North Norfolk Railway Tracks Back to the Sixties
The North Norfolk Railway is to host a Sixties Weekend on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 July recalling the atmosphere of the transformative decade with steam and diesel trains working side-by-side plus live music from the era and displays of some of the distinctive road vehicles of the time.
A half-hourly train service will operate between Sheringham and Holt with rover tickets allowing passengers to hop on and off all day to travel behind several different locomotives and to see the activities at Weybourne Station. Here, classic cars, including Minis and built to the iconic designs of Sir Alexander Issigonis will be on display along with scooters that were so much a part of the culture of the time. Other exhibits will include a handful of caravans which were luxury items at the time.
To help conjure up the ambience of the period, local band, “Airmail”, will be playing live on Saturday while on Sunday “The Austin Beats” will perform covers from the Beatles, Kinks, Rolling Stones and other popular bands that gave the “Swinging Sixties” their nickname. There will also be an opportunity for visitors to have a go at traditional sideshows that were a feature of fetes and fairgrounds in the 1960s. Many of the line’s team of volunteers will be sporting railway uniforms typical of those worn at the time and visitors are invited to come dressed in the fashion of the decade.
The railway’s two steam engines that were built by British Railways – 4MT No. 76084 and 9F No. 92203 “Black Prince” are scheduled to be in action for the two days. The pair were almost new when the 1960s dawned, having been constructed in 1957 and 1959 respectively, but both were withdrawn in 1967 as BR’s modernisation plan took hold.
Class 37 diesel, D6732, which celebrated its 60th Birthday earlier this year will also be hauling passenger trains along with visiting Class 25, D7659 which will be making its final appearance on the East Anglian line before returning to its base at Peak Rail. All four locomotives will be hauling carriages that were in use in the 1960s.
Commercial Manager, Graham Hukins, commented “We’re looking forward to transporting visitors back six decades to the time of drainpipe trousers, mini-skirts, flower power and pop music while the locomotives and carriages of the era will doubtless evoke memories for many.”
Full details of the events and activities, including train times, can be found at www.nnrailway.co.uk. Passengers booking in advance via the website enjoy a generous discount on train fares.
Following the event, the NNR’s summer services continue with two steam locomotives and one diesel train scheduled to be in action each day until 11 September when the line’s autumn programme commences with steam and heritage diesel services until 30 October – full details can be found at www.nnrailway.co.uk.