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The Mid-Norfolk Railway's 30th Anniversary & Railway 200 2025 sees the 200th Aniversary of the modern railway, as well the Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust's 30th anniversary. From 1995 to 2025, the railway has been restored and maintained by a plethora of volunteers, taking great pride in our unwavering dedication to preserving and promoting the rich heritage of the railway in Norfolk. Throughout the past three decades, we have dedicated ourselves to this noble cause with unrelenting passion and determination, and we are thrilled to have reached this significant milestone. As we look to the future, we remain steadfast in our mission to continue this important work for many years to come. We are excited to invite you to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the modern railway and the 30th anniversary of MNR with us! This year, we have planned a range of special events and add-ons to make our birthday celebrations, and those of the railway industry, even more memorable. In addition to our annual events, we have prepared extra surprises for you to enjoy. We hope you will join us for the festivities and experience all the fun and excitement we have in store for you! All event and add-on details can be found below: Special Running Weekend - 22nd & 23rd March 2025: - Join us for a special running weekend celebrating 30 years since the founding of The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust on Thursday, 23rd March 1995. Click here for full information. Spring Diesel Gala - 24th, 25th & 26th May 2025: As a part of our Spring Diesel Gala we are looking to offer on the day Driver for a Fiver experiences around Dereham Yard with our Class 03 locomotive, as well as welcoming some visiting locomotives. Click here for full information. Summer Steam Gala - 27th, 28th & 29th June 2025: We are delighted to announce that we will be offering a range of experiences as part of our Summer Steam Gala including non-stop services from Wymondham South Mainline Junction to Dereham as to recreate the feeling of the express passenger trains that use to run on the line. We are also working on bringing you some visiting locomotives you will not want to miss! Click here for full information. Heritage Open Day - 13th September 2025: Our Heritage & Education Team are planning a selection of displays, presentations and experiences as an introduction to the history of railways in general and the Mid Norfolk Railway / the Wymondham to Wells line. Click here for full information. Please note that the MNR reserves the right to alter or cancel any services, timetables and traction at any time. The Mid-Norfolk Railway does not accept any responsibility for any inconvenience caused by this.

Wensume Valley Miniature Railway 1/5 Runs most Sundays in the Summer Runs between 10:30am & 3:30pm At County School Station The Wensum Valley Miniature Railway run by the North Norfolk Model Engineering Club at our County School station, which is currently not connected to the rest of the main railway, however is accessible by road. The miniature railway runs on selected dates (as below) and usually run between 10:30am and 3:30pm. Dates for 2025 May 11th (Vintage Bus Day ) 25th June 1st 15th (Father's Day) July 20th 27th August 3rd 10th 17th 24th 31st September 7th 14th 21st October 26th Please be aware that if the weather is very poor, the miniature railway may not be able to run as planned. Please follow the Wensum Valley Miniature Railway's Facebook page for the latest updates and information.

Class 03 197 Rolling Stock 1/4 Builder Swindon Works Indroduction Date 15th June 1961 Withdrawal Date 5th July 1987 Configuration 0-6-0 Status Undergoing Repairs Number Held 03 197 Owned By Private British Railways Class 03 Diesel-Mechanical Shunter The British Railway Class 03 is a class of diesel-mechanical locomotive that was built by Swindon & Doncaster Works between 1957 - 1961, a total of 230 were produced during this time. The class was built for light duties where a larger locomotive was not needed, they were mainly assigned to shunting duties at depots and as station pilots. As British Railways started to introduce more multiple units that could be driven from both ends the demand for shunting locomotives started to diminish and so BR started to withdraw the class from 1968 onwards with many being sold on to private industry. The last of the mainline operational Class 03s had been withdrawn by 1987 due to lack of demand however, two examples on the Isle of Wight remained in service until 1993. Out of the 230 that were produced 174 were scrapped, leaving 56 examples of the class in preservation. 03 197 03197 was released from Swindon Work on 15th June 1961 originally as D2197, under Pre-TOPS, and was allocated to the Western Region (91W). Over the course of its life it was transferred to various depots including Laira, Taunton, Eastleigh & Bournemouth where it was then withdrawn in March 1974. Until it was reactivated 19 months later (October 1975) where brought out of storage and allocated to Norwich Thorpe Depot, it remained at Norwich until it was officially withdrawn in July 1987. The locomotive arrived at the Mid-Norfolk Railway in October 2018.

About The Mid-Norfolk Railway The Mid-Norfolk Railway is the longest standard gauge heritage railway in East Anglia and runs through the Heart of Norfolk from Dereham to Wymondham. The railway has its headquarters in Dereham and runs frequent trains south towards Wymondham across the year. The line is currently being restored to The MNRs northern most station County School, with engineering trains currently being able to run as far as North Elmham. The Mid-Norfolk Railway is owned & ran by the registered charity, The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust which is goverened by the Trust Council. The Trust itself is owned by the Railway's members. History of The Mid-Norfolk Railway The MNR began from a base at Yaxham Station and originally the railway ran services between a temporary halt in Toftwood alongside Rash's Green and Yaxham. Since those early days in 1995, the railway has expanded with services running for 11 miles through ‘The Heart of Norfolk’ between Dereham and Wymondham Abbey. In addition, occasional services run northwards to Hoe, with the line to North Elmham and County School currently being restored ready for passenger services. Once complete the railway will run for a total of 17.5 miles – 28 km. The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust was set up in 1995 to buy the line from Wymondham to Dereham. Yaxham became the centre of operations, and permission was given to clear the line of undergrowth and to build a platform to run trains. The station at Dereham was cleaned up, and open days held. After building a platform at Rash’s Green near Dereham, passenger trains were run between there and Yaxham in 1995. This was an enormous success and supplied tangible evidence of the Trust’s achievements and its ability to operate the line. After relaying track into Dereham station in early 1997, the first train ran from the station in the summer of that year. After many years of patient negotiations, and with considerable help from Norfolk County Council, Breckland District Council and South Norfolk District Council, the Wymondham to Dereham section of the line was bought in April 1998 and became the property of the MNRPT. The line and its connection with the main line at Wymondham were passed for use by freight trains in June 1998, and within a few days a test freight train from Eastleigh worked onto the line – the first train to work into Dereham from the national rail network since closure of the line in 1989. Since then, the MNR has restored Dereham Station to its former glory, and installed run-round loops at Dereham, Wymondham and more recently Thuxton with a fully operational signal box. The line between Dereham to Worthing has also been reopened to passenger trains. In 2012, the railway won the Heritage Railway Association “Rail Express” Modern Attraction Award recognising our Class 47 Golden Jubilee Gala. After a bumper year in 2013, featuring our Big Four Steam Gala and the opening of the line north of Dereham to Hoe, we won the Heritage Railway of the Year Award 2013 at the National Railway Heritage Awards. In the last couple of years, the railway has built a new maintenance shed at the Dereham site. The shed means that for the first-time maintenance of the railway’s traction and rolling stock can be carried out under cover. In 2020, the railway restored several carriages and serviced locomotives & units to keep them running for the years to come! As part of a commercial contract with Greater Anglia, the railway has benefited from newly built sidings at Kimberley and a whole new running line between there and Hardingham. These new facilities have increased the railway's operational and storage ability tremendously. In 2020, the railway invested in the renewal of the Yaxham Road automatic level crossing; this significant investment ensured the railway has a crossing of the highest standard where the line crosses the main road into Dereham from the south. Garvestone crossing has been given similar treatment. Greens Road/Hall Lane automatic level crossing is planned to be upgraded in the near future. Between 2021 and 2023, reinstated Dereham Central signal box along with signalling works to increase capacity at the station and Dereham North gate box has been upgraded with signalling that is linked to Dereham Central. There is further track & signalling work required to restore regular passenger running on the line north of Dereham to Worthing, North Elmham and eventually County School station. Additionally we have Wymondham Church Lane signal box being restored (after being rescued from Spooner Row on the mainline) which will eventually control the Wymondham end of the line.

Volunteering Why not join the community? Looking for a way to give back to your community while making new friends? Join us as a volunteer! Our organisation offers a variety of opportunities to get involved and make a difference. Sign up today and start making a positive impact in your community! We offer a wide range of volunteering opportunities that cover virtually every aspect of our railway activities. Whether you're interested in manual work or not, we have plenty of choices for you. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, gain valuable skills, and achieve a real sense of accomplishment. Join us today and make a difference! Volunteers are needed for: Selling tickets in our booking offices at Dereham & Wymondham Abbey Organising and running a variety of events in conjunction with our Events Co-ordinator Being a platform supervisor & helping passengers with queries and providing help boarding & alighting trains Working with our Operations Team as a signaller, driver, secondman, fireman, guard, crossing keeper, shunter, cleaner & much more Catering at our Dereham & County School Tea Rooms, on board with our Afternoon Tea & Dining trains Signal maintenance & development Working with our shop, refreshment & museum teams Keeping our rolling stock clean, running & maintained Keeping our stations clean & tidy Restoring & maintaining our stations & gardens Skilled work: such as welders, builders, plumbers, electricians, carpenters etc Keeping the track and associated structures maintained Managing the vegetation & environmental ecosystem along our beautiful line Maintaining our drains, bridges & structures And so much more... With a variety of tasks, our railway can often be likened to a small town. No matter how you choose to help, everyone plays an important part in ensuring the railway can operate trains and our visitors enjoy their visit. Don't feel apprehensive, we all started from scratch! Training of volunteers: Training is available for all of the jobs that we offer, with some jobs only requiring a few hours of training and others in our operations department with months/years required. In order to become a volunteer, you need to be a member of The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust. This means that, when you are working as a volunteer, you are covered by the railway's insurance. Full details about becoming a member can be found here . Interested... If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for the railway please get in touch with our Volunteers Co-Ordinator (volunteer@mnr.org.uk ) who will be more than happy to help you. Alternatively if you do not have access to email come along to Dereham Station between Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm, and one of our team will be happy to help.

Station Tea Rooms Dereham Station Tea Room Copyright T Fisher Copyright T Fisher Copyright E Rogers Copyright T Fisher 1/6 All meat is supplied by a local butcher Dog Friendly 🐶 Delicious cakes, scones & light meals. Open Wednesday to Sunday (Mar to Oct) Come and visit our vintage 1950s themed tea room at Dereham Station. We are open serving fresh Italian ground coffee, freshly prepared cakes, scones & traybakes. Along side this we have a variety of hot food options, including all day breakfast, sandwiches & toasties, jacket potatoes & more! Feeling something a litttle more grand? Why not enjoy one of our Afternoon Teas in the warm surroundings of our Station Tearoom, all whilst being amongst the bustle of the station and it's classic trains. For full details about Dereham click here & for accessibility details click here . Opening Times: Monday - Closed Tuesday - Closed Wednesday - 10am to 2:30pm Thursday - 10 am to 2 :30pm Friday - 10 am to 2 :30pm Saturday - 9:45am to 5:30pm Sunday - 9:45am to 5:30pm Please note that opening days and times can change without prior notice and at last minute, click here to see latest information. Dietary Requirements We are able to cater for a variety of dietary requirements including gluten free, vegetarian, vegan and much more. (Subject to availability) Full details are available on the day at Dereham Buffet. County School Tea Room 1/4 All meat is supplied by a local butcher Dog Friendly 🐶 Delicious cakes & scones Come and visit our vintage 1930s themed tea room at County School Station. We are open from 10:30am on select weekends throughout the year, serving cakes, scones & traybakes. For full details about County School click here & for accessability details click here . Opening Times: TBA

Driver Exp Driver Experiences We are proud to announce that our much loved Diesel Driver Experiences are now back for 2025. Our diesel driver experiences allow you to take control of one of our resident diesel locomotives from Dereham to Wymondham and back totaling in 22 miles! We offer the following experiences: The Light Engine (Joint) - Half Day - £360 per person This experience will give you the opportunity to appreciate the two main roles on a diesel locomotive during a return trip from Dereham to Wymondham Abbey. You will interchange between being a secondman and driving, spending 11 miles doing each. Throughout the whole experience you will be learning about the locomotive and the railway, all whilst under the supervision of our fully competent crew. The Light Engine (Joint) is offered over a number of days across the year. We are able to accommodate 2 people per session. Your experience will start off at Dereham Station, where we ask you to arrive no later than 30 minutes before your booked slot. You will be offered a complimentary drink & slice of cake from our Tea Room whilst you receive your safety talk from our crew. After the experience you will be presented with a certificate showing the locomotive that you have driven and signed by the driver instructor. Please note: We cannot accept any guests on this experience due to the amount of people allowed in a cab at any one time. The Light Engine (Solo) - Half Day - £660 (+ £15 for a companion*) This experience will give you the opportunity to drive a return trip from Dereham to Wymondham Abbey. Your experience will start with an inspection and starting of the locomotive. From there you will drive a total of 22 miles on a round trip from Dereham to Wymondham Abbey and back. Throughout the whole experience you will be learning about the locomotive and the railway, all whilst under the supervision of our fully competent crew. The Light Engine (Solo) is offered over a number of days across the year. We are only able to accommodate 1 person per session. Your experience will start off at Dereham Station, where we ask you to arrive no later than 30 minutes before your booked slot. You will be offered a complimentary drink & slice of cake from our Tea Room whilst you receive your safety talk from our crew. After the experience you will be presented with a certificate showing the locomotive that you have driven and signed by the driver instructor. * Participants may bring up to one guest to observer (they will be able to ride in the cab with you). Guests are charged at £15. 2025 Dates Saturday 29th March Saturday 5th April Saturday 26th April Saturday 21st June Saturday 12th July Saturday 9th August Saturday 6th September Saturday 4th October Saturday 18th October How to book? To book please either email us at experience@mnr.org.uk or call us at the Office on 01362 690633 ‘Well-being’ Information: There is no upper age limit for Driver Experience, but participants should be able to climb a short set of steps to get into the cab of the locomotive and their eyesight (with glasses if usually worn) should be up to the required standard to drive a car. Furthermore, please ensure that appropriate footwear, steel toe capped boots, and clothing is worn during the experience. Driver Experiences - Terms & Conditions *Please note that whilst every effort is made to the advertised traction & services we do reserve the right to amend, alter or cancel service, The Mid-Norfolk Railway does not accept any responsibility for any inconvenience caused. **Please note that the Mid-Norfolk Railway do operate a Challenge 25 policy and reserves the right to ask for Photo Identification/proof of date of birth. The Mid-Norfolk Railway also reserves the right to not serve alcohol to anyone it believes is below 18 years old, no refund will be made in this case. The Mid-Norfolk Railway will not tolerate any abuse or violence towards its staff members at any time. ***The Mid-Norfolk Railway are unable to offer any cancellations, refunds or reschedules to any orders, therefore please ensure you can attend the date/time you select before you make payment and book. By making a booking you agree that you shall not take on board any alcoholic drinks or illegal substances or be under the influence of alcohol or any illegal substances at the time of the experience. ****Please note that it is not possible to request a specifc locomotive.

Class 33202 "Dennis G. Robinson" Rolling Stock 1/5 Builder Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company Introduction Date 9th February 1962 Withdrawal Date 1st September 2007 Configuration Bo-Bo Status In Service Number Held 33202 Owned By Private British Railways Class 33 Diesel-Electric Type 3 The British Railway Class 33, also know as Type 3, is a class of diesel-electric locomotive that was built by Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company between 1960 - 1962, a total of 98 were produced. The class was built to be able to easily work passenger trains in the summer and then freight in the winter, this was due to the class not being fitted with steam heating boilers. They were most commonly seen in the Southern region with them being allocated to either Eastleigh or Hither Green. BR started to slowly withdraw the class from service with the majority either being sold to industry, scrapped or private railway companies. As of the present day 29 locomotives are left out of the original 98 produced, with 24 being preserved at various heritage railways and 5 being owned by mainline charter operator West Coast Railways. 33202 " 33202 was released from Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon on 9th February 1962, originally as DD6587, and allocated to Hither Green (73C). In July 1991 the locomotive was officially named " The Bruma Star". Over the course of its working life it was transferred to St Leonards and then back to Hither Green were it stayed until it was bought by Fragonset Railways in 2002. Whilst with Fragonset the locomotive undertook various mainline rail tours and freight workings, it was also named "Meteor" in November 2002. Upon the administration of Fragonset Railways in 2006, 33202 was eventually sold into preservation in February 2009. It moved to The Mid-Norfolk Railway in 2018 to assist with engineering works at Kimberley Park. The MNR would like to take this opportunity to thank the owners for the hire of 33202 to the MNR and for their continued help ensuring the MNR can operate trains.

Teddy Bears Picnic 16th August 2025 1/1 School Holiday Fun for all the family! Bring your Teddy Bear for a day out on the MNR, KIDS GO FREE*! Free Teddy Bear trail Teddy Bear Picnic food available to purchase at Dereham Tearoom Bring your favourite teddy bear and join in with our Teddy Bears Picnic on Saturday ! Hop aboard our heritage train and enjoy a delightful journey through the Norfolk Countryside between Dereham & Wymondham. Complete our FREE teddy bear trail along the line and receive a FREE gift for sucessfully spotting all of our teddy bears. Why not enjoy some delicious picnic food from our tearoom at Dereham which will be serving a range of sandwiches, cakes, snacks & drinks that you can either enjoy at Dereham Station in our Picnic area or onboard the train. Don't miss out on this bear-y special day! Our standard fares apply, with our popular Kids Go Free offer standing for this event. Event - Terms & Conditions > Please note that whilst every effort is made to the advertised traction & services we do reserve the right to amend, alter or cancel service, The Mid-Norfolk Railway does not accept any responsibility for any inconvenience caused. > Please note that the Mid-Norfolk Railway do operate a Challenge 25 policy and reserves the right to ask for Photo Identification/proof of date of birth. The Mid-Norfolk Railway also reserves the right to not serve alcohol to anyone it believes is below 18 years old, no refund will be made in this case. The Mid-Norfolk Railway will not tolerate any abuse or violence towards its staff members at any time. > The Mid-Norfolk Railway are unable to offer any cancellations, refunds or reschedules to any orders, therefore please ensure you can attend the date/time you select before you make payment and book. By making a booking you agree that you shall not take on board the carriage any alcoholic drinks or illegal substances.

Heritage Open Days 13th & 21st September 2025 Teaming together with Heritage Open Days we will be hosting three special days with free displays, talks and more - centreed on the railway and its history. Full details of these events will be available from Heritage Open Days from June onwards. Saturday 13th September 2025 Dereham's Rail Links - In War and Peace Dereham Station, NR19 1DF Discover how the local railway has served the area for over 175 years through a special 'Serving in War and Peace' display, supported by a short illustrated talk and Museum Room exhibits. Watch heritage trains as they arrive/depart, some scheduled to be steam-hauled. You might even get to see the fireman replenish the steam loco tanks from the water crane. And, for a real insight into railway life of the past, a retired railwayman who has 'been there, done that - and has the T-shirt' will recount a selection of his reminiscences and anecdotes in another of our illustrated short talks. For younger 'crafty kids' (accompanied by an adult) we offer very simple paper-based craft and/or decorating, while for older children (and adults!) there is our station trail and a Tea Room quiz sheet. We are also running a train service on this day. A Rescued Railway - Wymondham's Lost Rail Route Wymondham Abbey Station, NR18 0PH Just what was involved in getting trains back on the abandoned railway between Wymondham and Dereham - and now, in keeping it safely operational? And where does Wymondham Abbey Station fit in? Watch the heritage trains come and go through the day, while scheduled short talks and a small exhibition will help tell the story. These will be complemented by a bookstall and regular guided tours of the station site and gardens. The talks and tours are both planned for c.20 minutes duration. Tours between 1000-1530 and talks at 1100, 1300, 1500. We are also running a train service on this day. Saturday 21st September 2025 A Hidden Gem - County School Station County School Station, NR20 5LE A chance to explore this classic Great Eastern Railway junction station and discover how the station linked to the rest of the world through rail and maritime connections. Meet the volunteer Stationmaster, and explore areas of the station not normally open to the public. Learn about lives lived on and around the railway at this special place. Miniature passenger trains will be operating on the extended Wensum Valley Miniature Railway, adjacent to the station and occupying the westernmost section of the former Bure Valley line from County School to Wroxham. Talks taking place between 1130 and 1500. Event - Terms & Conditions *Please note that whilst every effort is made to the advertised traction & services we do reserve the right to amend, alter or cancel service, The Mid-Norfolk Railway does not accept any responsibility for any inconvenience caused. **Please note that the Mid-Norfolk Railway do operate a Challenge 25 policy and reserves the right to ask for Photo Identification/proof of date of birth. The Mid-Norfolk Railway also reserves the right to not serve alcohol to anyone it believes is below 18 years old, no refund will be made in this case. The Mid-Norfolk Railway will not tolerate any abuse or violence towards its staff members at any time. ***The Mid-Norfolk Railway are unable to offer any cancellations, refunds or reschedules to any orders, therefore please ensure you can attend the date/time you select before you make payment and book. By making a booking you agree that you shall not take on board the carriage any alcoholic drinks or illegal substances.

Find Us County School Station Address: Holt Road, North Elmham, NR20 5LE Full details, opening times and information can be found on the County School Station page . Wensume Valley Miniature Railway information can be found here . Arriving by Car: Located on the B1110 between Guist & North Elmham. A brown tourist sign will point you towards the station. A small carpark is available. What3words: dazzline.inversely.trains Find Us - County School East Dereham Station Address: Station Road, Dereham, NR19 1DF Full details, opening times and information can be found on the Dereham Station page . All operational running days can be found here . The station opens 30 minutes before the first train of the day. Arriving by Car : Located on Station Road, Dereham. Arriving from the A47 take the A1075 exit and follow the signs to town centre and the brown tourist signs. Arriving by Bus : There are multiple bus stops located near to Dereham Station. These are severed by KonectBus & First Bus . Full travel details can be found on their websites. Arriving by Rail : The nearest mainline station is Norwich, served by Greater Anglia & East Midlands Railway. Upon arrival at Norwich then use the bus service as above. What3words: perfected.hints.without Find Us - East Dereham Wymondham Abbey Station Address: Becketswell Road, Wymondham, NR18 9PH Full details, opening times and information can be found on the Wymondham Abbey Station page. All operational running days can be found here . The station opens 30 minutes before the first train of the day. Arriving by Car: The station can be found near the Abbey. Wymondham can be accessed via the A11 from Norwich & Thetford. There is a small car park near the station however, we recommend parking in the town centre and walking to the station (5 - 10 minutes). Arriving by Bus: The nearest bus stop, which is around a 5 minute walk, is Wymondham's Market Cross. It is served by KonectBus & First Bus . Further information can be found on their websites. Arriving by Rail : Wymondham Mainline station is around a 15-20 minute walk from Wymondham Abbey Station. Customers should follow the fingerposts for Wymondham Abbey. Wymondham Mainline station is served by Greater Anglia & East Midlands Railway . Further information can be found on their websites. What3words: smaller.flank.majors Find Us - Wymondham Abbey The Mid-Norfolk Railway - Full Route Map Mid-Norfolk Railway Route Map This Google Map has been created by one of our volunteers. Pinpointing every track, station, level crossing, bridge, milepost, historic trackbed and interesting walks along the route of the line. 17.5 miles (28 km) of trackbed 8 stations (5 MNR platforms) 26 level crossings (13 road crossings) 17 over-bridges 17 under-bridges Further information and the map key can be explored by clicking here .

Calendar Opening Days Check our opening dates on the calendar below. Click on your preferred day to view train schedules and ticket prices. Green Timetable 2025 Maroon Timetable 2025 Special Events 2025 Tea Room Open Days Railway Closed to General Public Dining Trains 2025 Polar Express 2025 Dereham Station Car Boots