On 26 July 1997, a Manning Wardle steam locomotive and a Class 122 ‘bubble car’ marked the return of passenger trains to Dereham station. Nearly three decades later, the Mid-Norfolk Railway has grown into an established heritage railway, fulfilling much of the ambition that inspired its early volunteers.
On Saturday, 26 July 1997, the Mid-Norfolk Railway celebrated an important milestone when passenger trains returned to Dereham station.
The occasion was recorded by Steve Allen in The Railway Magazine, under the headline “Mid-Norfolk becomes the UK’s newest steam line”.
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It was a significant moment for the railway’s volunteers, who had spent years working to restore a section of the former railway between Dereham and Wymondham.
The newly opened section from Dereham to Yaxham was approximately two miles long, but the achievement represented an important step towards the establishment of a much larger heritage railway.
And there was something rather unusual about the train chosen to mark the occasion.
A steam locomotive and a ‘bubble car’
The inaugural services featured the Vintage Carriages Trust’s Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST Sir Berkeley, paired with the Mid-Norfolk Railway’s Class 122 single-car diesel unit No. 55006.
Rather than hauling conventional passenger coaches, the steam locomotive worked with the former British Rail diesel railcar, commonly known as a ‘bubble car’.
It was an unusual combination and one that provided a memorable sight for enthusiasts attending the opening.
Steve Allen’s photographs captured Sir Berkeley bringing the Class 122 into Dereham station in preparation for the first service and standing at Yaxham between passenger turns.
The visiting steam locomotive also represented a departure from the railway’s earlier operations, when Class 20 diesel locomotives had been used.
For those present, the unusual pairing was a fitting way to celebrate the return of passenger services to Dereham.
Years of volunteer effort
Although July 1997 marked the reopening of Dereham station, preservation activity on the line had already begun.
The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust had been established in 1995, with ambitions to restore railway services along the former route between Wymondham and Dereham.
Passenger services had already operated between a temporary platform at Rash’s Green, near Dereham, and Yaxham in 1995.
However, bringing trains back into Dereham station itself required further work.
Volunteers faced the demanding task of restoring track, clearing vegetation and preparing railway infrastructure that had fallen out of regular passenger use.
Following track relaying into Dereham station in early 1997, the railway was finally able to welcome passengers back to the town.
As Steve Allen reported at the time, the reopening followed a considerable amount of hard work by the volunteers, although there were still challenges to overcome.
The station had only a single operational platform road, with no run-round facilities.
The arrangements for level crossings also presented difficulties, with motorists reportedly confused by the procedures needed to operate trains across them.
Nevertheless, the reopening was a significant achievement for a preservation group working towards an ambitious long-term vision.
Bigger plans were already taking shape
The original 1997 report makes particularly interesting reading today because the volunteers were already looking well beyond the first two miles of railway.
Plans were being developed to extend passenger services southwards towards Wymondham.
At the time, it was hoped that further sections might become available during 1998.
The report also described work towards a northern extension, including the possibility of restoring the line through North Elmham towards County School.
Those plans required considerable investment, engineering work and the cooperation of organisations involved in the railway’s infrastructure.
There was still much to do, but the return of passenger services to Dereham demonstrated that the preservation project was making tangible progress.
From a short branch line to an established heritage railway
Almost 30 years after the 1997 reopening, the Mid-Norfolk Railway has developed considerably.
The railway now operates heritage passenger services over approximately 11 miles between Dereham and Wymondham Abbey, providing a return journey of around 22 miles through the Norfolk countryside.
Along the route are railway locations including Yaxham, Thuxton, Hardingham and Kimberley Park.
Dereham station remains the headquarters of the heritage railway and has benefited from extensive restoration and improvement work since those early preservation days.
The railway has also developed a varied operating programme using heritage diesel multiple units, locomotive-hauled trains and steam traction on advertised operating days.
Its collection and visiting locomotives provide enthusiasts with opportunities to experience different aspects of Britain’s railway history.
Today, the railway is a well-established heritage attraction, supported by the continued efforts of volunteers and the Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust.
The ambition to extend northwards
The railway’s longer-term ambitions have not been forgotten.
Work has continued on the northern section beyond Dereham, towards North Elmham and County School.
Engineering access has been established towards North Elmham, although further restoration and infrastructure work is required before regular passenger operations can extend over the full proposed route.
The railway has also operated occasional services north of Dereham towards Hoe.
The wider ambition remains to restore more of the former railway, potentially creating a heritage line approximately 17.5 miles long if the planned extension to County School is completed.
It is a reminder that the plans being discussed by volunteers in the 1990s were not simply short-term aspirations, but part of a much longer railway preservation effort.
A remarkable journey since 1997
Looking back at Steve Allen’s photographs, it is striking how modest the Mid-Norfolk Railway’s operations were when passenger trains returned to Dereham.
A small Manning Wardle saddle tank, a single Class 122 railcar and a two-mile operating section were the centrepieces of the opening celebrations.
Yet behind those scenes were volunteers with the determination to restore and develop a railway that had an important place in Norfolk’s transport history.
The return to Dereham was not the beginning of the preservation movement on the line, but it was undoubtedly one of its defining moments.
With the 30th anniversary of the reopening approaching on 26 July 2027, the original photographs offer a fascinating reminder of how far the railway has come.
From those early steam-hauled services between Dereham and Yaxham to the established heritage operation of today, the Mid-Norfolk Railway’s story is a testament to the dedication of the volunteers who believed the line deserved another future.
And, nearly three decades later, that determination continues to drive its development.
Archive material: The Railway Magazine, 1997. Original report and photographs by Steve Allen.
Present-day information: Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust and the railway’s published history and operating information.
