Thuxton railway station
Thuxton | |
---|---|
Thuxton station, 2012 | |
Location | |
Place | Thuxton |
Area | Breckland, Norfolk |
Grid reference | TG031072 |
Operations | |
Managed by |
Norfolk Railway Great Eastern Railway |
Owned by |
London & North Eastern Railway Eastern Region of British Railways Mid-Norfolk Railway |
Platforms | 2 |
History | |
15 February 1847 | Opened |
13 July 1964 | Closed to freight |
6 October 1969 | Closed to passengers |
26 July 1997 | Reopened as part of MNR |
Stations on heritage railways in the United Kingdom | |
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |
UK Railways portal |
Thuxton is a railway station in the village of Thuxton in the English county of Norfolk. The station is served by heritage services operated by the Mid-Norfolk Railway on the line from Dereham to Wymondham.
When re-opened by the Mid-Norfolk Railway in 1997 the station was initially used as a request stop, but was returned to full stopping status on 16 June 2002.[1] The waiting rooms on the down platform have been restored by their private owner for use as holiday accommodation.[2] There is no passenger car parking available near this station due to the narrow lanes through the village.
Facilities
Thuxton is a two-platform station. The main building, which included the Stationmaster's house was built by the Norfolk Railway. The Great Eastern Railway later added glass-fronted waiting rooms to the platforms.
The station was equipped with a single siding goods yard on the down side of the formation. The yard was to the north of the passenger station, with no goods shed or fixed loading facilities.[3]
Until late 2010 only the down platform was used for passenger services, with its waiting room in private ownership. The up line platform, where the waiting room was demolished, has been restored to its original length as part of the passing loop project and a new waiting room is being constructed on the original footprint and will mirror the waiting room on the down platform.[4]
Passing loop
Work to relay the lifted up formation and restore the second platform at this station, in order to provide a passing loop for trains running between Dereham and Wymondham, was completed in time for the September 2010 diesel gala.
The loop is intended to be controlled by a signal box built using components from the box from East Winch railway station on the Dereham to King's Lynn line, and includes provision for an eventual restoration of a section of double track railway south of the station potentially to Kimberley Park.
The crossover to the south of the station was completed by volunteer staff during January 2009. The northern point and track panels either side of the level crossing were laid by contractors during May and ballasted during June. Work on the signal box also commenced in June.
The second track over the level crossing was restored over the weekend of 11–14 June 2010, with Class 31 diesel 31438 becoming the first locomotive, since the singling of the route, to pass over the level crossing on this side of the formation on 12 June 2010.[5] Some local residents were unhappy about aspects of the restoration, citing concerns about disruption and the narrow access lane being blocked.[6]
Signal box
Location | Original location | Built by | Notes | Photograph |
---|---|---|---|---|
Thuxton | New build | Mid-Norfolk Railway | The original Thuxton signal box was located to the north of the station platforms, but was downgraded to ground frame status in 1933 and demolished before 1955.[3] The replacement box is located on a new site to the south of the level crossing in the design of Shippea Hill signal box in Cambridgeshire, using some components from the cabin of East Winch signal box, Norfolk.[7] |
References
- ↑ Johnston, Howard (2002). "Regional News". Rail (EMAP Active Ltd) (438): 22.
- ↑ Thuxton station holiday let
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jenkins, 1993, page 135
- ↑ Thuxton loop homepage
- ↑ MNR News
- ↑ "Public meeting in village about Mid-Norfolk Railway concerns". Eastern Daily Press. 7 October 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
- ↑ http://www.thuxtonloop.org.uk/signalbox.html Signal box project
External links
- Map sources for Thuxton railway station
Preceding station | Heritage railways | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Yaxham | Mid-Norfolk Railway | Kimberley Park | ||
Historical railways | ||||
Yaxham Line and station open |
British Rail Eastern Region Wymondham to Wells via East Dereham |
Hardingham Line open, station closed | ||
Future services | ||||
Yaxham Line and station open |
Norfolk Orbital Railway Mid-Norfolk Railway |
Hardingham Line open, station closed |
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Coordinates: 52°37′29″N 1°00′04″E / 52.6247°N 1.001°E