The Fakenham and Dereham Railway Society (F&DRS) was a heritage railway society in the English county of Norfolk. For a short period of time it operated County School railway station as the Wensum Valley Railway. The F&DRS later became the Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust, owners and operators of the Mid-Norfolk Railway.
History edit
In 1983, after a 1980 attempt to preserve the Ryburgh to Fakenham section of the Wymondham to Wells branch, the Fakenham and Dereham Railway Society leased Hardingham station and opened a small heritage centre. Track was laid in the former goods yard and a Ruston 0-4-0 diesel locomotive was delivered to the site. Income failed to cover the rent and rates, and the Society was forced to move out when the site was auctioned in 1986 - moving to a temporary location at Yaxham station.[1]
In 1987 the station at County School was purchased by Breckland District Council, and the F&DRS were granted a 999-year lease, invited to lay track and relocate to the site.[2] The intention was to relay track to meet up with the British Rail railhead at North Elmham to connect with charter trains operating over the branch. This plan was abandoned when complete closure of the line from June 1989 was announced.[1]
In April 1989 the Fakenham and Dereham Railway Society became part of the Mid Norfolk Railway Project, along with the Wymondham and Dereham Rail Action Committee, the Dereham Society and the Wymondham Heritage Society. The MNRP, an alliance of independent bodies intererested in the future of the line, was established to focus interest in the preservation of the route. During the following 18 months this alliance evolved into a single body, with WyDRAC members being assimilated into the F&DRS, and the latter voting to change its name to be the Mid Norfolk Railway Society in November 1989.[3]
The station building at County School was formally opened by John Timpson on 15 June 1990, who was brought into the station on a short train consisting of the Ruston diesel and LMS brake van.[4]
Former Rolling Stock edit
Diesel locomotives and shunters edit
| Number & Name | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 'County School' | Ruston 0-4-0 | To Mid-Norfolk Railway, now Bressingham Steam Museum.[5] |
Carriages edit
| Built for | Number | Type | Designation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Railways | 9393 | Mk2a | BSO | Vacuum Brake, converted as DBSO[6] To Lincolnshire Wolds Railway |
| 94869 | - | CCT(Y) | Vacuum Brake[7] To Elsecar Railway |
Goods stock edit
| Built for | Number | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LMS | DM 731920 | 20t brake van | Built 1945 to lot 1387. To Rushden, Higham and Wellingborough Railway. |
References edit
- ^ a b Hull, John (Autumn 1992). "How it all began". Blastpipe (38): 12.
- ^ Chris, Leigh (March 1994). "Back to School with the GER". Steam Railway (167): 38.
- ^ Madgin, Hugh (June 1995). "The New Wave: The Mid Norfolk Railway (Part 2)". Railway World: 45.
- ^ "We are open". Blastpipe (30): 4. Summer 1990.
- ^ GE Traction Ruston No.1 Archived 11 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "BR 9393 Mk 2 Brake Second Open (later DBSO) built 1966". www.cs.rhrp.org.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- ^ "BR 94869 Four-wheel CCT (Covered Carriage Truck) built 1961". www.cs.rhrp.org.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2022.