Sheringham railway station (North Norfolk Railway)

Sheringham
Station platform
General information
LocationSheringham, North Norfolk,
England
Coordinates52°56′30″N 1°12′29″E / 52.9418°N 1.208°E / 52.9418; 1.208
Grid referenceTG156430
SystemStation on heritage railway
Owned byMidland and Great Northern Joint Railway,
Eastern Region of British Railways,
North Norfolk Railway
Managed byEastern & Midlands Railway,
Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Platforms3
Key dates
16 June 1887Opened as Sherringham
1897Renamed Sheringham
2 January 1967Closed upon opening of new BR station
13 July 1975Reopened as heritage station
Location
Map
Midland & Great Northern
Cromer Branch
Cromer Beach
To Norwich
West Runton
Sheringham
Network Rail
North Norfolk Railway
Sheringham (original)
Weybourne
Holt (North Norfolk Railway)
Holt
Melton Constable

Sheringham is the name of a preserved railway station in Sheringham, Norfolk, England. It was once part of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway network and closed in 1967 when a new station was opened by British Rail c.200m eastwards. Since July 1975, it has served as the eastern terminus of the North Norfolk Railway. In March 2010, the link to Network Rail was reinstated.

History

The view from the 1905 road bridge

The station was first opened on 16 June 1887 by the Eastern and Midlands Railway as part of the Cromer Branch linking the Norfolk Coast to the junction at Melton Constable railway station. In 1893 this was merged into the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Network. On 6 April 1964 in the wake of the Beeching Report, the line to Melton Constable was closed to passengers. Withdrawal of goods services from that line (as well as from Sheringham itself) followed on 28 December 1964. Sheringham station remained open for passengers until 2 January 1967, when it was closed upon the opening of a new station for passengers on the opposite side of Station Road, enabling the level crossing to be closed.

On 13 July 1975, the station was reopened as part of the North Norfolk Railway, which runs along the old Cromer Branch route as far as Holt railway station. Another Sheringham railway station exists on the National Rail network, just across the road from the NNR station.[1]

In September 2025, this station and Weybourne were two of seven railway-associated buildings which were grade II listed in the week of the bicentenary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.[2] English Heritage recognises it for its architectural and historic interest, describing it as "one of the most substantially complete E&MR stations that displays an impressive architectural quality over and above the functional designs that were adopted for many rural stations nationally during the completion of the rail network." It noted in particular its "remarkably complete" elevations and interiors.[3]

Connection to the National Rail network

Sheringham signal box

Between 2007 and 2010, work was undertaken to reinstate the original level crossing across the road to allow trains from Norwich to run onto the North Norfolk Railway heritage line tracks. BBC Look East reported on 17 December 2007 that Network Rail supported the level crossing plans to allow occasional use for trains to cross between tracks. It was announced by the North Norfolk Railway on 16 December 2008, that work was going to start on the new level crossing in January 2009. These plans were later delayed until 2010 due to various problems, including: lack of funding, electricity cables needing to be moved, the county's highways department concerns with the implications of road closure to create the crossing.[4]

The second train to use the new level crossing, Saturday 24 April 2010

Work began on 8 January 2010, with the moving of the NNR headshunt to slew into line with the Network Rail section. The link was reinstated on 11 March 2010, when the first passenger carrying train over the new crossing was steam locomotive '‘Oliver Cromwell’' hauling a train from London Liverpool Street.[5][6] Occasional uses by charter trains and visiting rolling stock are anticipated to not exceed 12 times a year.

Preceding station Heritage railways Heritage railways Following station
Weybourne
towards Holt
North Norfolk Railway Terminus
Disused railways
Weybourne
Line and station open
  Midland and Great Northern
Cromer Branch
  West Runton
Line closed, station open
Future services
Weybourne
Line and station open
  Norfolk Orbital Railway
North Norfolk Railway
  Terminus
National Rail National Rail
Interchange with Sheringham on the Bittern Line

References