NHER 13757 (Monument record) - Site of Etna Stone and Shingle Works Tramway

2 ft 0 inches gauge. Used for gravel extraction around 1920-1959.
Site now used for holiday camp.
See (S1).

August 2002. Norfolk NMP.
Sections of the Etna Stone and Shingle co. ltd. Narrow gauge (2 ft 0 inches) tramway are visible on RAF 1944-46 aerial photographs (S2-4), and on Floodlight images from 1953 (S5). The tramway was in operation from 1920-59 (Fisher 1978, 41) (S7). In these images it appears to run from around NGR TF6477 3340 (via TF6489 3327) to TF6483 3238. There are some clear (and some possible) tracks leading off from here. Two have been mapped running between NGR TF6488 3330 and TF6488 3336, and TF6488 3321 and TF6491 3330. Elsewhere some tracks can possibly be seen leading off the mapped stretches. These might continue further into the southern area of the workings and there might be more branches, but this is unclear. The clearest and most definite stretch has been mapped. Near to the northern part of the tramway there is a structure that clearly appears to be associated with the tramway. This may be a possible further section of tramway and perhaps a turning area, but this is not certain.
Two nearby buildings (located at NGR TF 6489 3333 - centre) are also visible in the above listed RAF aerial photographs and it seems likely that these are associated with the gravel extraction and tramway rather than the military camp adjacent to the site (part of NHER 23145). As well as the associated buildings, there are workings to be seen in the form of large extraction areas (these have not been mapped), some of which are already containing water.
In the aerial photographs from the 1940’s a strip of disturbed ground (not mapped) can be seen just behind a row of beach huts and on the edge of the Etna Stone and shingle works extraction area. On the otherside of the beach huts a World War Two minefield was located (NHER 26637) and it is possible that this is an additional part of this. However, although it has a fairly similar appearance to this, it is not exactly right and it is possible that this is actually part of a boundary delimiting the extraction area. None of this is certain though.
Gravel extraction took place here between the 1920s and 1961 (when the quarries were finally closed). The northern area of the site (adjacent to the military camp NHER 23145) has been built over by a caravan park, while the extraction areas have been turned into lagoons which form a nature reserve.
H. Clare (NMP), 19 August 2002.