NHER 13586 (Monument record) - East Norfolk Railway (later Great Eastern), Cromer line

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Summary

Work on the East Norfolk Railway began in 1867, designed to create a route from Norwich to Cromer. It opened at North Walsham in 1874, at Gunton in 1876 and finally at Cromer in 1877, and the line is still in use today. A link to Sheringham was built in 1906. Whitlingham was closed to passengers in 1955 and goods in 1964, and Cromer High in 1954 and 1960. This line once hosted Restaurant Car expresses from Liverpool Street bringing holiday-makers to the seaside, but since then the track has been reduced to a single line. The line originally included the Wroxham signal box, now listed under (NHER 43923). The signal box was built in 1900 by McKenzie and Holland, to a standard Great Eastern Railway Type 7 design, with a fifty level frame complete with internal fittings. It is currently listed by English Heritage, and is situated next to the Bure Valley Railway.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TG22SE
Civil Parish GREAT AND LITTLE PLUMSTEAD, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
Civil Parish RACKHEATH, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
Civil Parish SALHOUSE, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
Civil Parish THORPE ST ANDREW, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
Civil Parish WROXHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
Civil Parish ANTINGHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
Civil Parish CROMER, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
Civil Parish HOVETON, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
Civil Parish NORTH WALSHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
Civil Parish NORTHREPPS, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
Civil Parish SLOLEY, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
Civil Parish SOUTHREPPS, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
Civil Parish THORPE MARKET, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
Civil Parish TUNSTEAD, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
Civil Parish WORSTEAD, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Begun in 1867, work stopped until 1870. Opened to North Walsham in 1874; to Gunton in 1876 and to Cromer in 1877.
Track doubled to North Walsham from 1896 to 1900 when the timber viaduct over Bure and Bridge Broad was rebuilt in iron. Still in use except for Cromer High.

Whitlingham Junction-Salhouse-Wroxham (siding)-Worstead-North Walsham (siding)-Gunton-Cromer Junction (spur to Roughton Road Junction)- Cromer (High) (with goods yard; opened 1877).

Wroxham signal box (context 2) was Listed grade II in 1999. It is of 1900, McKenzie and Holland, with fifty level frame complete with internal fittings. Standard GER (Great Eastern Railway) Type 7 design replacing earlier platform box.
Photos in secondary file.
E. Rose (NLA) 29 November 1999.

Newspaper cuttings (S1-S5) in secondary file.

Gunton station is only half in use, the other half has been restored to its 19th century appearance including Lord Suffield's private rooms.
E. Rose (NLA) 24 May 2004.

  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1993-1998. [Articles on Cromer's Beach Station].
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009-2010. [Articles on the re-joining of the Bittern Line to Norwich].
  • --- Photograph: 1999. Photographs of Wroxham Signal Box, Wroxham. Colour.
  • --- Publication: Joby, R.. 1975. The East Norfolk Railway.
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 33 NW 13.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • --- Unpublished Contractor Report: Network Archaeology. 2002. Bacton to Kings Lynn Proposed Gas Pipeline. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment. Network Archaeology. 179.
  • <S1> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1997. Stations 'left to rot' claim angers Railtrack. 19 February.
  • <S2> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1991. Train lover gets his own station. 23 October.
  • <S3> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2000. Help us to 'Save Our Signalbox'. 26 April.
  • <S4> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1977. Cromer High. 8 February.
  • <S5> Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1987-1997. [Articles on North Walsham Station].

Object Types (0)

Record last edited

Oct 30 2025 11:29AM

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