About the Railway History of the Line

In the Beginning

1845

Norfolk Railway and Lynn and Dereham Railway authorised to build lines to Dereham

1847

Dereham - Wymondham line opens to passengers

1848

Dereham - King's Lynn line opens to passengers

1848

Eastern Counties Railway leases the Norfolk Railway

1849

Dereham - Fakenham line opens

1857

Fakenham - Wells line opens

1862

Great Eastern Railway formed

1882

County School - Wroxham line opens

1882

Dereham - Wymondham line dualled

Grouping and Nationalisation

1923

London and North Eastern Railway formed

1947

British Railways formed

1952

County School - Wroxham line closed

1955

Last steam-hauled passenger service

1963

Beeching report released

1964

Passenger service between Dereham and Wells withdrawn

1964

Freight service between Fakenham and Wells withdrawn and track lifted

1965

Dereham - Wymondham line reduced to single track with passing loop at Hardingham

1968

Dereham - King's Lynn line closed and track lifted

1969

Dereham - Wymondham line closed to passengers

The Line's Rebirth

1974

Formation of the Wymondham, Dereham and Fakenham Rail Action Committee, a forerunner of the MNR.

1974

Dereham - King's Lynn line obliterated by the Dereham bypass

1978

First charter train to Dereham

1978

Formation of the Fakenham and Dereham Railway Society, a forerunner of the MNR

1979

Great Ryburgh - Fakenham section closed and track lifted

1981

Last freight train to Great Ryburgh

1982

North Elmham - Ryburgh section closed and track lifted

1986

Railway centre set up at County School

1989

Freight service discontinued over entire remaining line

1990

Mid-Norfolk Railway Society formed from the merger of WyDRAC, the F&DRS and other bodies

1995

Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust formed

1996

First passenger trains between Dereham and Yaxham

1999

First passenger trains between Dereham and Wymondham