See article Watton-Swaffham railway line could become 15km walking link | Eastern Daily Press (edp24.co.uk) (Jeff Vinter) We tend to be a bit slower than a typical Ramblers group because we stop to examine structures and artefacts along the way. Turn left to continue along this road, past a few cottages until it turns into a track straight ahead. Climb to a junction and then turn left along White Cross Road. Last walked on 23 July 2016, A circular walk from Turbine Way, Swaffham; heading west from Swaffham along Shouldham Lane, turning south then east from Town Farm along Shoemakers Lane to reach the centre of Swaffham, heading east by the churchyard and then to the southern end of Swaffham by streets, joining Dulgate Lane to head north on tracks and paths until the route of an old railway line is reached, turning west on this route and continuing on paths and roads back to the start. Streetmap Nat.Grid: TF 817 095 GPS: Lat,Long 52.6535,0.6851 what3words: seated.clerk.corded Turn right along the lane to head back into town. We also have a useful Walk Template (see links below). On Wednesday only market-goers bound for Watton were catered for by a 1.20 pm departure from Swaffham: it set out on its twenty-minute return journey at 3.15 pm. The pedlar set off home with great haste, discovered the treasure and donated his money to the towns church. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. The pedlar returned to Swaffham, and found the treasure. Walk from the gracious town of Swaffham to the ancient Peddars Way. Meals are served every day in The Green Room restaurant, or in the bar for a more informal dining Nightingale Cottage sleeps up to four people. Of the cattle yards and shed there is no trace: they lie under a scaffolding companys yard. This club organises walks over disused railway lines, and non-members can sample up to two of these before joining. Goods traffic continued on the line as far as Watton until 19 April 1965 and Swaffham lost all of its goods trains in 1966. The clue is in the name! Last walked on 16 May 2015, A circular walk from Turbine Way, Swaffham; heading west from Swaffham along Shouldham Lane, turning south then east from Town Farm along Shoemakers Lane to reach the centre of Swaffham, heading east by the churchyard and continuing north-east on streets, paths and Sporle Road until the route of an old railway line is reached, turning west on this route and continuing on paths and roads back to the start. In the parish of Saham Toney some length of embankment remains in view and, close by, substantial brick-built abutments of an overbridge survive on Long Road at Woodbottom Farm. Goods services to Swaffham began on 20 September 1875 but it was not until nearly two months later that the supervising authorities were satisfied that the new embankments at Neaton were safe for passenger traffic to commence: it did so on 15 November. It was closed to passengers on 15 June 1964 and to freight on 19 April 1965. This is now part of the Peddars Way Long Distance Trail. Almost immediately you pass the entrance to the parish Church of St Peter and St Paul's, which dates mostly from the 15th century and whose distinctive spire can be seen for miles around. From Watton went poultry, butter, milk and eggs, principally to Cambridge and London markets. Further east, a high arched bridge over a road remains.E. This type of risk is remote, which is probably why the premiums for Civil Liability insurance are usually reasonable. Then with a S-Train to Dsseldorf main Station. The largest remaining block of ancient wood in Norfolk, Roydon Common circular walk is a lovely 5.5 mile amble over the open heath land, along a stretch of disused railway and the countryside of North Norfolk, Felbrigg Hall walks are countryside and woodland walks. Kent to Swaffham by train, walk and bus 157 Weekly . Swaffham - Travel guide at Wikivoyage Under the proposal, the former Watton-Swaffham railway line would be repurposed to become a walking and cycling link. [26], In June 2018 it was announced that the centre had closed for financial reasons and that Ecotricity intended to hand the building back to Breckland District Council (BDC). Early tickets had serial number and date on the face, right and left sides respectively: later ones had the serial number twice on the face and the date on the back. West of the station an earth bund prevents access and sight along the trackbed. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. The reasons for the privately owned trackbeds being in the minority are (1) we do not trespass on private land, and (2) it is very time-consuming to arrange access with sometimes dozens of separate landowners. early on as you walk through the woods and the first stretch of Thompson Just after Swaffham, the line split into two, one branch heading south to Thetford, and the other east towards Dereham. Route-of-Thetford-Watton-and-Swaffham-Railway-(later-Great - Norfolk The Swaffham Pedlar also appears in the hand-carved Swaffham town sign. The Gate House, much rebuilt and modernised, still stands beside the crossing. Some of the main platform edging and surface survives. Here you need to go through the gate and follow the path through more woodland. 2h 19m. [10], Two more Manning Wardle tanks, and two Sharp, Stewart and Company 0-4-2 tender locomotives were added by September 1876. Drive. The main line saw a big increase in services: eleven up trains bound for Lynn stopped at Dunham, one more ran only to Swaffham where a change for Lynn was offered. A short distance beyond the engine servicing area a second signal box was later provided on the south side to control the junction of the Lynn & Dereham Railway and the Watton & Swaffhams line. The new route running along its length would start at Loch Neaton, in the centre of Watton, and finish at the site of Swaffhams old station. The market cross here was built by George Walpole, 3rd Earl of Orford and presented to the town in 1783. Its construction was delayed and complicated due to difficult land at Neaton, just north of Watton. Thompson Water is actually a man-made lake which was created in 1845 along a tributary of the River Wissey, and has nothing to do with the Pingos! (West Runton beach is also an SSSI). They were joined by a second-hand rebuilt 3ft 6in gauge locomotive whose. The British Railways Board published Dr Richard Beechings report The Reshaping of Britains Railways on 27 March 1963. Streetmap, A circular walk from Turbine Way, Swaffham; heading west from Swaffham along Shouldham Lane, turning south then east from Town Farm along Shoemakers Lane towards the southern end of Swaffham, joining Dulgate Lane to head north on tracks and paths until the route of an old railway line is reached, turning west on this route and continuing on paths and roads back to the start. The Pingo Trail Circular Walk Length: just under 8 miles Ease of Walk: easy and flat What you'll see: Pingos, long horned cattle, woodland and common land, wetland and swamps, Thompson Water, water violets Dogs : Dogs are allowed on this walk but they must be under control, especially on Thompson Common Postcode: NR17 1DP OS Map: No 229 (advisable) Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. A former Norfolk railway line could become a new walking and cycling route between two of the county's towns, according to newly-published documents. Theoretically, a group of 20 or so walkers passing over an old railway bridge might, just conceivably, weaken the structure, e.g. An express left for Lynn and Peterborough at 8.25am, non-stop to Lynn. For example, since the rail replacement bus service between Maiden Newton and Bridport (Dorset) was withdrawn in 2015, anyone tracing that route which is only partially open to walkers anyway will find no public transport at all between Maiden Newton and the outskirts of Bridport. Follow the lane over a bridge over a disused railway line and past Grange Farm, to eventually reach the A47 once more. Click here for a brief history of the Lynn & Dereham Railway Just after Swaffham, the line split into two, one branch heading south to Thetford, and the other east towards Dereham. Luckily they didnt seem to be bothered with me which was a great relief, as I do have a slight fear of walking through fields with cows! You occasionally have to keep an eye out for way markers, but Norfolk Trails have upgraded the posts, so you shouldn't have a problem. Then, as the climate became warmer and the ice melted away, the soil on top formed depressions, leaving a hole filled with water hence the Pingo was formed. 2. [24] In 2008 the energy company Ecotricity took over the management of the site[25] and in 2012 the visitor centre was renamed the Green Britain Centre. For more information on what we can offer on our Norfolk Walking Holidays, click here. The cheapest way to get from Swaffham to Sheringham costs only 11, and the quickest way takes just 46 mins. Immediately south of Watton little remains of the line in Thompson Parish except at Griston where the railway crossed a minor road. Sunday saw two trains, both late in the day, the first activity being at 4.32 pm from Swaffham. It was the junction for lines to King's Lynn, Dereham, and Thetford. This produces a lot of information which doesnt lend itself easily to a short rubric that we can publish in our magazine. Swaffham owes much of its present-day elegance to late 18th-century and Regency times, when it was a centre for well-connected people to attend balls, soires and concerts. The centre provided a venue for school trips and event hire, and had educational displays focussing on sustainability in food, energy and transport. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 39 min to complete. North of Watton a nominally independent company, the Watton and Swaffham Railway was incorporated on 12 July 1869. The Fairlie Steam Carriage was instead successfully tested in July 1869 at the, "Fairlie's Steam Carriage. Throughout its life there was little change in the number and frequency of passenger trains on the branch. . [23] The centre hosted the 2008 British BASE jumping championships; contestants jumped from the roof of the observation deck. (Image: Ian Burt). He travelled to London, and waited for several days on the bridge. Check out this 3.2-km out-and-back trail near King's Lynn, Norfolk. Rose (NLA), 29 January 2005. Swaffham railway station was located in Swaffham, Norfolk. Many of the old railways that we visit present no problem because they now form part of official traffic-free trails, and the structures on them are maintained and inspected regularly. To the east of the level crossing there were two sidings shunted from the station direction; these lay on the north side of the running lines. This page is not available in other languages. Former railway line could become walking and cycling trail between The last train carried in coal and took away a sugar-beet harvest. Although well provided with sidings for goods traffic the junction had no road access being simply a transfer platform for branch passengers using the Norwich & Brandon Railways trains to complete their journey. [11], The Swaffham Museum is a small, independent social history museum for Swaffham and the surrounding villages in Norfolk from the Stone Age to the modern. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. At the end of this road, turn right along London Street to return to the town centre and car park. Find the travel option that best suits you. 'Inspired by the BBC series, Railway Walks with Julia Bradbury, this section aims to document the surviving remnants of Britain's many disused railways (unfortunately without the assistance of Julia Bradbury). Last walked on 5 January 2019. The 1953 steam-worked timetable shows six through trains with no extra services to or from Watton. One post-holder of note at Swaffham was John Coker who supervised the no doubt large workforce required for a busy junction station for more than 25 years. Turn right here and head back in the direction of Swaffham. Swaffham Walks - Open Paths and Trails 58 - 92. Not shown in the tables, a train for Norwich and its market left on Saturdays only at about 8.40am. He took up office around the turn of the 20th Century and stayed in post until after Grouping in 1923. Route map drawn by Alan Young. Overview. By 1882 the station was a much busier place. This is Downton station, the first stop south of Salisbury on the LSWRs cross-country line from Salisbury to Wimborne, whence most services continued to Bournemouth West (although Dorchester and Weymouth could also be reached directly). It would be quite fun to take a little boat and row your way around here! Walking routes starting in Turbine Way, Swaffham. On 7 July 1869, the company had obtained an additional Act that allowed its trains running powers on Great Eastern tracks from Roudham Junction to Thetford and to form a junction with the Bury St. Edmunds and Thetford Railway at Thetford. However, our leaders ability to do this depends on the location of the walk, which in turn governs the level of available public transport. We have developed resources to help our walk leaders design and plan railway walks ranging from straightforward events over official railway paths to walks which require negotiation with landowners. Fourteen walks around and about Swaffham. As I came out of the first wood and faced a very open Pingo, I wondered which way I should go until I saw a sign to my right. The turbines were originally associated with the EcoTech Centre, a visitor centre which was opened in 1999. You can park here if you wish, but the actual car park is just behind here, so take the track in the middle of the lay-by and turn immediately right.Most of the walk is very well sign posted. This trail is great for running and walking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. One strange movement is shown. The lake used to be dominated and almost completely covered with a plant called Water Soldier, and although it provided ideal habitat for a lot of wildlife, it also takes the oxygen out of the water. The Wattonwater feature is so named because it was created byScottish railway workerswho were digging earth to be used for anembankment on the line. She is thought to be the ancestor of every pure greyhound alive today. There's electric heating throughout and an open fire with coal and logs provided. People gathered in Swaffham for 'the season', and so many clergymen ranked among their numbers that the Bishop of Norwich was reported as being concerned that they were neglecting their parishioners. There are still rumours of a puma-like black cat wandering around Norfolk[15] and Cambridgeshire.[16]. Most of the Pingos that were in the Brecks area have now disappeared due to the land being ploughed up for farming, so the ones remaining are historically, ecologically and internationally important for the wildlife. See full article Mar 2023 - Travel Routes in Somerset Turn left here for yet more glorious views and wetlands! . WhifflersWalks - Swaffham - Google Sites . Despite BRs modernisation attempts the end was signalled in Dr. Richard Beechings report The Reshaping of Britains Railways, published in March 1963 and closure of Norfolks branch lines began with some urgency. Once past this stretch of open meadow, youll have a very pretty walk in amongst woodland and alongside a stream and eventually arriving at more Pingoponds and then the wonderfully picturesque Thompson Water. And they pointed to the 18-mile Camel Trail in Cornwall, used byaround 400,000 people each year and generatingroughly 3m of expenditure in local businesses. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Swaffham Walking routes starting in Turbine Way, Swaffham. Swaffham Station signal box was at the east end of the Up platform, alongside the footbridge, controlling the station area with the crossing gates being hand-worked. A Gannett Company. The timetable for 1866, nine years before the line through Watton opened, shows that Swaffham saw four up and four down trains each weekday and one each way on Sundays. These two busy routes provide Swaffham with a large volume of passing trade and travellers, especially at weekends and during the summer months. Continue up the hill and bear left, (leaving the Peddars Way which bears right). Tickets for travel from intermediate stations, except at Watton, were issued by the guard. Earth was extracted from a pit beside the route. There was no Sunday service. Two giant wind turbines dominate the views to your right, and the eight turbines of the wind farm at North Pickenham are visible across the fields to your left. Today, typically of many agricultural areas crossed by closed railways, some of the former trackbed has been ploughed and is indistinguishable from surrounding fields. The railways were all closed as part of the Beeching Axe, though the possibility of rebuilding a direct rail link from Norwich to King's Lynn via Swaffham is occasionally raised. A proposal has been made to re-purpose the former railway line between Watton and Swaffham. These two turbines have since been joined by an independent development of a further eight turbines at the village of North Pickenham, three miles from Swaffham. A Swaffham circuit | AA RatedTrips.com [2] The extension to Swaffham cost 72,000,[3], On 21 July 1879 the line was leased to the Great Eastern Railway for 999 years, commencing 1 March 1880. [21] The first of the wind turbines to be constructed was an Enercon E66/1500 with 1.5 MW generation capacity, 67 metres nacelle height and 66 metres rotor diameter. Roudham Junction to Watton was closed completely at this time, and the remainder was closed to freight on 19 April 1965, after transporting the final sugar beet and coal traffic. Norfolk prides itself on its wealth of historic houses, the most famous beingSandringham, where Her Majesty the Queen and her family spend Christmas. Theres a small bird watching hide overlooking Thompson Water surrounded by lots of bird feeders hanging from the trees, and its definitely worth stopping at, not least to rest your legs! There was no Sunday service on either line. Future plans drafted for Watton and Swaffham - The Wayland News Rose (NAU), May, 1988.The section southwest of Stow Bedon mentioned above is now a footpath.At 9350 9491 is a crossing house of two storeys, grey brick skin over clay lump, now derelict.E. For more information on what we can offer on our Norfolk Walking Holidays, click here, Foxley Norfolk, Norfolk Wildlife Trust Bluebell Wood Spectacular. The plans - produced by a cohort of consultants - outline how a select number of investments in the towns could boost economic growth across the district. [9] Carter was a distant cousin of the archaeologist and egyptologist Howard Carter[10] who spent much of his childhood in the town. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 39 min to complete. Our walks are split roughly 4:1 between walks over official railway paths and walks over old trackbeds which are privately owned. Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes, "The Man Who Became Rich through a Dream: Folktales of Type 1645", "Is this the infamous Norfolk panther prowling near Saxlingham Nethergate? The cottage has a 27 HD TV and a Blu-Ray DVD player; WiFi is available. The mostly spacious bedrooms are thoughtfully furnished to ensure guest comfort You can read all about the history of Swaffham, along with seeing an excellent exhibition dedicated to Howard Carter and his discoveries in Egypt. It was vested into the GER in 1897, becoming part of the London and North Eastern Railway on 1 January 1923. However, it helps to ensure that our walk leaders do not overlook anything, and there is much to be said for that. After the first kilometre or so along Procession Road, we have lost the historic route of the Roman road, which we won't regain until after Castle Acre. The section of line between Stow Bedon and Wretham was intended to be used for a new road, and Stow Bedon station was demolished as part of this plan. Generally, you should have a reasonable level of fitness and be able to manage 7 or 8 miles at about 3 miles per hour. The line was lifted after closure. Watton-Swaffham railway line could become 15km walking link (See below)Line immediately south-east of Swaffham Junction is an overgrown cutting so small that it would be hard to believe it were a railway were it not for the overbridges.E. The idea has been suggested as part of Breckland Council's 'Future Breckland' project . The line was important for coal, poultry, sugar beet and RAF cargo, and joined the Lynn and Dereham Line (NHER 13600) at Swaffham. Near the road the large goods shed, extended to cover the route of the railway between station and level crossing, now houses a motor company. The nearest Met Office weather station to provide local climate data is RAF Marham, about .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}5+12 miles (9km) west of the town centre. Indeed, on weekdays, a traveller might reach Swaffham only as late as 9.44 pm, whilst on Sunday evening it was midnight exactly when the second train reached the town! Swaffham to Wells-next-the-Sea - 2 ways to travel via taxi, and car A sign erected by Breckland Council marks the entrance to the former station yard at the back of which the station building and adjoining house are intact but much altered since closure of the line. Eastwards towards Dereham they ran, at first, only as far as Sporle from 26 October 1847: Sporle to Dereham opened on 11 September 1848. It would cost somewhere between 3.3 and4.75m to be built and it would take between five and eight years to finish the project. [13], Swaffham is one of the many locations for The Man Who Became Rich through a Dream folk tale (Aarne-Thompson type 1645). www.open-walks.co.uk/directory/?searchconditi www.historyfiles.co.uk/MainRailwayWalksIndex. Swaffham railway station when part of the Eastern Region of British Rail Until 1968 the town was served by Swaffham railway station on the Great Eastern Railway line from King's Lynn. Today the town is known for the presence of two large Enercon E-66 wind turbines. The current building, dating from 1454, is built on the foundation of the original church. The cheapest way to get from Swaffham to Wells-next-the-Sea costs only 8, and the quickest way takes just 32 mins. On the main line there were six passenger trains in each direction plus one more on each of Tuesday and Saturday, these being market days in Lynn and Norwich respectively. That on the south (up) side housed the main station buildings, the station yard and public access from the town. The railway also secured a rebuilt 3 ft 6 in saddle tank. Steam-worked passenger trains ceased running through Swaffham at the end of the 1955 summer timetable after which all services was operated by DMUs based at Dereham.
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