Weybourne railway station

Weybourne
Station on heritage railway
Weybourne railway station
General information
Location	Weybourne, North Norfolk England
Coordinates	52°55′58″N1°09′00″E / 52.9328°N 1.1499°E / 52.9328; 1.1499
Grid reference	TG117419
Operated by	North Norfolk Railway plc
Platforms	2
History
Original company	Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Pre-grouping	Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Post-grouping	Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Eastern Region of British Railways
Key dates
1 July 1901	Opened
6 April 1964 [1]	Closed
13 July 1975 [2]	Reopened as a heritage station
Location

Weybourne railway station is an intermediate stop on the preserved North Norfolk Railway in Weybourne, Norfolk, England. It was formerly part of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway route between Melton Constable and Cromer. Regarded as an iconic Edwardian masterpiece, the station is open whenever trains are in operation and holds various themed events throughout the year.

History

v t e Midland & Great Northern Cromer Branch
Legend
Cromer Beach To Norwich West Runton Sheringham Network Rail North Norfolk Railway Sheringham (original) Weybourne Holt (North Norfolk Railway) Holt Melton Constable

When the Eastern and Midlands Railway extended the line from Holt to Cromer Beach in 1887, there was no station at Weybourne. It wasn’t until the Poppyland tourist boom of the late 1890s that the Midlands & Great Northern Railway (M&GN) decided that they would attempt to develop Weybourne as a holiday resort.

The station was built in 1900 to serve the imposing Weybourne Springs Hotel (now demolished) which was also built around this time; it opened to passengers on 1 July 1901. Weybourne station was built by local craftsmen in a grand late Victorian style and it was arguably one of the grandest stations on the M&GN. ^[3] The line was closed by British Railways in April 1964. It was reopened as part of the heritage North Norfolk Railway in July 1975.

The eastern section of the later M&GNJR

Location and facilities

The station is located on Station Road, over a mile south-south-east from the centre of Weybourne and is closer to Weybourne Heath.

Weybourne’s former parcel’s office houses a small souvenir shop and buffet which is usually open from 9:30–16:30. A railway bookshop in the old stationmaster’s office sells new and second-hand books between 9:30-15:30 on most days. An accessible toilet and baby changing facilities are in the former lamp room at the Holt end of the building. ^[3]

Service

The heritage railway is open on most days between April and October, with some additional events over the winter period such as the Santa Specials. The timetable varies throughout the year, with eight services in each direction on the green summer off-peak and up to twelve in the maroon summer peak. ^[4]

Preceding station	Heritage railways			Following station
Kelling Heath Park towards Holt		North Norfolk Railway		Sheringham Terminus
Disused railways
Holt Line and station closed		Midland and Great Northern Cromer Branch		Sheringham Line and station open
Future services
Holt Line and station closed		Norfolk Orbital Railway North Norfolk Railway		Sheringham Line and station open

Media appearances

Weybourne railway station (as well as the NNR itself) has been used for filming and on-screen TV appearances, including: ^[3]

• Walmington-on-Sea railway station in the Dad's Army episode "The Royal Train"
• Thruxton in "A Warning to the Curious" in the BBC's 1972 A Ghost Story for Christmas offering
• Crimpton-on-Sea railway station in the BBC TV sitcom Hi-de-Hi!
• Clayfield railway station in the opening episode of Backs to the Land
• The 1985 adaptation of The Moving Finger .

References

1. Quick, M. E. (2002). Railway passenger stations in England, Scotland and Wales – a chronology. Richmond: Railway and Canal Historical Society. p. 452. OCLC   931112387.
2. 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. p. 247. ISBN   978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC   60251199. OL   11956311M.
3. "Weybourne Station – North Norfolk Railway". North Norfolk Railway. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
4. "Visit Us". North Norfolk Railway. 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.