M&GN 50 - Anniversary Gala on the NNR

The North Norfolk Railway is planning one of the biggest steam gala's it has ever held to mark 50 years since the closure of the majority of the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway system.

The event will be held on five days, on Friday 27 February to Sunday 1 March 2009 and also on the following weekend, Saturday and Sunday the 7 and 8 March 2009.

B1 1306 Mayflower and 4MT 76079 are already booked to attend. Further visiting engines are being negotiated.

All of the confirmed details so far are available at:

http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/steam_gala.htm

Further ideas being discussed (but not yet confirmed) include vintage bus tours around the old M&GN system pointing out buildings and places of interest en route.

 

How on earth did you manage to convince Mr Riley to put an engine on a low loader????!!!!

Or is this a hint that your new mainline connection will be in by then?

 

I think Mr.Riley was sent a very special photograph of some big tools :-#

 

Thirty years ago the AGM was held in Norwich and for a break we were taken on a coach to Norwich Victoria where a coach was being restored before going to Sherringham. Just a suggestion could one of the days and/or evenings be advertised as a reunion for all those of us who've worked on the NNR in the past?

Late 70s/early 80s there was a former M&GN man who came to Sherringham every Satuday to watch the line in action. I appreciate they'll all be pensioners by now, but presumably there are still some people around who worked on the line before closure? If so, how about sitting them down and recording some memories before it's too late?

 

The coach you are refferring to is the Gresley Buffet coach that is still in service now.

There are already several oral history CDs which are for sale through the museum at Holt.
As for the old M&GN Men they are thin on the ground these days but we still get Alan Baker coming down and making a nuisance of himself. He must be in his late seventies now. Ron Bowyer who was a our chairman for a few years is still active as a volunteer and can usually be found at Sheringham during the Santa Special season with one of his musical organs.

It is the fiftieth anniversary of the M&GN Society too and they are plannning on several different occasions throughout 2009.

We have been thinking about getting all the surviving old boys together later next year too.

I'll certainly mention the idea of a reunion for all past volunteers too...

 

I think the Idea of a coach tour around the old M&GN system would be nice, maybe try and convince the people at Melton Constable industrial estate to do some tours inside etc.
An vintage bus connecting Whitwell with Holt would be great too. Possibility open Weybourne works for one of the days.
Just a few ideas anyway
The oral history CDs are good to listen and well worth buying

 

Sounds like a good event with some proper engines attending, its in the diary i'll be there!

 

Some more loco's been added today:

4F 0-6-0 44422 and Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway A Class 1300 as well as the other two previously mentioned.

Will be down there from the Wednesday before the event till the sunday of the final weekend.

Gives me something to think about while slaving away at work!

 

2MT 78019 has now been added to the lineup.

The fares for the event have been finalised and bookings are now being taken. £1 off per ticket if purchased more than a week in advance.

As a one-off for this gala only, anybody who is a member of the M&GN Joint Railway Society is entitled to a discounted ticket upon proof of membership.

Full details including online booking at:

http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/steam_gala.htm

 

Great stuff, I see a nice generous discount for members, looking forward to seeing the quads in action

is anyone is interested (saw these pics on the website), this was Melton constable Junction
http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/graphics/new ... nction.jpg


this is the site today, note the building to the left of the signal box which can be seen in the background (to the left of the space in the trees)


This is at Melton constable station
http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/graphics/new ... tation.jpg
and this is roughly the site today

 

THAT'S YER LOT – 50 years since the closure of the M&GN

With only 9 weeks (or just 68 days) to go before one of 2009's biggest galas gets underway(!), I'd be interested to know what people think of the event and what's being planned? Will you be attending?

For those of you that don't know what's in store, see below:

When the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway closed in 1959 they said ‘That’s Yer Lot’. How wrong they were! 50 years on don’t miss the North Norfolk Railway’s biggest ever steam gala, with the unique chance to see eight steam locos representing types that worked the line in its heyday.

The event will take place over two weekends: Friday 27th February – Sunday 1st March and Saturday 7th – Sunday 8th March 2009

Guest locos: B1 1306 ‘Mayflower’, 4MT 76079, 4F 44422, 2MT 78019 and L&Y 'A' 1300. Home fleet: J15 65462, N7 69621 and WD 90775.

Intensive timetable on all five days. (Friday 27th Feb, guest locos only), also featuring the Gresley Quad-Arts and a goods train.

Free vintage rail replacement buses. Free travel between all our stations (with a valid train ticket) on Eastern Counties liveried Bristol Lodekka Type LD and Half Cab Type LL buses!

Dining and real trains on 28th February.

Vintage coach tour of the M&GN with commentary provided by railway historian Adrian Vaughan. Sundays only, two routes: Sheringham – Whitwell & Reepham – Norwich City, Sheringham – Melton – Fakenham – Massingham, £8 or both for £15.

More info at http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/steam_gala.htm

Cheers
Ben Boggis
'That's Yer Lot' gala team

 

I've been hoping to visit the line for a while now and this gala has given me the incentive to make that extra effort. I've already booked my cheap ticket from Liverpool St to Sheringham (£12 return) so I'm looking forward to my first visit along with an interesting selection of locos.
Good luck with the 'new' level crossing and the gala.

Regards,

Paul

 

Just to add to Ben's post, the line-up as confirmed now includes:

B1 4-6-0 1306 Mayflower


Riley's 2-6-0 4MT 76079 "Pocket Rocket"


Midland/LMS 0-6-0 4F 44422


Lancashire and Yorkshire 0-6-0 A Class 1300


BR 2-6-0 2MT 78019


Plus

WD 2-10-0 90775

Ben Boggis

GER N7 0-6-2T 69621

Alex Fowles

GER J15 0-6-0 65462

Dave Ballard

And the
Award Winning Gresely Quad-Articulated Set


"Demolition Train"/Demonstration Freight Train


An event not to be missed!

 

No Ring Haw? Seems suprising if it will have been recently completed :s

Looks a good lineup nonetheless, but needs an industrial!

 

I hear its off the churnet valley

 

Yes, it's planned that Ring Haw will be on the road in the new year.

If you come to Norfolk craving industrial action, then (after a day and a half at the NNR you can) head across to the former M&GN station at Whitwell and Reepham, which will be opening its doors to the public for the first time in fifty years. The station will play host to visiting Peckett No. 2000, returning to its East Anglian roots having formally worked at British Sugar Corporation in Ipswich.

More info about Whitwell at: http://www.whitwellstation.com/. The transformation of this site in just a few months has been very impressive.

 

Will ring haw pull any public trains on the NNR as I would like to see ring haw again

welcome to the forum Ben, ive always liked your website and 32g is my second favourite shed \/


P.S just found this:
http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk/main/gala09.php

 

I think its due to work the Mince Pie specials coming up between boxing day and January the 4th I think.

 

Thanks, Ill see if I can pop up there then for a mince pie

 

As Joe said, Ring Haw will be running from Boxing Day onwards with the Mince Pies. I had a go in it the other day when steam tests were being done in the yard, its a lovely bit of kit.

Back to the Gala, and this is the poster for the event which has useful information.



Owen