Programme of events for 2022

The Mid-Norfolk Railway is planning a full programme of events for 2022. The events will include a Steam and Diesel Gala together with other special event weekends.

The 2022 operating season will open on 6th March and as in previous years will feature a mixture of running days. New for 2022 will be specific Diesel locomotive running days, these will join the schedules as the orange timetable.

Diesel services will feature either the Maroon-liveried vacuum-braked Mark 1 and Mark 2 coaches or the former Greater Anglia Mark 3 coaches depending on the traction that is hauling the train. On multiple train days the timetable will be a mixture of steam and diesel trains together with diesel multiple unit services.

The first steam running day will be 27th March and the first special event will be an Easter-themed event. From 9th May, for at least two weeks the railway is planning to close to carry out a major engineering project.

In June, the railway will be holding a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee event, running dates to be confirmed nearer the date. 26th June will also see the regular annual opening of Hardingham station as part of Hardingham Fête. This annual event is rare opportunity for the public to be able to use the station as the station grounds and buildings are in private ownership and this event is at the owner’s invitation.

The railway is planning to hold a Steam Gala over 1st to 3rd July visiting steam engines will be announced in due course. On 6th and 7th August, the annual 1940s Railway at War weekend will be held once again with re-enactors setting up displays all along the line and visitors are encouraged to enter into the spirit of the event by dressing accordingly.

The Diesel Gala will be one of the highlights of the coming year and will be run from 23rd to 25th September. The Diesel Gala will feature visiting mainline and heritage diesels to supplement the MNR home fleet.

The railway is planning for the first time to be open for the Norfolk school’s autumn half-term break from 24th to 28th October and the year will end with the return of the ever popular Polar Express, that will run during November and December leading up to the Christmas.

Throughout the 2022 running season, the railway will once again be running the popular ‘Breckland Fryer’ fish and chip trains in the evening and ‘Heart of Norfolk’ afternoon tea trains on selected running days.

The railway will continue to run the ‘Kids Go Free’ group tickets that was successfully introduced in 2021. These tickets will be available for all standard running days but do not include special events or special trains.

The MNR shop at Dereham station has had a refresh with new lines of merchandise and clothing that feature the railway’s new ‘Heart of Norfolk’ logo.

Further details of events and timetables will appear on the railway’s website in due course at www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk

Vintage Bus Day 2021

The Mid-Norfolk Railway’s popular Vintage Bus Day event is returning for 2021 and will run on Sunday 1 August. The event will see in addition to the opportunity to ride on Heritage buses and trains the rare chance to visit the privately-owned Hardingham station on the MNR.

Further information about the event can be found on our website at www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk/vintagebusday

This year’s event will be based at Dereham railway station, where around 30 vintage and modern buses together with coaches are expected.

In addition to the static display at Dereham Station there will be free bus trips available on a variety of local routes to the Mid Norfolk Railway stations at County School, Yaxham and Hardingham, as well as Dereham's Market Place and Theatre Street/Cherry Tree Car Park for free Park & Ride journeys.

At County School, the restored station and grounds plus the popular tea room will be open for drinks and light refreshments.

The privately-owned Hardingham Station will be available to be visited courtesy of the owner, with MNR trains stopping allowing a train and bus connected journey to be made. Hardingham Station is only accessible by either bus or train.

The event is kindly sponsored by locally based Konectbus who will have some of their modern buses on display.

“As Dereham's local bus company we are delighted to once again sponsor this event that showcases our shared transport heritage and also allows us to demonstrate our modern buses to visitors at the event". David Smith Commercial Manager Go East Anglia

The Railway is currently planning to run an enhanced service of steam and diesel trains, which will include one of the railway’s recently acquired 'Pacer' railcars / diesel multiple units - which was appropriately based on the Leyland National bus design of the 1980s.

The event will start at Dereham Station at 1000. The MNR will also be running an earlier than usual train from Wymondham Abbey Station for visitors to access the event from the south.

This year’s event will be the fifth year that the Vintage Bus Day has been run and with the exception of last year’s cancelled event is a now well-established MNR event.

“We are delighted that this event is able to run this year, it marks another step forward as we recover from the difficult times that we have all experienced due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I would also like to thank our volunteer team that have organised this years event and offer a warm welcome to our visitors who will I am sure enjoy a great day experiencing the important and oft forgotten heritage of how the rural railway network was supported by a bus network in the past.” Charlie Robinson, Chairman Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust

Further information including train timetables will be available on the railways website at www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk

Edwardian steam locomotive joins MNR for Summer 2021

The Mid-Norfolk Railway is pleased to announce the arrival of a Edwardian steam locomotive, GWR 813 Saddle Tank, for the 2021 running season.

The steam locomotive was originally built for the Port Talbot Railway & Docks Company and entered service in 1901. This means it is one of the oldest preserved steam engines still running in the UK.

The locomotive was originally one of nine 0-6-0 saddle tanks that was built for the Port Talbot Railway company in Wales and originally was numbered 26, it is however the sole survivor of the nine engines and is therefore unique in steam locomotive preservation.

In 1922, the Port Talbot Railway & Docks Company was taken over by the Great Western Railway and the engine was re numbered 813, the number that is still used to this day.

Today the engine is owned by ‘The GWR 813 Preservation Fund’, which is an organisation that was founded in 1966 to buy and then restore the engine. It is usually based at the Severn Valley Railway.

“The railway is delighted to welcome this historic engine to East Anglia, it will join our resident Standard BR Class 4 MT steam engine on our steam timetable and will be a unique opportunity to see an important and rare survivor of the early 20th Century British railway industry.” George Saville, General Manager Mid-Norfolk Railway

813 was originally built to haul coal trains and carry out shunt duties at colliery sidings in South Wales, before being sold in 1933 to to Robert Stephenson & Company, who sold steam engine to Backworth Collieries Limited in Northumberland.

In 1947 following the nationalisation of the coal industry 813 passed into the ownership of the National Coal Board before being sold into preservation in 1967. Today 813 runs in the livery of the Great Western Railway.

The railway plans to run 813 on passengers services beginning on Saturday 17 July [Update 16th July: unfortunately 813 will not be running on 17th & 18th July, 80078 will be running instead]. Tickets are available from the Mid-Norfolk Railway website.

813, replaces the privately-owned War Department Austerity 0-6-0 Saddle tank engine, Swiftsure, that has been resident on the railway for some years but has now moved to the Forest of Dean Railway.