Bittern Line

The line was granted permission in 1864{{Cite book|title=Britain's Scenic Railways|last=Holland|first=Julian|last2=Spaven|first2=David|publisher=Times Books Group Ltd.|year=2012|isbn=978-0-00-792671-8|location=Fulham Palace Road, London|pages=78–81}} and the first stretch was opened between Norwich and {{rws|North Walsham}} in 1874 by the East Norfolk Railway. It was extended to Cromer by 1877 before being extended to {{rws|Sheringham}} in 1877, using a section of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway line. From the early twentieth century until the end of steam services, in 1962, the Great Eastern Railway operated coastal holiday services from London Liverpool Street under names such as the Norfolk Coast Express and The Broadsman.

Following the closure of the majority of the Midland and Great Northern network, the line operated as a single branch between Norwich and Melton Constable before the section between Sheringham and Melton Constable was closed in 1964.[https://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/NUR/F/8/200 Proposed withdrawal of passenger services between Melton Constable – Sheringham. 1963-1964 ] The remainder of the line was listed for closure in 1967[https://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/NUR/F/8/200 Proposed withdrawal of passenger services between Norwich – Sheringham. 1967] but survived the proposal after being declined by the Secretary of State for Transport.Closures Railway World issue 354 November 1969 page 472

The Bittern Line Partnership was set up by Norfolk County Council in 1997. and was designated a community rail line by the Department for Transport in September 2007.

The section of the line between Sheringham and Holt which was closed in the 1960s remains in use as a heritage railway line operated as the North Norfolk Railway (NNR - also known as the Poppy Line). After a period of 36 years, the link between the Bittern line and the North Norfolk Railway was reinstated in 2010 with the opening of a new level crossing at Sheringham.

Sheringham railway station was upgraded in 2019 to accommodate the new Class 755s{{Cite web |date=12 February 2019 |title=New, longer Sheringham station platform to be installed ready for new trains - |url=https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/about-us/news-desk/news-articles/new-longer-sheringham-station-platform-be-installed-ready-new |website=Greater Anglia |accessdate=28 January 2024 }}

The following table summarises the line's 10 stations, their distance measured from {{rws|Norwich}}, and their estimated number of passenger entries/exits in 2018/19 and 2022/23:{{Cite web |date=14 December 2023 |title=table-1410-passenger-entries-and-exits-and-interchanges-by-station.ods |url=https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/1907/table-1410-passenger-entries-and-exits-and-interchanges-by-station.ods |access-date=28 January 2024 |website=ORR (Office of Rail and Road)}}

{{table alignment}}

File:Norwich UK train station.JPG in 2005]]

Passenger services are operated by Greater Anglia. The typical service is one train per hour in each direction between Norwich and Sheringham. Calling patterns are varied, with some trains stopping at all stations while others omit some of the lesser-used stations along the line, such as {{rws|Salhouse}}, {{rws|Gunton}} and {{rws|Roughton Road}}.

In 2019, new Class 755 bi-mode trains began to replace the previous mixture of Class 153, Class 156 and Class 170 diesel multiple units.{{cite news | last = Anderson | first = Stuart | title = Greater Anglia's new bi-mode trains roll into service on Bittern Line | newspaper = North Norfolk News | publisher = Eastern Daily Press | date = 2019-11-13 | url = https://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/news/bittern-line-passengers-give-new-trains-seal-of-approval-1-6372953 | access-date = 2019-11-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191113170242/https://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/news/bittern-line-passengers-give-new-trains-seal-of-approval-1-6372953 | archive-date = 2019-11-13}}

The line is also used by freight trains which are operated by GB Railfreight. Some trains carry gas condensate from a terminal at North Walsham to Harwich International Port.

File:The second train to use the crossing at Sheringham 24 04 2010 (3).JPG

The line is double-track from Norwich to {{rws|Hoveton & Wroxham}}, where it becomes single-track with a passing loop at {{rws|North Walsham}}, and two platforms at Cromer also allowing passing. The line is not electrified; it has a loading gauge of W8 between Norwich and Roughton Road and W6 from Roughton Road to Sheringham. The maximum speed is {{convert|75|mph|kph}}.

The line was re-signalled in 2000, leading to the closure of a number of mechanical signal boxes and control moving to a panel at the Trowse Swing Bridge control room. This saw the end of one of the few remaining sections of single-track main line controlled by tokens.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}} The Cromer signal box has been preserved.

A new station is proposed as part of the Rackheath eco-town.{{cite web|url=http://www.rackheatheco-community.com/comm_transport.php|title=Transport|publisher=Rackheath eco-community|access-date=16 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715110422/http://www.rackheatheco-community.com/comm_transport.php|archive-date=15 July 2009|url-status=dead}} The building of the town may also mean a short freight spur being built to transport fuel to fire an on-site power station. The plans for the settlement received approval from the government in 2009.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/8154397.stm|title=Airfield eco-town plan selected|publisher=BBC News|access-date=2009-07-19 | date=2009-07-16}}

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Bittern Line}}

• [https://bitternline.com/ The Bittern Line website by Greater Anglia]
• [https://bitternline.com/stations/ The route of the line]

{{Railway lines in the East of England}}

Category:Rail transport in Norfolk

Category:Railway lines in the East of England

Category:Community railway lines in England

Category:North Norfolk

Category:Railway lines opened in 1887

Category:Standard gauge railways in England