Below is an article from the Norfolk Fair Magazine, February 1972 on our old agricultural railway line.
“Contrary to what might be expected from its nature, the area through which the River Wissey flows has had more than its share of railways. In addition to the main line from King’s Lynn to Ely, there was a short branch line to Stoke Ferry and a network of agricultural lines connected to this and known as the Wissington Light Railway.
The main line was a King’s Lynn enterprise, springing from a meeting of Lynn townsfolk under the chairmanship of Sir William Folkes, BART. This meeting led to the formation of the Lynn & Ely Railway, and which later became the East Anglian Railway, and which opened its line between King’s Lynn and Ely on the 25 October 1847. On that day a special train conveyed directors and guests from King’s Lynn to Ely and back.
The principal works on the line were the imposing new bridges, particularly those over the Ouse and the Wissey. The former, between Denver and Hilgay, had one huge main span of 121ft. 6in. and ten spans of 30ft. The approach to it was over damp boggy ground which caused the Engineer, J. S. Valentine, many frustrating hours as tons of filling material and brushwood seemed to make little contribution to the firm trackbed required. Eventually the answer was found in using a thick bed of dry sandy soil to press the moisture out. On this foundation the bridge stood up well to a test load comprising four locomotives and five wagons loaded with iron, and the Board of Trade’s inspecting officer, Captain Wynne, professed himself well satisfied.
The East Anglian Railway experienced many financial difficulties and eventually became part of the Eastern Counties Railway which in turn helped to form the Great Eastern Railway in 1862. Seventeen years later, On the 24 July 1879, the Downham & Stoke Ferry Railway was incorporated with an authorised capital of £60,000 and borrowing powers of £20,000. The enabling Act provided for a line 7½ miles long from a junction with the main line at Denver through Fordham, Abbey and Wretton to a point just south of Stoke Ferry village.
On the 24 July 1879, the Downham & Stoke Ferry Railway was incorporated with an authorised capital of £60,000 and borrowing powers of £20,000. The enabling Act provided for a line 7½ miles long from a junction with the main line at Denver through Fordham, Abbey and Wretton to a point just south of Stoke Ferry village.
The Stoke Ferry line was actually worked by the Great Eastern Railway from the day it was opened, the 1 August 1882. In the following year, by an Act of the 29 June, Parliamentary authority was obtained for an extension on to Gooderstone, but this idea was abandoned in 1887. From then on, this modest railway led a fairly simple life with a service of four passenger trains in each direction on weekdays. There were intermediate stations on the single line railway at Denver, the junction with the main line, at Ryston and at Abbey, the station for West Dereham. The first train of the day would leave Stoke Ferry’s single platform at 8.30 a.m. and then work to and from Downham, eventually arriving back at Stoke Ferry with the last train at 6.21 p.m. Only Tuesdays were different, an extra train leaving Downham for Stoke Ferry at 4.20 p.m.
The passenger service disappeared from the Stoke Ferry branch as early as 1930 but the line still functions for traffic to and from the British Sugar Corporation’s factory near Abbey. Less remains of the once-busy Wissington Light Railway which is now more or less overgrown.
The Wissington Light Railway started its life just after the turn of the century as a sort of cross between an oversize private siding and a farm railway. It was severely damaged by floods when the Little Ouse broke its banks in 1915 but when the sugar beet factory was opened in 1925 the railway was acquired under a long lease and was nearly doubled in length with the specific object of providing transport facilities for sugar beet from areas which were not easily accessible by road. At this time there was 18 miles of track, one locomotive and nearly 100 wagons.
At the height of its development the light railway served over 30 loading points and even as late as 1954 carried nearly 25,000 tons of traffic (see picture above from the 1960s). Its main function was the carriage of sugar beet to the factory and of agricultural traffic generally to and from the main line railway. A passenger service did operate in the early days with a weekly train running on Fridays in connection with the market at Downham.
From the Wissington factory the light railway headed south towards Larmans Fen with passing loops at Barretts, Cross Road Junction, Decoy and Poppylot Siding. A branch from Cross Road Junction headed towards Hemplands serving Halfway, Severals Siding and terminating at Common Dyke Loop. After Martingales Siding the main line divided into two with one arm passing through Methwold Fens and the other veering south-east towards Feltwell.
The Methwold arm terminated near the bank of the Ouse midway between Ferry Bank Farm and Flint House Farm. En route it came by way of Larmans, Six Oaks, Poppylot Farm, Fourscore, Wannage and Sedge Fen Farm, also having a short branch to Bourne. In the other direction there were three arms. The first ran from Cross Bank via Spinney to Anchor Sidings. The second left the main tributary at Black Drain and served Glead Farm and Old and New Shrub Hill in Feltwell Fen. The remaining arm ran via Corkaway, Spencers, White- dyke and Felt Road Siding to Whitedyke Farm. In all, quite a complicated system.
When the B.S.C’s lease of the line expired, the light railway was requisitioned by the Ministry of Agriculture in view of the importance of wartime food production. An administrator took charge of operations with effect from 24 May 1941, but by arrangement the B.S.C. continued to undertake the actual working.
The light railway was growing old and derailments started to become frequent leading to talk about disposing of the line in 1948. However, it continued a useful existence until the end finally came on the 1 July 1957, when the Ministry, having previously given notice of its intentions, ceased to operate a service. Thus, after a full life, the light railway was replaced by road trans- port leaving the Stoke Ferry branch to go on dealing with its freight trains in the area of the Wissey and the main line to handle through traffic to and fro over the Ouse and Wissey viaducts.”
If you have memories or images of our old railways then do get in touch with the Stoke Ferry and District History Group and comment below.
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