King's Lynn

Very well researched. Good read.

 

The harbour branch left the mainline South of King's Lynn. The docks branch left the mainline close to King's Lynn Station. The post below includes a very short history of the harbour and docks and then covers the length of the branch from the station to John Kennedy Road.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/09/24/kings-lynn-docks-branch-part-1

 

Very enjoyable and informative articles. As another former and occasional present resident in the Lynn area, the attached pictures of the plan and sections of the Lynn & Ely Railway may be of interest and add some more detail.

I look forward to seeing the next piece on lines in Lynn docks.

 

Thank you, Cullen

Very interesting plans!
They seem to date from the time before the harbour branch was extended north to the South Quay.
Best wishes
Roger

 

You are most welcome. The document appears to date from when the Lynn & Ely was being promoted, so perhaps the second bridge over the Nar to reach the South Quay was not envisaged at that time. The plan may however suggest a reason why Railway Road got that name - even though the line never got across Blackfriars Road, where the current station is....

 

The second part of a study on the Docks Branch in King's Lynn. ......

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/09/24/kings-lynn-docks-branch-part-2

This post covers the area around the Alexandra Dock. A further post will follow to cover the railways around the Bentinck Dock.​

 

I have been very remiss not to express my thanks to @Roger Farnworth for such timely - as far as I was concerned! - an article!

Last Sunday evening, I was leading a short tour around the historic areas of the Kings Lynn waterfront and Roger's article proved invaluable as the party were on a Railway holiday. Thanks to Roger, I was able to point out where the railway used to run up to the custom house, and that the tracks used to run right up to the door of the Marriot Warehouse, now a very nice drinking and eating establishment with a small but excellent museum inside of Kings Lynn history, including a good number of excellent models of the older Kings Lynn buildings.

Many thanks Roger.

Steven

 

Many thanks also for this - I spotted the inland level crossing gate during our return trip from North Norfolk on the Monday and wondered when the line was last used - the gate survives well considering it hasn't been used for over 20 years!

On the road in from the Melton Constable direction, there was at least one old coach body (probably 4 or 6 wheel) right next to the road just on the outskirts of Kings Lynn. Has anyone any idea of its history? It is painted green and has a roof over it which suggests there may be more than 1 coach there but we were past too quick to see more in the road coach.

Steven

 

Thank you for your comments Steven (Bean-counter)

 

This is the third post about the Docks Railway in King's Lynn.

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/10/07/kings-lynn-docks-branch-part-3

The post covers the area around Bentinck Dock and has some detail about the Savage's Works on the East side of the dock. Savage's were internationally renowned for their steam-powered fairground attractions.

 

A few random bits and pieces which relate to the docks railways in King's Lynn ....

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/11/06/kings-lynn-docks-branch-part-4-miscellaneous

 

One of the directors of the Docks and Harbour Railways in King's Lynn was William Burkitt, a self-made local business man who had the means to order his own locomotive from Alfred Dodman & Company of Kings Lynn. The loco was named 'Gazelle'. This is the story of that locomotive. It pulls, Colonel Stephens, King's Lynn and the Shropshire and Montgomery Light Railway into one story!

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/07/21/gazelle

 

You probably aren't going to believe this Roger, but guess what - I am in Kings Lynn again and did the history talk around the town which owes much to your excellent articles linked on here this very evening!

Starting at the Railway Station and going via the Red Mount Chapel and Tower Gardens to the Minster and Guildhall and then down between Hampton Court and Hanse House to refreshments at Marriotts Warehouse, as well as admiring Fred Hall's wonderful models in the museum there.

Then out into the Quay to précis your excellent articles on the Dock Railways.

We head north for Royal connections tomorrow, so more reference to your work will be made, with full credit, and I think Gazelle will definitely get a mention too!

As I always say a prayer for assistance with my tour leading duties, I suspect your timing is more devine province than coincidence! What was it a senior Churchman once said - 'When I pray, coincidences seem to happen; if I don't, they stop'!

Many thanks again!

Steven

 

I like it, Steven.

 

There is a lot more to cover about the railways in and around King's Lynn. This post gives a flavour of what is to come in due course.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/10/21/early-railway-history-in-kings-lynn

There is a significant length of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, the branch to Hunstanton, the original length of the line from Gaywood towards Bawsey and a number of quarry and other short lines, without even considering the main line towards Ely.

When time permits. ..............

 

The Lynn and Fakenham Railway - Part 1. ...

This post results from reading Issue No. 30 of the "Railway Archive" Journal. It contains an article about the locomotives originally purchased for the Cornwall Minerals Railway. That company dramatically over-ordered motive power and when it lease was taken over by the GWR, 50% of its original order were returned to the manufacturer Sharp, Stewart of Manchester.

Eight if these locomotives found their way to the Lynn & Fakenham Railway and eventually onto the books of the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway.

This first post about the Lynn & Fakenham Railway focusses on these locomotives. ...

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/11/16/the-lynn-and-fakenham-railway-part-1