Level Crossing Reinstatement

[StevieG]

For those who may not be aware, the long-closed level crossing (at the erstwhile Sheringham East signal box) about 100 yards off the east end of the 'proper' Sheringham station in Norfolk (now the North Norfolk Railway's eastern terminus) and beside the later 'National Rail's single platform Sheringham station to the LC's east, is at an advanced stage of being reinstated, including the necessary track laying across Station Road to restore connection between the two concerns, thanks to huge NNR efforts, strong Council support, and necessary Network Rail co-operation.

The crossing will only be for occasional special use under strict arrangements, for such as the planned inaugural traverse of it by 70013 Oliver Cromwell and train ex King's Cross, to and from the NNR on 11th March 2010.

Edit: - [ "Poppylines", originally attached here, gladly removed, at NNR request, as it is a membership-internal only publication, and had been mistakenly posted here in ignorance of that knowledge.
Sincere apologies to the NNR, along with all good wishes for successful completion of the project.]

[StevieG]

Apologies to "Norfolkman", and his successive 'post'-ers, for just lately starting this seemingly competing topic to his "The LNER Just Got A Little Longer...", here.

I have not long returned from a holiday, and have been trying to catch up with all the unread posts of the last two weeks or so, in several stages, during which time, the level crossing news posted here, came from a separate NNR source, and I thought it worth sharing here, thereby unwittingly, in a sense, duplicating the earlier "The LNER Just Got A Little Longer..." topic - the-lner-just-got-a-little-longer-p26230.html#p26230, before my catching up had progressed far enough to find that topic on the same subject, aleady in this forum, myself.

Sorry Steve.

[R. pike]

Welcome to the national network NNR!

[Norfolkman]

Today (Sunday 7th March) the North Norfolk Railway had DRS 37194 christen the new level crossing at Sheringham ahead of 70013 Oliver Cromwell's historic visit this coming Thursday. The final sign-off of the paperwork was received from Network Rail on Friday permitting an overnight possession overnight Saturday 6th/Sunday 7th March. The final 17 metres were all that remained as the main part of the crossing had been installed 20th/21st February. The final connection was made in the early hours this morning. At 12.40 37194 crossed from Network Rail to the North Norfolk Railway. The first crossing since 1975 (when a temporary link was installed for one weekend), and the connection is the first permanent connection since the crossing was lifted by BR on 28th January 1970.

Norfolkman

aka Steve A

[melton]

I went and had a look at the new crossing on Monday 15/03 – one or two interesting features.
Both lines (NNR and NR) are protected by gates.
Yellow padlocked “derailers” are fitted to both tracks inside each gate.
There is an expansion joint, the sort normally fitted to CWR at the country end of the NR station track.
All in all, a neat job.
It occurs to me that it would have been impossible to get this work done in the days of British Rail or Railtrack – they would not have been interested and would have come up with silly figures just to put the NNR off.
I imagine that NR had to do the work at cost.

[Norfolkman]

Very little of the work was done by NR, mainly moving signs, shelters etc. All of the trackwork was done by NNR volunteers (including NR staff giving their time for free), with contractors for the non-rail bits (road, car park etc).

Norfolkman.

[Dman-lewis]

Was a very good day. Although I didnt go, I went to the gala on the weekend.