A short way beyond that a steel girder carrying the line over Low Road survives. 3rd class returns were green and buff. The club are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at Shoemakers Lane. From Watton went poultry, butter, milk and eggs, principally to Cambridge and London markets. If you know of a railway line near you that is accessible to horse traffic and/or carriage driving, please let us have the information. Like many of East Anglias railways it was agriculture that generated much of the goods traffic. Further east, a high arched bridge over a road remains.E. There was no Sunday service. Rose (NLA), 18 February 2002.Holme Hale station is preserved intact, including a signal to the east. 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. Once called the Butter Cross, this Palladian-styled structure is topped by a little figure of the goddess Ceres, holding a sheaf. We also have a useful Walk Template (see links below). 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. The 15km trail would create a new link between Watton and Swaffham, whose railway line closed in 1965. 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. The first of these began operation in 1999[19] and the second in 2003. 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. The coming of the railway invigorated business in the town and two large monthly cattle markets brought livestock traffic to the railway. Information about your use of this site is shared with Google. The 1953 steam-worked timetable shows six through trains with no extra services to or from Watton. The cheapest way to get from Kent to Swaffham costs only 44, and the quickest way takes just 2 hours. Civil Liability insurance should not be confused with accident insurance: it does not cover members for accidents, but for things such as any damage that our visit might cause to private property, unlikely though that is. Country town and its surrounding farmland, Lead required in town, and under strict control on the lanes, OS Explorer 236 King's Lynn, Downham Market & Swaffham, Car park in centre of Swaffham, by Market Cross. 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. You meander through Cranberry Rough where on either sideyoure surrounded by water and wetland, dykes and pools. Swaffham to Wells-next-the-Sea - 2 ways to travel via taxi, and car The start of the Pingo Trail is through a kissing gate and the path is very obvious along here. Swaffham Belt Path | Map, Guide - Norfolk, England | AllTrails Another famous local was Howard Carter, the eminent 20th-century Egyptologist who discovered Tutankhamuns tomb in the Valley of the Kings and is rumoured to have died as the result of the boy-king curse. which plays at Shoemakers Lane. Sometimes, our own walk leaders were there to take some archive photographs. 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. Manning Wardle of Leeds supplied the companys first locomotives after an offer from Robert Fairlie to test his Fairlie Steam Carriage was rejected. This page is not available in other languages. The line would be worked by the Thetford and Watton company. 1st Class singles were white, 2nd rose, 3rd green and parliamentary buff coloured. However, our leaders ability to do this depends on the location of the walk, which in turn governs the level of available public transport. There's electric heating throughout and an open fire with coal and logs provided. 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. Timetables from Alan Young . The new route running. The last train to Thetford left at 7.16pm and arrived back at Swaffham at 10.01pm. Streetmap Nat.Grid: TF 817 095 GPS: Lat,Long 52.6535,0.6851 what3words: seated.clerk.corded Once past this stretch of open meadow, youll have a very pretty walk in amongst woodland and alongside a stream and eventually arriving at more Pingoponds and then the wonderfully picturesque Thompson Water. And they pointed to the 18-mile Camel Trail in Cornwall, used byaround 400,000 people each year and generatingroughly 3m of expenditure in local businesses. Swaffham Walking routes starting in Turbine Way, Swaffham. Norfolk prides itself on its wealth of historic houses, the most famous beingSandringham, where Her Majesty the Queen and her family spend Christmas. Although not a large town, Watton has a long-established market having received its Charter in 1204 allowing a market to be held on Wednesdays. The Leeds engines were 0-6-0 tanks with three-foot driving wheels. 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. The North Norfolk Railway (NNR) - also known as the "Poppy Line" - is a heritage steam railway in Norfolk, England, running between the coastal towns of Sheringham and Holt. After exploring the church, continue to head north and cross the road at a busy junction with traffic lights, passing the George Hotel. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. It was formed of the Watton and Swaffham Railway, founded in 1866 as an independent venture by the Thetford and Watton Railway Company. The market cross here was built by George Walpole, 3rd Earl of Orford and presented to the town in 1783. Its quite a long walk, but I would highly recommend it. 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. Rose (NAU), 22 September 1986. Future plans drafted for Watton and Swaffham - The Wayland News 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. 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. 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. Turn right here and head back in the direction of Swaffham. An express left for Lynn and Peterborough at 8.25am, non-stop to Lynn. The Market Place and twin churches lie to the right, while the car park is just a short distance ahead along Station Road. Parking is normally possible at various places in Turbine Way but near the junction with Brocks Road may be preferable. The delightful village of Castle Acre boasts an extraordinary wealth of history and is a very rare and complete survival of a Norman planned settlement. Probably the last steam train to be seen at Swaffham was on 31 March 1962 when the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society ran a final steam excursion along several East Anglian lines. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Despite BRs modernisation attempts the end was signalled in Dr. Richard Beechings report The Reshaping of Britains Railways, published in March 1963 and closure of Norfolks branch lines began with some urgency. Early tickets had serial number and date on the face, right and left sides respectively: later ones had the serial number twice on the face and the date on the back. 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. The latter are often the most interesting walks, but they take a lot of time, effort and skill to arrange. 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. There were only 70 passengers on the final stage of the journey. All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go - Tripadvisor Of the intermediate stations only Dunham and Narborough had definite stops. You continue along the Peddars Way track which then turns into a tarmac lane. Some of the main platform edging and surface survives. One of the places they met was the handsome Assembly Rooms built between 1776 and 1778. There are still rumours of a puma-like black cat wandering around Norfolk[15] and Cambridgeshire.[16]. [2] References [ edit] ^ a b Butt, R. V. J. The walk begins in the centre of Swaffham, near the Market Cross. 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 pace and physical demands on our walks is more Rob Bell than Bear Grylls. The route from Thetford to Watton opened in 1869, and the line between Watton and Swaffham opened in 1875. You can park here if you wish, but the actual car park is just behind here, so take the track in the middle of the lay-by and turn immediately right.Most of the walk is very well sign posted. There are various exhibitions on display throughout the year and children's activities in all A castle mound was raised here by the Earls of Surrey in about ad 1080, and the first stone castle was added around the 11th century. If you start this way first, its The new walk and cycle path would include a connection to the Peddars Way, which would enable walkers to branch off towards the north Norfolk coast. See full article Mar 2023 - Travel Routes in Somerset Additionally, at 8.30 am, a non-stop train left Thetford and terminated at Watton. by dislodging some masonry or mortar from the arch below. Also known as kettle ponds, these pingos date back to the ice age, and Pingo is the Eskimo word for hill. Swaffham - Travel guide at Wikivoyage The stationmasters house was an unassuming, two-storey structure of pale cream brick under a hipped roof with a tall central chimneystack. Opened in 1875, the Watton and Swaffham Railway was also known as the Crab and Winkle line - and it connected the towns with Thetford in one direction and King's Lynn in the other. He took up office around the turn of the 20th Century and stayed in post until after Grouping in 1923. All of the other services called at all stations if required to do so. Our walks are open to all members from any area of the club. 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 railway was taken over by the Great Eastern Railway in 1880, with the locomotives joining the GER stock list. Most of the Pingos that were in the Brecks area have now disappeared due to the land being ploughed up for farming, so the ones remaining are historically, ecologically and internationally important for the wildlife. [27] In 2021 the building was sold to manufacturer Flexion Global for use as their headquarters. The Bury and Thetford (Swaffham Branch), also known as the Crab and Winkle Line,[1] was a railway line in England. tokeep up to date with 4 different tips every month for enjoying what Norfolk has to offer. Quickest way to get there Cheapest option Distance between. P.S. Our area groups publish periodic local newsletters, usually by email, which set out what is happening in each area. 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. [4] As a result of this prosperity, the town has a large market place. 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! Railway Ramblers is very fortunate to have voluntary walk leaders who are prepared to undertake this work for the benefit of members. A transport companys premises are on the site of the engine shed. The Thetford branch closed on 15 June 1964, and the station closed to passengers on 9 September 1968. The Wattonwater feature is so named because it was created byScottish railway workerswho were digging earth to be used for anembankment on the line. This was established by Lord Orford, a nephew of the writer Horace Walpole, in 1786. Legend has it that the fabulous Tudor windows of the north aisle of the Church of St Peter and St Paul were paid for by Chapman. The route either side of Stow Bedon station has been removed, and the station site levelled. Via Airport sky train to Airport railway Station. Eventually a shopkeeper asked him why he was waiting, and the man told of his dream. 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. As regards tickets issued for travel, Mr T C F Vollacott wrote a short history of the two railways. Swaffham Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Swaffham, Norfolk, England. The line north of Watton closed finally on 19 April 1965. is very dog friendly, as I wanted to discover walks that didn't require much road walking or time on leads. Part of the extraction site was flooded and became known locally as Loch Neaton, allegedly after the Scots navvies who built the railway. It was the junction for lines to King's Lynn, Dereham, and Thetford. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Coal and other produce not locally available arrived by train. [23] The council subsequently put it up for rent or sale and discussed exchanging it with Swaffham Town Council in return for 5 acres (2.0ha) of building land. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Route map drawn by Alan Young. 1974-1988. Luckily they didnt seem to be bothered with me which was a great relief, as I do have a slight fear of walking through fields with cows! A Gannett Company. Rural views and a charming atmosphere make them an A warm welcome awaits at Bramley, a delightful detached house, set in a peaceful location on the fringe of the village, with ample safe parking in the generous grounds. [13], Swaffham is one of the many locations for The Man Who Became Rich through a Dream folk tale (Aarne-Thompson type 1645). The Category Disused Railways is a subset of Heritage and History. The project previously reported has now been approved See full article, 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. 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. I skirted the pond and quickly found a well-trodden track which I followed. Throughout its life there was little change in the number and frequency of passenger trains on the branch. The Pingo Trail Walk - Explore Norfolk UK Under the proposal, the former Watton-Swaffham railway line would be repurposed to become a walking and cycling link. A Brief History of the Watton and Swaffham Railway - also known as the Bury and Thetford (Swaffham Branch) Railway On 16 July 1866 the Thetford and Watton Railway was incorporated to construct a new railway that would leave the Norwich & Brandon Railway line at Roudham Junction, four and a half miles east of Thetford. Eventually you reach a very quiet tarmac lane. The eastwest A47 Birmingham to Great Yarmouth road now avoids the town, using a northerly bypass opened in 1981. It was vested into the GER in 1897, becoming part of the London and North Eastern Railway on 1 January 1923. Turn left to continue along this road, past a few cottages until it turns into a track straight ahead. ', '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). [22] It was also built with an observation deck just below the nacelle which was open for the public to climb during the 2000s and 2010s, the only wind turbine in the world to have such a facility. Explore Norfolk UK has put together a special package to take in this Pingo Trail, as well as visiting Oxburgh Hall and taking a countryside walk around the area and Sandringham House, again with another lovely circular walk. Just after Swaffham, the line split into two, one branch heading south to Thetford, and the other east towards Dereham. 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. 35 - 55. Apr 2023 - Watton-Swaffham railway . Watton station has also been demolished and the site redeveloped, although a level crossing gate survived on Church Road as late as 1983. Tickets for travel from intermediate stations, except at Watton, were issued by the guard. You occasionally have to keep an eye out for way markers, but Norfolk Trails have upgraded the posts, so you shouldn't have a problem. The town is well known for the legend of the so-called Swaffham Pedlar, a local man called John Chapman who had gone to London and met a stranger on London Bridge. By 20 September of that year the Eastern Region had published proposals to close the Thetford to Watton Branch, allowing two months for consultation and objections.