North Norfolk Railway General Discussion

Once they have sorted Sheringham platform 2, run regularly to Cromer, built the bridge and tea room at the current Holt site I would very much hope they would look at the extension to Holt proper.

 

A nice thought, but I highly doubt the J15 would ever make the mainline. She's a very old lady and already has restrictions on its use on the current 5 mile section, in spite of its recent overhaul.

However I think the B12 possibly having a Whitby-style mainline ticket is certainly within the realms of possibility

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The Holt footbridge appears to be practically a done deal and will almost certain happen before any train steams to Norwich!

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Specific diesel shed? Amen to that!

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Hooray! I do like the site at Holt but that sprint/ walk round is an absolute killer! Although saying that it's rather nice to get off at Kelling Heath and sit and listen to the lovely stillness then listen to the loco as it gets nearer. (And Louder!)

 

Smart move! I can think of at least one railway (no names, no pack-drill) which well and truly shot itself in the foot by saying "Oh, we'll never need X!" - only to find, a few years down the road, that 'X' would have been very useful, and that the lack of it was going to cause them headaches for years.

Jack

 

Realise it would never happan, but imagine a locomotive reunion at Norwich.

The B12 and the surviving Britannias coming in by rail, the J15 and NRM J17 brought in by road.

 

I'd have thought with the vintage train almost complete (although I do dream of a GER set and a M&GN set one day) ditto the suburbans, the quads done (but whether they could be kept anywhere else other than bridge road carriage shed given it was built for them using lottery money ) and an increasing rake of wagons, not to mention the future teak mainline set...to be added to as each coach is complete. An interesting display shed concept might be to display full trains using borrowed locos N7 on the quads, or maybe buckjumper on the quads and N7 on the suburbans J17 on the goods, B17 non-running replica on the main line rake (ok so now I am dreaming a little)...What to put on the vintage set? Anyway it is a thought, probably one that Bressingham would be less than impressed with given my appropriation of pretty much all locos East Anglian but it's nice to dream. Congratulations NNR anyway on all your good work! I look forward to coming up for members' day if not before

 

76084 about to return to the network.
https://twitter.com/76084Loco/status/761100118544097281

 

Doesn't leave much time for a main line loaded test run of the loco - or are such things no longer required?

 

and what about the extension to Holt ?????I remember some purchase of land for this some years ago but nothing absolutely nothing since
the same for the "Orbital" apipe dream which has passed out!

 

The Norfolk Orbital Project (including the extension to Holt) is being undertaken by a seperate company to the NNR.

I think it has been stated that the NNR's focus is continuing and improving heritage services on the existing 5 miles of line.

The Norfolk Orbital Project seems like a mammoth task, and without a huge injection of funds could it really happan?

 

Maybe that is the loaded test run?

 

First train is scheduled for 10th August and it's the 4th today, look at the tweet and do the maths! It is not usual for the test train and the actual train to be combined, and this is an all-new route for steam (as far as I know). The idea of a test run is, after all, to iron out any possible problems before the event itself!

 

Looking at it objectively the turn is not disimilar to the heritage line duties plus it did some higher speed testing at GC, did it not?
Whilst I agree its not common for passenger carrying test runs, both VT and PRCLT have done so in the past maybe others too. Not sure there are prescriptive rules about such things, only the engineering requirements and proving.
Would trust the folk involved have it all in hand.

 

Not re-tweeted by @nnrailway from what I can tell...!!! Is there any 'official' news, anywhere, on these services?

Will

 

Don't think the NNR will be operating the initial services with their Safety Case, probably take the NYMR approach for a few years until route knowledge / competence / paperwork and probably much much more, is accumulated!

 

As regards the cost of operating on NR metals out of Sheringham............. Can the NNR afford to do this long term?

At the moment WCR are operating these services and from what I hear they are barely breaking even. Taking on all the relevant ( paid ) staff to be able to run this in house as well as all the other hoops that have to jumped through, is also going to be very expensive.

As has been mentioned the NYMR have proved this type of operation can work, but also look at their wages bill nowadays. They are a railway that moves over 300000 people a year so have a lot better chance of covering their costs.

NYMR also have the rights to run up to Battersby, but do this very infrequently, so that suggests to me that the "Mainline Steam Experience" for people to spend their cash on, is not as much of a cash cow that some think it could be.

 

Or Battersby is a much less popular destination that Whitby...Whitby attracts a lot of tourists in it's own right.

 

As does Cromer as does Sheringham it might cost a a bit to run to Cromer in the short term but when you think of the bigger and long term picture, this could be the start of something great.