Full steam ahead! Stay at Heacham Manor and discover Norfolk’s heritage railways
Heritage railway enthusiasts say nothing beats the distinctive smell of the steam of a locomotive, and there’s no denying the drama of an old-fashioned engine as it hauls its elegant carriages along the track. Norfolk is lucky to have five heritage railways, and it’s well worth climbing aboard to take a trip or two during your stay at Heacham Manor. Step back in time and experience the golden age of railway travel with our handy guide to Norfolk’s heritage railways – full steam ahead…
The Poppy Line, North Norfolk Railway from Heacham Manor
Perhaps best known of Norfolk’s heritage lines, the North Norfolk Railway – fondly dubbed the Poppy Line, as it steams its way along the coast from Sheringham to Holt through fields of the red flowers during the summer months – was originally part of the Eastern and Midlands Railway, built by William Marriott and opened on 16 June 1887.
Originally the line was intended to go from Holt to Blakeney to serve the harbour, but when poet Clement Scott discovered and captured the area’s idyllic rural setting in his poem, ‘The Garden of Sleep’, the tourist trail was set and the railway’s directors opted for the Sheringham route, which originally extended to Cromer.
During World War II, the railway provided an important role in ferrying troops to training camps at Weybourne (the Poppy Line still stops at the small station) and also provided a defence patrol for the area. Closed in the 60s under Beeching’s cuts, British Rail built a platform on the east side of Sheringham Station to maintain a route to Cromer and onto Norwich, the county capital, and since 1975 a succession of passionate enthusiasts and volunteers have worked to save, restore and secure the heritage line’s future as a major tourist attraction.
Today, visitors can enjoy a cuppa at the 1950s-style station at Sheringham and see an array of steam and diesel engines, historic carriages and vans, including the brightly coloured Colman’s Mustard wagon. Plan a trip and ride the route to Holt also an historic town where you will find fantastic independent shops, art galleries and eateries to explore.
Ride the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway from Heacham Manor
Famous instead as the world’s smallest public railway, the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway has no less appeal, despite its diminutive status. From Heacham Manor, an easy drive along the A149 will take you past the Holkham Estate to Wells-next-the-Sea, one of Norfolk’s quintessential coastal towns.
The light railway runs between here and Walsingham with its historic abbey. The relaxing ride takes just 30 minutes, journeyinghttps://www.walsinghamabbey.com/ through beautiful countryside along a 10.25” gauge track, and there is plenty to see and do at each end of the route – Walsingham Abbey is a Medieval Priory which has been a place of pilgrimage since the 11th century and is a gorgeous, green and leafy haven of peace.
The brainchild of Lieutenant-Commander Roy Wallace Francis, a British naval officer who had a lifelong love of railways, he built the Wells Harbour Railway in 1976 at the request of Norfolk County Council to alleviate traffic in the town (sadly the service ended in 2022), before embarking on the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway in 1979 which followed the old Great Eastern Line between the two towns. Opening on 6 April 1982, today two locomotives – the Norfolk Hero and Norfolk Heroine – ferry 76 passengers each trip through a wildlife site which is home to rare species of flora and fauna.
Go east to the Bure Valley Railway, Aylsham-Wroxham
For a great day out during your stay at Heacham Manor, the Bure Valley Railway runs from Aylsham to Wroxham on the Norfolk Broads, an 18-mile round trip alongside the River Bure. As the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway is the smallest, the Bure Valley Railway is said to be the longest narrow gauge railway in the world, and a fabulous way to explore west, east and central Norfolk all in one go! The train stops at Brampton, Buxton and Coltishall on request, and takes around 45 minutes each way.
Opened in 1990, the railway originally loaned locomotives and drivers from the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent, but today it has its own fleet of five steam and three diesel locomotives. For the real heritage railway enthusiast, the route offers steam driver experience days with a hands-on opportunity to prepare and drive a locomotive!
Mid-Norfolk Railway
Each heritage railway has its mantle, and the Mid-Norfolk Railway which runs 17.5 miles through countryside from Dereham, in the heart of rural Norfolk, to Wymondham with its twin-towered abbey, is the longest standard-gauge heritage railway in East Anglia. The line opened in 1845 and ran as part of the British Railway network before closing on 6 October 1969, used thereafter for the transportation of goods during the early 70s. Preservation work began shortly after in 1974, but it wasn’t until 1999 that the route reopened to passengers.
Over the years, the Mid Norfolk Railway has been a screen star, providing a location for BBC comedy series ’Allo ’Allo! and featuring in an episode of Michael Portfolio’s Great British Railway Journeys, along with a Bollywood version of The Girl on the Train. The railway organises special events throughout the year including the hugely popular The Polar Express Train Ride which is a wonderful festive experience for all ages.
Whitwell and Reepham Railway
A relative new kid on the block, the Whitwell and Reepham Railway reopened on 28 February 2009, 50 years after it closed to passengers in 1959, as a result of Beecham’s much-lamented cuts.
Originally part of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway line from Melton Constable to Norwich, today the route journeys between the two towns alongside the Marriott’s Way, with steam and diesel engines running on relaid track and sidings alongside the old station and restored signal box.
If you are staying at Heacham Manor this August, the Whitwell and Reepham Railway is running a Bank Holiday Steam event on 25 August, with trains running from 12.30-4pm, and it also holds regular Steam Sunday events on the first Sunday of each month.
With so many routes to choose from, plan a Norfolk break and slow the pace with a heritage railway ride, just like the good old days.