Melton Constable Trust determined to bring a train station back to Great Ryburgh to link with Fakenham, Norwich and Cromer

A charity is determined to bring a village railway line back into use as the next step in its ongoing restoration project.

The Melton Constable Trust is pushing for support to rebuild the train route looping through Fakenham, Melton Constable, Holt, Sheringham, Cromer, North Walsham, Hoveton, Wroxham, Norwich, Wymondham and Dereham.

With most of the locations already being served, the project’s aim is to develop the final 20 miles through Dereham, Fakenham and Holt.

Rebuilding the link could be made possible by restoring the former six-mile track route from the County School Mid-Norfolk Railway Station to Fakenham, and the charity is looking to make progress in this by focusing on a stop at Great Ryburgh.

“The track bed is all in place, however, it needs the track laying,” project officer Paul Young said.

“There also needs to be negotiations with land owners so we can put tracks on the land.”

Up until 1980, the village line ran to Fakenham, and it continued to serve Crisp Malt until 1982 before fully closing.

The tracks remain protected for railway use to this day, and the charity plans to work with the Crisp Malt and community to reinstate Ryburgh’s line, eventually expanding to Fakenham.

“It is a very ambitious project, we are realists in that, but certainly getting the railway to Fakenham is very achievable, simply because we would just be using the disused routes instead of carving up the countryside,” Mr Young added.

The Melton Constable Trust believes that bringing back the railway line would provide a number of benefits to the area, such as boosting tourism, improving public transport and helping the county to become more environmentally friendly.

It is not yet known how much the project will cost - but the charity plans to keep people up to date as things progress.

“We can’t help but feel it will have huge benefits,” Paul said.

“We are looking to save the land and put in the infrastructure for companies such as the Mid-Norfolk Railway and Greater Anglia.

“Things cost a lot of money these days but I think there’s enough support and willingness in the county for this to get somewhere.”