Mid-Norfolk Railway

It is, but it never really seems to progress. As I said on the previous page, apparently they received a lot of money from grants, the Polar Express trips and from hiring out siding space for the new Greater Anglia units, but it all seems to have disappeared.

The emergency appeal started off well with £20,000 in the first few days, but nearly a year later it's only twice that. £40,000 was raised by August, a little bit more by November, and even now it's still only £44,000. They've found the money to buy new rolling stock, but haven't been able to afford to keep their mainline collection intact.

 

Some good news from the railway, work on the Crownthorpe bridge looks to be near completion and they plan to be open again to Wymondham next weekend for their diesel gala. Will need to have the line open to trains again if a Rail Operations Group Class 37 is going to be in attendance from the mainline.

https://www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk...ondham-for-diesel-gala-following-bridge-works

Some more pictures on their p-way facebook, showing the beams on the bridge that will carry the track: https://www.facebook.com/MNRPWay

 

From a recent newsletter :

Rail traffic returns to Wymondham Abbey and over Crownthorpe Bridge

Today, Saturday 25th May, a number of things happened that simply have not been possible for the last couple of years.

Firstly, a mainline visiting locomotive for the Spring Diesel Gala (Rail Operations Group 37608 Andromeda in a freshly-painted green livery) was greeted onto the railway by our Deputy Operations Manager Derek Orr at our mainline connection at Wymondham South Junction.

Secondly, the long-awaited bridge restoration at Crownthorpe was completed on Friday 24th, thanks to our Permanent Way team and many other volunteers. We have so far had a count of 8 passenger-carrying return trips over the bridge and many more for Sunday and Monday!

Thirdly, the reopening of Wymondham Abbey station, the first passenger train returning to Wymondham was greeted with a cheer by all those present, which included our volunteer Wymondham stationmasters Carl Ransome and Clive Bamberger and some of their hardworking colleagues.

Good to see things are coming right after a difficult period.

 

A piece on BBC Look East today on the 1940s event last weekend at the Mid-Norfolk Railway. It'll be on iPlayer for a short while.

 

The MNR, have launched their "Back To School" appeal.

Back To School is an appeal for funds to upgrade the facilities at County School station, preparing it for its role as the northern terminus of the line, and see the railway between the station and North Elmham, where it meets the rest of the MNR, restored to operational condition.

The first phase of the appeal seeks to raise £30,000 to:

• move a dining carriage to the station from Dereham to replace the existing Tea Room
  
  
• complete a basic restoration of the first quarter of mile of the formation and track south of the station
  
  
• complete improvement works on the footpath running beside the line
  

https://www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk/donations/backtoschool

 

1. 
   To date it appears they have raised the grand sum of some £4000, which seems extraordinarily poor even in these straitened times.
   It is a very healthy sign that they feel confident enough to recommence working on their aim to reconnect County School to the rest of their system.
   
   If you are thinking of making a donation to rail preservation in the near future perhaps you could give this one a small push.
   

 

I've only visited the MNR once, when I went to pick up some nice alloy wheels for my old BMW - and it was closed that day, sadly. However, a good month here in the bank account and it's a worthwhile cause so a modest donation has been made

 

Just came across this video update on the Back to School project: