The North Norfolk Railway ran its first public passenger train on 13 July 1975 and the 50th Anniversary will be marked with a special recreation of the trains that ran half-a-century ago. The train will include some vehicles used in 1975 and will look very similar to the pioneering train.
Three of our wonderfully preserved Suburban coaches and a brake van will be hauled by a 0-6-0 saddle tank engine to rekindle memories of the reopening special.
Today, the railway offers far more than just a train ride! Grab your tickets, watch the guard wave his green flag, listen for the sound of the whistle and a whoosh of steam as you set off on a timeless journey through some of Norfolk’s most stunning coastal scenery and beautiful countryside.
In addition to the recreated reopening train a second train of carriages dating from the 1950s and 60s will be in action and is scheduled to be pulled by visiting GWR express locomotive 6880 “Betton Grange”. The new-build steam engine entered service last year after a 30 year project to recreate a lost part of Britain’s railway heritage as all the originally “Grange” class engines were scrapped in the 1960s – such projects were just a dream in the 1970s and demonstrate how far railway preservation has come in the last five decades.
A heritage railcar dating from the 1960s will also be running, allowing passengers to enjoy a driver’s-eye view and savour panoramic views of the delightful countryside, much of which is designated as being of outstanding natural beauty.