Fransham railway station

Fransham
General information
Location	Fransham, Norfolk England
Platforms	1
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	Lynn and Dereham Railway East Anglian Railway [1]
Pre-grouping	Great Eastern Railway
Post-grouping	London and North Eastern Railway Eastern Region of British Railways
Key dates
11 September 1848	Opened [1]
9 September 1968	Closed to passengers
Location

Fransham railway station is a former station in Great Fransham, Norfolk. It was opened as part of the Lynn and Dereham Railway, becoming part of the East Anglian Railway from 1847, on the section of line between Dereham and Swaffham. ^[2]

History

The Lynn & Dereham Railway was given the Royal Assent on 21 July 1845, opened in stages between 1846 and 1848, and later became part of the Great Eastern Railway. Hunt's Directory of East Norfolk 1850 shows Edgar Skeit as a "railway clerk". However, White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1854 lists Edgar Skeet as being station master at Great Fransham. He would spend over 30 years in this role.

He was christened on 20 August 1804 at Ubbeston, Suffolk. William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1883 lists him as still being stationmaster despite being 80 years old. ^[3] He died in September 1888 aged 84 and is buried in the North East corner of Beeston churchyard.

In the early days, four passenger trains and one goods train would pass through the station each way daily giving ten movements. Great Fransham was a halt between the two major junctions of East Dereham and Swaffham. The station also had a level crossing.

The original intention of the company had been to extend their line to Great Yarmouth, via Norwich, but this plan was blocked by the rival Wymondham to Dereham scheme proposed by the Norfolk Railway.

The line was closed to passenger and freight services by the Eastern Region of British Railways after last train on Saturday 7 September 1968.

It was closed as part of the Beeching Axe, despite Beeching's report intending to retain the King's Lynn - Dereham - Norwich line.

Some items of rolling stock are kept at the station, although not on public display. For a while the station was home to an unrestored 1916 Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 ST, works number 1208. This was the last surviving locomotive from the Nidd Valley Light Railway. It has since been purchased and removed for future use on the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway. ^[4]

Rolling stock

Passenger vehicles

Built for	Number	Type	Designation	Livery	Notes
Great Eastern Railway	1235	Diagram 421	T	Varnished teak	Body only, Static [5]
London Midland and Scottish Railway	42551	Horse box	HBY	-	Body only, Static [5]

Preceding station	Disused railways			Following station
Dunham Line and station closed		Great Eastern Lynn and Dereham Railway		Wendling Line and station closed

References

1. Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN   978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC   60251199. OL   11956311M.
2. Oppitz, 1989, page 14
3. "GENUKI: Norfolk: Genealogy: Towns and Parishes: Fransham, Great: White's 1883".
4. Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway: Illingworth / Mitchell
5. "BR 86226 (93226)". The Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey Project. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024.

Bibliography

• Oppitz, Leslie (Autumn 1989). "East Anglia Railways Remembered". Countryside Books.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

External links

• Fransham station on 1946 O. S. map
• Photograph of Fransham station in 1975 Archived 8 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine

52°41′10″N0°47′33″E / 52.6862°N 0.7925°E / 52.6862; 0.7925