15” gauge in Norfolk
Bure Valley Railway
25 August 2006
Our ill-fated attempt to visit
Bressingham in May 2000 had been
organised, I seem to recall, by a group
from the Festiniog Railway - and a
number of participants had intended to
visit the Bure Valley Railway (a similarly
ill-fated trip). That was the first I'd heard of the new 15"
gauge railway (built on the trackbed of the former GER line
from Wroxham to County School) - at which point, of course,
it gained a place, fairly low down at the time, on the "to-do"
list.
It finally reached the top! After the rain of
the previous day, the 25th of August
dawned sunny and bright - an excellent
omen. We drove to Wroxham, arriving in
plenty of time for the 12.45 departure.
Hauled by 2-6-2 "Blickling Hall", we had a
great run to Aylsham, about nine miles
away. These little trains don't hang about! I was put in mind of
two previous trips - one being the little Heatherslaw Railway
which we visited last month. The Heatherslaw journey had been
slow and gentle - but the Bure Valley train really rattled along
(not literally - the coaching stock is substantial and
comfortable!). It reminded me more of a trip from Dublin some
16 years ago, behind the 2-6-4T no 4,
when we bucketed along the Sligo line,
swaying and rolling along at a great rate
of knots. I don't suppose the Bure Valley
train got up to 20mph - but it really felt
like we were travelling!
Aylsham is the line's HQ, with much more substantial facilities
than Wroxham, and of course the railway's workshops (open for
inspection...). The little market town was a pleasant surprise -
an attractive place with good food and (to my wife's delight) an
excellent second-hand book shop. We had planned to return to
Wroxham on the 15.25; we had to hurry to get back to the
station, for an equally enjoyable return journey.
This time we were hauled by Blickling Hall's sister locomotive
"Spitfire", an apparently identical (apart from the lack of smoke
deflectors), and equally effective 2-6-2. I should add that the
standard train seems to consist of 9 bogie coaches plus a 4-
wheeled brake (in the middle!) - a substantial load for the
locomotives.
Conclusion? An excellent trip - a great little line that really goes
somewhere!
Link:
Bure Valley Railway
Geoff’s Rail Diaries
