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Photo Album
Northern Section Restoration
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Photo Album
Northern Section Restoration
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As the restoration of the line to the north of Dereham proceeds, this page will be updated with photos of the progress made. Getting trains running to North Elmham again will be a monumental task: if you'd like to help, then volunteers are always welcome! Already, the line through Dereham has been stripped of its undergrowth and the track restored to working order, and work continues apace.
![Near Hoe in 2000](javascript:toggle_image ("hoe2000.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 363))
The condition of the northern section of the line varies considerably. This photo, taken just south of Hoe level crossing, shows one of the better areas. With luck, only fairly minor works will be needed to bring this stretch of line back into service.
19th July 2000. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Near Hoe in 2004](javascript:toggle_image ("hoe2004.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
Once we had begun preventative maintenance (including weed control), the condition of the line began to improve noticeably. Trains have yet to run in this area as we have to complete a significant amount of sleeper replacement further to the south.
13th August 2004. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Northall Green Cutting in 2000](javascript:toggle_image ("northallgreen2000.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 363))
By contrast with the state of the line near Hoe, there is a huge amount of vegetation in Northall Green Cutting. The MNR's volunteers are a persistent and determined bunch, qualities which will be tested when hacking our way through this lot!
19th July 2000. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Northall Green Cutting in 2003](javascript:toggle_image ("northallgreen2003.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
During the autumn of 2002, we took a deep breath and plunged into the dense undergrowth. This is the result after many months' work with chainsaws and brush-cutters, seen from the same location as the previous photo. The permanent way still requires a large amount of work before trains can run: the more people that volunteer, the faster it'll get done! If you'd like to help out, then please contact the Volunteer Coordinator.
7th March 2003. Photo: Owen Stratford
![The Secret Valley](javascript:toggle_image ("secretvalley.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
It is often said that the most scenic part of our line is the Northern Section. Once you emerge from Northall Green Cutting, you realise that the area is full of pretty valleys and trickling streams. The photo shows one of these, dubbed the "Secret Valley" by the permanent way team due to being completely invisible from the road that passes by only twenty metres away!
16th April 2003. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Cows](javascript:toggle_image ("cows.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
By the time the line reaches Worthing, it has dropped down into the valley of the River Wensum, which runs close by. The watermeadows adjoining the railway are grazed by this motley herd of cattle, who seem surprised to see so many volunteers at work.
20th September 2002. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Neatherd Road in 2001](javascript:toggle_image ("neatherdroad2001.jpeg", 200, 135, 550, 372))
As was the case in so many parts of the Northern Section, the line between Neatherd Road and Swanton Road was totally overgrown before the MNR took over. The crossing gate was destroyed in a road accident in the 1980s, and at the same time, the large concrete gatepost visible in this picture was broken below ground level. The gate on the other side of the road was rotten from years of neglect, and the road surface was in a poor state of repair.
13th August 2001. Photo: George Gosling
![Neatherd Road in 2003](javascript:toggle_image ("neatherdroad2003.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
After the expenditure of much sweat and money (funded by various local authorities) the area is looking like a railway should be. The crossing keeper's cottage has been restored to a usable condition, and the road has been re-surfaced. While the road was closed, we installed two replacement gateposts and added a pedestrian crossing. Brand new gates were fabricated in our workshop, and subsequently installed. The whole area has been completely transformed.
20th September 2003. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Crossing Neatherd Road](javascript:toggle_image ("crossing.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
In order to test the condition of Neatherd Road level crossing prior to re-surfacing the road, a works train was sent out. This was the first train to venture this far north since the line was closed by British Rail in 1989.
4th January 2003. Photo: James Steward
![Sleeper Train](javascript:toggle_image ("flatrol.jpeg", 200, 132, 550, 365))
Works trains have been used to deliver new sleepers into the Northern Section for replacement. Previously, this duty has always been performed by one of our Class 101 railcars propelling a freight wagon. On the 23rd October 2004, we had to perform this task with 31 235 as the hauled set had been marshalled for operation the next day. This was the first locomotive to pass north of Swanton Road since the last British Rail freight train in 1989, and only the second time we had taken a train north of this crossing.
23rd October 2004. Photo: Owen Stratford
![Vegetation Clearance](javascript:toggle_image ("clearance.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
During 2005, a new County School Area Group was inaugurated for the benefit of those volunteers that wanted to concentrate on the northernmost parts of the line. The group's first task is the clearance of the vegetation between County School and North Elmham. Prior to carrying out this work, the scrub had closed in so much that it was hard to walk along the trackbed without getting scratched. The area is now much tidier thanks to the group's efforts.
30th October 2005. Photo: Matt Goodrum
![Flail in Action](javascript:toggle_image ("flail.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
Funded by a member, we hired in a flail to help speed up the clearance of the scrub between North Elmham and County School. There were many patches of small bushes and brambles, which take a long while to clear by hand, but are easy for a machine like this.
22nd February 2006. Photo: Terry Mann
![Before Flailing](javascript:toggle_image ("flailbefore.jpeg", 200, 133, 550, 366))
Before the flail was sent in, the vegetation was closing in from all directions. The footpath along the trackbed was only just passable. The buffer stop at the end of the line is just visible on the right in a large bramble bush.
28th January 2006. Photo: Alan Cooper
![After Flailing](javascript:toggle_image ("flailafter.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
After the flail had completed its work, all the small scrub had been cleared away, as well as some of the trees. The difference is quite staggering. Unbelievably, this photo is taken from the same location as the previous one.
15th April 2006. Photo: Matt Goodrum
![View from Bridge 1706](javascript:toggle_image ("bridge.jpeg", 200, 150, 550, 412))
During 2006, the group continued hacking into the undergrowth. This is the result, as seen from bridge 1706.
24th September 2006. Photo: Ray Jordan