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How You Can Help
Passing Loop Appeal
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How You Can Help
Passing Loop Appeal
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The Mid-Norfolk Railway has launched an appeal to its members, its passengers and the general public to raise money for the reconstruction of a passing loop and restoration of the second platform at Thuxton by 2010. The project costed at £50,000 will bring major improvements in operational flexibility to the railway which to date has operated basically as an 11-mile long siding.
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Thuxton Station. 19th July 2002. Photo: Owen Stratford |
The construction of a passing loop at Thuxton promises to bring great gains in operational flexibility. The MNR is run as currently an 11 mile single line, and this limits us to a 2-hourly departure from Dereham. A passing loop halfway along the line will allow us to have hourly departures from either end. Thuxton is slightly north of the centre point of the line but has the necessary requirements for us to build at that location.
"For the first time in ten years, the Mid-Norfolk Railway can seriously look at the possibility of steam galas, visiting charter trains on operating days, and driver experience on spare train paths" said Graham Moates, MNR's Commercial Manager. "Serious interest in the line is now being shown by several mainline rail companies with engines visiting on non-operating days to use the railway's facilities. With five manned level crossings south of Dereham, this loop allows us to work much more efficiently" commented James Steward, Operations Director.
East Winch Signalbox has been donated to the MNR to be located at Thuxton. East Winch is on the King's Lynn to Dereham line just outside of King's Lynn. The location itself had a passing loop and siding, exactly mirroring our plans for Thuxton.
Full semaphore signalling will be provided in the station area, to be controlled from the signal box to be situated next to the current level crossing. The crossing itself will require widening as it was reduced in size following the line's reduction to single track in 1965.
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Thuxton Station in the 1960s. Photo: The Railway Record of the British Isles / George Pring Collection |
To complete this project, we will need:
The estimated cost of the project is £50,000, consisting of the following items:
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9466 approaches Thuxton with a Dereham-bound train. 3rd June 2006. Photo: Steve Allen |
