racing. Last walked on 16 May 2015, 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 continuing north-east on streets, paths and Sporle Road 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. Not shown in the tables, a train for Norwich and its market left on Saturdays only at about 8.40am. The idea has been suggested as part of Breckland Councils Future Breckland project, for which a plan covering each of the districts five market towns has been produced. 1st Class singles were white, 2nd rose, 3rd green and parliamentary buff coloured. Other great bird watching walks can be found here on our coastal and inland walks page. Today the town is known for the presence of two large Enercon E-66 wind turbines. We recognise that a number of our members are older and appreciate a shorter walk, so where possible many of our walk leaders design their walks with early drop-out points so that those who prefer a shorter walk can be accommodated. The eastwest A47 Birmingham to Great Yarmouth road now avoids the town, using a northerly bypass opened in 1981. [5] On the top is the statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of the harvest. Of the cattle yards and shed there is no trace: they lie under a scaffolding companys yard. 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 Holme Hale. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. Swaffham has a Non-League football club Swaffham Town F.C. Railway Ramblers is very fortunate to have voluntary walk leaders who are prepared to undertake this work for the benefit of members. Travelling south from Swaffham there were stations at Holme Hale, Watton, Stow Bedon, Wretham& Hockham and Roudham Junction. At Roudham the junction faced west towards Thetford. 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. book contains 18 walks with an interest. In the summer of 2006, location filming was done in the town for the ITV1 series Kingdom, starring Stephen Fry. Norfolk Health, Heritage and Biodiversity Walks Project, 'Walking your way around Swaffham, you will see many fine examples of historic architecture and you will experience a sense of traditionalism mixed with the energy of modern day life. To the east of the level crossing there were two sidings shunted from the station direction; these lay on the north side of the running lines. It hadnt gone far during the time it took me to walk the 7 or so miles but because the last stretch is parallel to where I was walking earlier, it had just walked across these two tracks! 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. Freight services commenced in January 1869, with passenger services in October 1869. 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. West of the station an earth bund prevents access and sight along the trackbed. Several distinct ticket types were issued: all were standard Edmondson size. [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. The Junction box was taken out of use at this time. I just remember thinking water, water everywhere! Eventually a shopkeeper asked him why he was waiting, and the man told of his dream. Theoretically, a group of 20 or so walkers passing over an old railway bridge might, just conceivably, weaken the structure, e.g. [4], The line was closed to passengers on 15 June 1964, with a two-car diesel multiple unit (DMU) driven by driver David Grant of Dereham operating the final service. Our walks are open to all members from any area of the club. To a passer-by on the A1065 north of the town centre there is no indication that a railway once crossed the busy main road. Anyone who is concerned about risk can arrange their own, personal insurance cover, but in practice our walks are no more dangerous than any other walk, and probably a lot less dangerous than some other outdoor pursuits, such climbing or even cycling. 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. Temperature extremes in the Swaffham-Marham area range from 34.8C (94.6F) in August 1990, down to 16.7C (1.9F) during February 1956. On the main line there were six passenger trains in each direction plus one more on each of Tuesday and Saturday, these being market days in Lynn and Norwich respectively. Some of these ponds were stagnant, others had pretty water Quickest way to get there Cheapest option Distance between. Swaffham (/swfm/) is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District and English county of Norfolk. If you enjoy walking holidays, then you may like to walk the "Ice Age To Royalty" Norfolk Stately Homes walk. It is now fairly clear. The station building is a social services centre and the house a private dwelling. Last walked on 5 January 2019. Stanley C Jenkins, in his book about the Lynn & Dereham Railway, gives us the names of many of the Station Masters in charge at various places and times. 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. For Swaffham Bulbeck in Cambridgeshire, see. However, our leaders ability to do this depends on the location of the walk, which in turn governs the level of available public transport. Notes: Swaffham station had two passenger platforms. The Thetford branch closed on 15 June 1964, and the station closed to passengers on 9 September 1968.
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