swaffham railway walk

A former Norfolk railway line could become a new walking and cycling route between two of the county's towns, according to newly-published documents. early on as you walk through the woods and the first stretch of Thompson It had an authorised capital outlay of 80,000. The town is well known for the legend of the so-called Swaffham Pedlar, a local man called John Chapman who had gone to London and met a stranger on London Bridge. This type of risk is remote, which is probably why the premiums for Civil Liability insurance are usually reasonable. Most send out two newsletters per year. Light railway steam locomotive for use on branch lines. The A1065 Mildenhall to Fakenham road still passes through the centre of the town on its northsouth route, intersecting with the A47 at a grade separated junction north of the town.[18]. (See below)Line immediately south-east of Swaffham Junction is an overgrown cutting so small that it would be hard to believe it were a railway were it not for the overbridges.E. Probably the last steam train to be seen at Swaffham was on 31 March 1962 when the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society ran a final steam excursion along several East Anglian lines. The path crosses the dismantled railway and, after about a mile (1.6km) of peaceful traffic-free walking, comes out on the North Pickenham Road. Sometimes, our own walk leaders were there to take some archive photographs. Walk from the gracious town of Swaffham to the ancient Peddars Way. The name is still used today. I just remember thinking water, water everywhere! In the past, our civil liability cover has been an important factor in persuading some official bodies, such as the Army, to let us walk old trackbeds which they now own. East of the A1065 another unsightly business park lies over the running lines and northern sidings. The delightful village of Castle Acre boasts an extraordinary wealth of history and is a very rare and complete survival of a Norman planned settlement. After exploring the church, continue to head north and cross the road at a busy junction with traffic lights, passing the George Hotel. Apr 2023 - Watton-Swaffham railway . It remained a stabling point (including overnight at weekends in particular), with water, turning and basic servicing facilities, until final closure on 2 April 1962. The line to Kings Lynn became single track immediately after leaving the station area. [4], The line was closed to passengers on 15 June 1964, with a two-car diesel multiple unit (DMU) driven by driver David Grant of Dereham operating the final service. Even with a walk over an official route, theres a lot to consider, including lunchtime and transport arrangements: its no good reaching the lunchtime pub after the kitchen has closed, or the end of the walk after the last bus has gone. Swaffham Walking routes starting in Turbine Way, Swaffham. It hadnt gone far during the time it took me to walk the 7 or so miles but because the last stretch is parallel to where I was walking earlier, it had just walked across these two tracks! Holme Hale station remains as a private residence, complete with signal box and signal post - although heavily extended. [11], The Swaffham Museum is a small, independent social history museum for Swaffham and the surrounding villages in Norfolk from the Stone Age to the modern. www.open-walks.co.uk/directory/?searchconditi www.historyfiles.co.uk/MainRailwayWalksIndex. Experience a V shaped wood, an ancient ice house, an extraordinary church interior and a beautiful lake. Place. Rails were removed soon after. The coming of the railway invigorated business in the town and two large monthly cattle markets brought livestock traffic to the railway. The Gate House, much rebuilt and modernised, still stands beside the crossing. Hi, you have 2 choices: 1. Generally, you should have a reasonable level of fitness and be able to manage 7 or 8 miles at about 3 miles per hour. Now closed.Roudham Junction - Wretham and Hockham - Stow Bedon (siding) - Watton (with siding) - Holme Hale (siding) - Swaffham Junction.Section each side of Stow Bedon station taken up, part of trackbed covered by farm buildings at Griston where there remains a crossing keepers cottage and shed.Stow Bedon station has been totally removed.E. The 1932 LNER Working Timetable showed a steady flow of passenger and goods traffic at Swaffham. Before I get on to this Great Eastern Pingo Trail walk, let me just quickly explain about Pingos because youll be walking amongst a bit of history here. [9] These locomotives were maintained at a shed at Watton. The park remains today, bordered on one side by the abandoned railway embankment.[13]. He had a fine hound called Czarina, who regularly chased hares across the heaths surrounding Swaffham. Swaffham railway station when part of the Eastern Region of British Rail Until 1968 the town was served by Swaffham railway station on the Great Eastern Railway line from King's Lynn. Oxburgh Hall is a glorious place to visit. [26], As with the rest of the British Isles and East Anglia, Swaffham experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. The railways were all closed as part of the Beeching Axe, though the possibility of rebuilding a direct rail link from Norwich to King's Lynn via Swaffham is occasionally raised. On 7 July 1869, the company had obtained an additional Act that allowed its trains running powers on Great Eastern tracks from Roudham Junction to Thetford and to form a junction with the Bury St. Edmunds and Thetford Railway at Thetford. Enjoy this 2.0-mile out-and-back trail near King's Lynn, Norfolk. You can park here if you wish, but the actual car park is just behind here, so take the track in the middle of the lay-by and turn immediately right.Most of the walk is very well sign posted. Of the cattle yards and shed there is no trace: they lie under a scaffolding companys yard. This abutted the station building constructed of knapped flint with brick quoins and stone window surrounds. Roudham Junction to Watton closed completely. There were only 70 passengers on the final stage of the journey. Two giant wind turbines dominate the views to your right, and the eight turbines of the wind farm at North Pickenham are visible across the fields to your left. Most of the Pingos that were in the Brecks area have now disappeared due to the land being ploughed up for farming, so the ones remaining are historically, ecologically and internationally important for the wildlife. The Junction box was taken out of use at this time. Freight services commenced in January 1869, with passenger services in October 1869. After about 0.5 miles (800m) you reach a sign on your right saying 'Peddars Way Restricted Byway Pickenham 3km'. I walk you around the trail in 10 minutes! Common. Re-connecting Watton and Swaffham: re-purposing the Watton and Swaffham Railway line as a walking and cycling route will better connect the two towns for residents travelling for education, employment and leisure purposes while also creating a new attraction to encourage people to visit and spend money in local businesses. Part of the extraction site was flooded and became known locally as Loch Neaton, allegedly after the Scots navvies who built the railway. As you venture out in to the rural surrounds of the town, you will have the opportunity to explore the fascinating remains of castles, churches and priories, to learn more about Breckland's natural environment and discover how this has influenced land-use and communities throughout the ages.'. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. The latter are often the most interesting walks, but they take a lot of time, effort and skill to arrange. Carry on along the track, passing more Pingos, and more open common land. One strange movement is shown. [9] Carter was a distant cousin of the archaeologist and egyptologist Howard Carter[10] who spent much of his childhood in the town. Many of Norfolks towns have a particular charm and a strong sense of community. From this distance in time we can only speculate about why this was scheduled. [23] The height of the attraction's popularity was in 2016, when 22,000 people visited the centre and 8,000 climbed the turbine. Many of the old railways that we visit present no problem because they now form part of official traffic-free trails, and the structures on them are maintained and inspected regularly. Swaffham owes much of its present-day elegance to late 18th-century and Regency times, when it was a centre for well-connected people to attend balls, soires and concerts. We also offer Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path walking holidays, as well as The Wherryman's Way and Short Break Walking Holidays. This route ran from the Roudham Junction of the Norfolk Line (NHER 13571), and had stations at Wretham and Hockham, Stow Bedon, Watton, and Holme Hale, as well as sidings at Stow Bedon, Watton and. If you start this way first, its In this vast open landscape, it is easy to appreciate the power of the wind. Notes: Swaffham station had two passenger platforms. Under the proposal, the former Watton-Swaffham railway line would be repurposed to become a walking and cycling link. See article Watton-Swaffham railway line could become 15km walking link | Eastern Daily Press (edp24.co.uk) (Jeff Vinter) The line closed on 15 June 1964. Early tickets had serial number and date on the face, right and left sides respectively: later ones had the serial number twice on the face and the date on the back. Thirteen down trains stopped: one came from Thetford via Watton. . The Swaffham Pedlar also appears in the hand-carved Swaffham town sign. The village lies 6.9 miles northwest of the nearby town of Fakenham. You continue along the Peddars Way track which then turns into a tarmac lane. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Powered by HBSMR-web and the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd, and mojoPortal CMS The Category Disused Railways is a subset of Heritage and History. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. On the main line there were six passenger trains in each direction plus one more on each of Tuesday and Saturday, these being market days in Lynn and Norwich respectively. The walk begins in the centre of Swaffham, near the Market Cross. Once past this stretch of open meadow, youll have a very pretty walk in amongst woodland and alongside a stream and eventually arriving at more Pingoponds and then the wonderfully picturesque Thompson Water. Swaffham Raceway, a former greyhound track, hosts stock car racing. He took up office around the turn of the 20th Century and stayed in post until after Grouping in 1923. It was the junction for lines to King's Lynn, Dereham, and Thetford. For more information on what we can offer on our Norfolk Walking Holidays, click here. A former Norfolk railway line could become a new walking and cycling route between two of the county's towns, according to newly-published documents. To help you find the best hikes and walks around Swaffham, we've reviewed our full collection of trails and routes in the region. The mostly spacious bedrooms are thoughtfully furnished to ensure guest comfort You can read all about the history of Swaffham, along with seeing an excellent exhibition dedicated to Howard Carter and his discoveries in Egypt. Immediately south of Watton little remains of the line in Thompson Parish except at Griston where the railway crossed a minor road. These were 0-6-0 tank locomotives with 3-foot driving wheels and 11-inch cylinders. . This produces a lot of information which doesnt lend itself easily to a short rubric that we can publish in our magazine. Last walked on 5 January 2019. Another famous local was Howard Carter, the eminent 20th-century Egyptologist who discovered Tutankhamuns tomb in the Valley of the Kings and is rumoured to have died as the result of the boy-king curse. A little further north a brick overbridge is intact crossing Hale Road. I had a lovely treat watching this fox run in front of me, and then had the pleasure of seeing it again as I neared the end of the walk. Eventually a shopkeeper asked him why he was waiting, and the man told of his dream. The pedlar returned to Swaffham, and found the treasure. This is Downton station, the first stop south of Salisbury on the LSWRs cross-country line from Salisbury to Wimborne, whence most services continued to Bournemouth West (although Dorchester and Weymouth could also be reached directly). To the east of the level crossing there were two sidings shunted from the station direction; these lay on the north side of the running lines. A sign erected by Breckland Council marks the entrance to the former station yard at the back of which the station building and adjoining house are intact but much altered since closure of the line. The stationmasters house was an unassuming, two-storey structure of pale cream brick under a hipped roof with a tall central chimneystack. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. A Brief History of the Watton and Swaffham Railway - also known as the Bury and Thetford (Swaffham Branch) Railway The centre provided a venue for school trips and event hire, and had educational displays focussing on sustainability in food, energy and transport. Country town and its surrounding farmland, Lead required in town, and under strict control on the lanes, OS Explorer 236 King's Lynn, Downham Market & Swaffham, Car park in centre of Swaffham, by Market Cross. Just after Swaffham, the line split into two, one branch heading south to Thetford, and the other east towards Dereham. The 15km trail would create a new link between Watton and Swaffham, whose railway line closed in 1965. A little bit further on I another found a sign as well as some interesting long horned cattle. Information about your use of this site is shared with Google. [14], In medieval folklore, a black, hairy dog called the Black Shuck was rumoured to have wandered the three settlements of Swaffham, Castle Acre, and Great Cressingham, ambushing merchants who were on their way to large towns to sell their goods. Additionally, at 8.30 am, a non-stop train left Thetford and terminated at Watton. The last passenger service, the 9.21 pm from Thetford to Swaffham, ran on 12th June 1964 and was formed of a two-car diesel multiple unit with driver David Grant of Dereham in charge, carrying, it was reported locally, seventy passengers. . In the summer of 2006, location filming was done in the town for the ITV1 series Kingdom, starring Stephen Fry. Until 1968 the town was served by Swaffham railway station on the Great Eastern Railway line from King's Lynn. 10 Minute Walk From Wells Town . It was the junction for lines to King's Lynn, Dereham, and . The nearest railway station is at Sheringham for the Bittern Line which runs between Sheringham, Cromer and Norwich. All of our walks are also published quarterly in advance in our magazine, Railway Ramblings. As regards tickets issued for travel, Mr T C F Vollacott wrote a short history of the two railways. Some of these ponds were stagnant, others had pretty water Streetmap, A circular walk from Turbine Way, Swaffham; heading west from Swaffham along Shouldham Lane, turning south then east from Town Farm along Shoemakers Lane towards the southern end of Swaffham, joining Dulgate Lane to head north on tracks and paths until the route of an old railway line is reached, turning west on this route and continuing on paths and roads back to the start. Travelling south from Swaffham there were stations at Holme Hale, Watton, Stow Bedon, Wretham& Hockham and Roudham Junction. As the glaciers retreated, they left hard masses of ice which eventually had soil over them. Quickest way to get there Cheapest option Distance between. Then, as the climate became warmer and the ice melted away, the soil on top formed depressions, leaving a hole filled with water hence the Pingo was formed. The new walk and cycle path would include a connection to the Peddars Way, which would enable walkers to branch off towards the north Norfolk coast. As I came out of the first wood and faced a very open Pingo, I wondered which way I should go until I saw a sign to my right. Opened in 1875, the Watton and Swaffham Railway - also known as the Crab and Winkle line - connected the towns with Thetford in one direction and King's Lynn in the other. Swaffham railway station was located in Swaffham, Norfolk. Climb to a junction and then turn left along White Cross Road. The new route running. Turn right here and head back in the direction of Swaffham. The line north of Watton closed finally on 19 April 1965. On Mondays and Fridays Swaffham sent out a light engine to Dereham at 6.00am. It was vested into the GER in 1897, becoming part of the London and North Eastern Railway on 1 January 1923. 1974-1988. Steam locomotives worked out of Swaffham engine shed, a sub-shed of Norwich Thorpe (shed code 32A in BR days). The start of the Pingo Trail is through a kissing gate and the path is very obvious along here. [24] In 2008 the energy company Ecotricity took over the management of the site[25] and in 2012 the visitor centre was renamed the Green Britain Centre. They had very impressive horns though and were a lovely sight!! It was formed of the Watton and Swaffham Railway, founded in 1866 as an independent venture by the Thetford and Watton Railway Company. Where the island platform is an ugly and untidy business park. Temperature extremes in the Swaffham-Marham area range from 34.8C (94.6F) in August 1990, down to 16.7C (1.9F) during February 1956. Goods traffic continued on the line as far as Watton until 19 April 1965 and Swaffham lost all of its goods trains in 1966. (Jeff Vinter). Rose (NLA), 16 June 1995.Overbridge north of North Pickenham village still marked RJS 2409 14 miles 15 chains.The embankment remains in part to the east.E. Its a fantastic sight full of water violets and trees in swamps. [17] A wood carving of the Pedlar of Swaffham is also in the church. This trail is great for running and walking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. There are still rumours of a puma-like black cat wandering around Norfolk[15] and Cambridgeshire.[16]. Swaffham Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Swaffham, Norfolk, England. Tools The Bury and Thetford (Swaffham Branch), also known as the Crab and Winkle Line, [1] was a railway line in England. (Tim Chant). Browse the best walks around Swaffham and see interactive maps of the top 8 hiking trails and routes. A transport companys premises are on the site of the engine shed. The area was named "Loch Neaton" in honour of the Scottish navvies who built the line, with Neaton being the local hamlet. Roudham Junction to Watton was closed completely at this time, and the remainder was closed to freight on 19 April 1965, after transporting the final sugar beet and coal traffic. 6h 33m. "Ice Age To Royalty" Norfolk Stately Homes walk. . The first of these began operation in 1999[19] and the second in 2003. The equivalent down working called at 7.52pm. Find the travel option that best suits you. (October 1995). Some steam turns continued on goods trains on the remaining lines to Kings Lynn and Dereham until Norwich Thorpe shed closed to steam on 2 April 1962. After the first kilometre or so along Procession Road, we have lost the historic route of the Roman road, which we won't regain until after Castle Acre. This page is not available in other languages. And they pointed to the 18-mile Camel Trail in Cornwall, used byaround 400,000 people each year and generatingroughly 3m of expenditure in local businesses. The tale tells of a pedlar from Swaffham who dreamed for several consecutive nights that if he waited on London Bridge he would eventually hear good news. It was given to the town by Lord Orford in 1783. There were five passenger workings each way on the Thetford branch and a daily goods worked from Lynn to Roudham Junction. In the parish of Saham Toney some length of embankment remains in view and, close by, substantial brick-built abutments of an overbridge survive on Long Road at Woodbottom Farm. Under the proposal, the former Watton-Swaffham railway line would be repurposed to become a walking and cycling link. Turn left here for yet more glorious views and wetlands! Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. 'Walking your way around Swaffham, you will see many fine examples of historic architecture and you will experience a sense of traditionalism mixed with the energy of modern day life. 1st Class singles were white, 2nd rose, 3rd green and parliamentary buff coloured. Streetmap Nat.Grid: TF 817 095 GPS: Lat,Long 52.6535,0.6851 what3words: seated.clerk.corded Railway Station to Swaffham, Kings Arms. (West Runton beach is also an SSSI). The market cross here was built by George Walpole, 3rd Earl of Orford and presented to the town in 1783. There was no Sunday service. which plays at Shoemakers Lane. This is probably the one place where you need to be alert as I did slightly wonder which way I should go (this is why its always advisable to have an OS map with you!). The idea has been suggested as part of Breckland Council's 'Future Breckland' project . Here a deep depression had to be filled and compacted and an embankment formed to carry the railway. 2007 - 2023 Norfolk Historic Environment Service, Priory of St Mary in the Meadow, Beeston Regis, Kings Lynn Urban Archaeological Database (2017-2022), Early Prehistoric Record Enhancement (2014), World War Two Fighter Pen & Shed Restoration, The Heritage Explorer Project (2005-2007), Great Yarmouth Archaeological Map (2004-2006), Route of Thetford, Watton and Swaffham Railway (later Great Eastern). And let's not forgetNorwich, the region's only city. In 1897 it was fully absorbed into the Great Eastern Railway and became part of the London & North Eastern Railway at grouping of the nations railways on 1 January 1923. Pretty much everywhere you walk, theres water! See other stations on the Lynn - Dereham line: Middleton Towers, East Winch, Pentney & Bilney, Narborough & Pentney, Sporle, Dunham, Fransham, Wendling, Scarning & Dereham (EAR Station), To see the other Also known as kettle ponds, these pingos date back to the ice age, and Pingo is the Eskimo word for hill. Once called the Butter Cross, this Palladian-styled structure is topped by a little figure of the goddess Ceres, holding a sheaf. Apr 2023 - Watton-Swaffham railway line could become 15km walking link A former Norfolk railway line could become a new walking and cycling route between two of the county's towns, according to newly-published documents. The latter are often the most interesting walks, but they take a lot of time, effort and skill to arrange. The shopkeeper laughed, and replied that he often dreamed that if he went to a certain orchard in Swaffham and started digging, he would find buried treasure.

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