Weybourne railway station explained

Weybourne
Type:Station on heritage railway
Borough:Weybourne, North Norfolk
Country:England
Coordinates:52.9328°N 1.1499°W
Grid Name:Grid reference
Operator:North Norfolk Railway plc
Platforms:2
Original:Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Pregroup:Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Postgroup:Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Eastern Region of British Railways
Years:1 July 1901
Events:Opened
Years1:6 April 1964[1]
Events1:Closed
Years2:13 July 1975
Events2:Reopened as a heritage 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 and . Regarded as an iconic Edwardian masterpiece, the station is open whenever trains are in operation and holds various themed events throughout the year.

History

When the Eastern and Midlands Railway extended the line from to 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.[2] The line was closed by British Railways in April 1964. It was reopened as part of the heritage North Norfolk Railway in July 1975.

Location and facilities

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.

Service

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.[3]

Media appearances

Weybourne railway station (as well as the NNR itself) has been used for filming and on-screen TV appearances, including:[2]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Quick, M. E.. Railway passenger stations in England, Scotland and Wales – a chronology. 2002. Railway and Canal Historical Society. Richmond. 452. 931112387.
  2. Web site: Weybourne Station – North Norfolk Railway. North Norfolk Railway. 24 November 2022.
  3. Web site: Visit Us . North Norfolk Railway . 2024 . 3 May 2024 .