North Norfolk Railway News

Long-term Future of Steam Locomotive 76084 Secured at North Norfolk Railway The North Norfolk Railway has signed an agreement with the 76084 Locomotive Company Limited that will see the 1957-built engine overhauled at the NNR’s Weybourne Locomotive Works and working on the 5½ mile heritage line for the duration of her next “ten-year ticket”. The locomotive was a regular performer on the Poppy Line after entering service following restoration in 2013 until the expiry of her boiler certificate in 2023. NNR General Manager, Graham Hukins, explained, “Legislation requires steam locomotive boilers to be removed from the engine every ten years [...]

Visiting locomotives, bands and brews for railway’s 2026 Rails and Ales celebration   There’s a fantastic event brewing at the North Norfolk Railway on June 12, 13 and 14 as the line prepares to host Rails & Ales 2026! The popular event will feature at least 8 historic steam and diesel locomotives, including 2 that are visiting the line for the long weekend. In addition, there will be over 40 local ales to sample across the three stations and at bars on board some trains plus 10 Norfolk ciders as well as live music performances from local bands. Tickets include [...]

All Aboard! Railway débuts ‘new’ Victorian era carriage at bank holiday celebrations    The North Norfolk Railway is busily preparing for the late May bank holiday, when it is scheduled to début a special addition to its popular vintage set. The new coach, dating from 1897, will join other coaches from the Victorian era owned by the heritage line’s supporting charity, the Midland and Great Northern Railway Society (M&GN), as part of the Vintage Train that will be in action throughout the bank holiday.   Great Eastern Railway No 37 was originally built at Stratford as a third-class family saloon, [...]

New and Old at the Poppy Line as Heritage Railway celebrates Great British Classics   The North Norfolk Railway is set for four weeks of fun for all ages this May, with the return of some old favourites throughout the month alongside a popular new dining experience aboard the line’s fleet of historic trains. From drop in science shows and hands on signalling experiences to recreations from BBC sitcoms, May is set to be a busy month for the heritage line which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.   Visitors looking to step back in time can do so over [...]

Locomotive Looks to Scotland Trustees of the M&GN Society are delighted to announce that their largest steam locomotive, WD 2-10-0 90775 The Royal Norfolk Regiment has taken on the livery of some of its Scottish classmates. Locomotive No’s 90750 - 90774 were sheded at both Grangemouth and Motherwell between 1948 and 1961, and wore distinctive ’Scottish blue’ number and shed plates. This colour now adorns 90775, mirroring the colour she wore when first was loaned to the North Norfolk Railway in 2003 by then owners the Essex Locomotive Society. The locomotive is also wearing a 65F ‘Grangemouth’ shed plate, loaned to the [...]

Grant Funding Helps Heritage Railway Invest in Accessible Travel   The North Norfolk Railway has today announced that it has received funding of £50,000 from Airbnb’s new Best of British Fund. The Fund, launched in partnership with Visit Britain, sets aside £1 million to help support local hospitality and seeks to celebrate traditions and experiences that make British tourism unique and unforgettable. The heritage line applied for support with its upcoming project to convert an existing coach into an accessible saloon, allowing visitors with additional mobility needs to enjoy journeys into the past with facilities purpose-built to support them.   [...]

Local schools make crack-ing contribution to Poppy Line’s Easter Eggspress!   The North Norfolk Railway has teamed up with five local schools to help create their 2026 Easter Trail, which runs across the length of the heritage line from Sheringham to Holt throughout the Easter holidays. Students from Beeston Hall, Gresham’s Pre Prep, Kelling Primary School, Sheringham Primary and Sheringham Woodfields School were each invited to design eggs, complete with special letters for explorers to spot. Starting on March 28, every young visitor to the railway can enjoy the free hunt helping the line’s mascot “Morgan” to find all of [...]

Two Poppy Line Stations Receive Grade II Listed Status to Coincide with Railway 200 Celebrations Two of the restored stations on the popular North Norfolk Railway have been listed at Grade II by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England, in recognition of their historic and architectural interest and to mark 200 years of the modern railway. Sheringham Station and Weybourne Station retain many of their original features and are enjoyed by over 150,000 visitors that travel on the 5½ mile heritage railway every year. The two stations, built in 1887 and 1900 respectively [...]

Steam Galore as Poppy Line Celebrates 50th Anniversary   From Saturday 23 August, the North Norfolk Railway is set to stage a nine-day Festival on Rails featuring eight steam locomotives. The event will culminate with a spectacular Steam Gala on 29, 30 and 31 as part of this year’s celebrations to mark the line’s 50th Anniversary.   The popular heritage railway re-opened in 1975 and activities will include a recreation of the first train operated by pioneering volunteers five decades ago.   It is hoped that one of the locomotives that worked trains half a century ago, Ashington No 5, will [...]