Weybourne railway station

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.

Weybourne
Station on heritage railway
Weybourne railway station
General information
LocationWeybourne, North Norfolk
England
Coordinates52°55′58″N 1°09′00″E / 52.9328°N 1.1499°E / 52.9328; 1.1499
Grid referenceTG117419
Operated byNorth Norfolk Railway plc
Platforms2
History
Original companyMidland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Pre-groupingMidland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Post-groupingMidland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Eastern Region of British Railways
Key dates
1 July 1901Opened
6 April 1964[1]Closed
13 July 1975[2]Reopened as a heritage station

History edit

Midland & Great Northern
Cromer Branch
 
Cromer Beach
 
 
To Norwich
 
West Runton
 
Sheringham
 
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 edit

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 edit

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
Sheringham   North Norfolk Railway   Kelling Heath Halt
Disused railways
Sheringham
Line and station open
  Midland and Great Northern
Cromer Branch
  Holt
Line and station closed
  Future services  
Sheringham
Line and station open
  Norfolk Orbital Railway
North Norfolk Railway
  Holt
Line and station closed

Media appearances edit

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

References edit

  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. ^ a b c "Weybourne Station – North Norfolk Railway". North Norfolk Railway. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Visit Us". North Norfolk Railway. 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.