CROMER - future possibilities
Although much of the once extensive site at Cromer (Beach) Station has disappeared beneath a supermarket the facility retains two platform faces so that trains may pass here.
More significantly there is still space available in the position of the one-time carriage sidings/headshunt for a run-round loop to be built and additional siding space next to Platform 2 which could offer stabling to a waiting locomotive out of the way of other train movements. What this means is that North Norfolk Railway trains could operate into and out of Cromer - perhaps at first on an occasional basis. The economic benefits of this would be great.
More significantly there is still space available in the position of the one-time carriage sidings/headshunt for a run-round loop to be built and additional siding space next to Platform 2 which could offer stabling to a waiting locomotive out of the way of other train movements. What this means is that North Norfolk Railway trains could operate into and out of Cromer - perhaps at first on an occasional basis. The economic benefits of this would be great.
The Runton triangle was provided originally to permit through GER workings to have access to Sheringham without reversing in the M&GN station at Cromer. It's last significant regular use however was in the years after the closure of the M&GN system when the coal depot at Norwich City station remained open. Coal trains arriving from the North could only reach the depot by running from Norwich Thorpe up to Sheringham and Melton Constable - a 40 mile round trip to end up at a point less than 2 miles from where it started.
So the idea of a Norfolk Orbital Railway is not as new as you might think.
Although the missing third side of the triangle is unlikely to be needed for the original purpose, re-instatement would offer a facility for the turning of locomotives or other stock.
So the idea of a Norfolk Orbital Railway is not as new as you might think.
Although the missing third side of the triangle is unlikely to be needed for the original purpose, re-instatement would offer a facility for the turning of locomotives or other stock.