Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway

Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
1926 map of M&GNJR
Overview
Status	Defunct
Locale	East of England
Service
Type	Regional rail
History
Opened	1858-1893
1893	Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway is incorporated
1948	The railway is nationalised under British Rail
Closed	1959-1965 (vast majority)
Reopened	1975-2010 (5.25 miles (8.45 km) by North Norfolk Railway)
Technical
Line length	183 miles 20 chains (294.9 km) (1925)[1]
Track length	261 miles 4 chains (420.1 km) (1925)[1]
Number of tracks	Majority single track. 74 miles 25 chains (119.6 km) double track.[1]
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GNJR) was a railway network in England, in the area connecting southern Lincolnshire, the Isle of Ely and north Norfolk. It developed from several local independent concerns and was incorporated in 1893. It was jointly owned by the Midland Railway and the Great Northern Railway, and those companies had long sponsored and operated the predecessor companies.

The area directly served was agricultural and sparsely populated, but seaside holidays had developed and the M&GNJR ran many long-distance express trains to and from the territory of the parent companies, as well as summer local trains for holidaymakers. It had the longest mileage of any joint railway in the United Kingdom.^{[2][page needed]}

In the grouping of 1923, the two joint owners of the M&GNJR were absorbed into two separate companies (the Midland into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and the Great Northern into the London and North Eastern Railway). The M&GNJR maintained a distinct identity which only formally ended with nationalisation in 1948. After 1945 the profitability of the network declined steeply, worsened by the seasonality of the business. It was duplicated by other lines and the decision was taken to close it. Most of the network closed in 1959, although some limited sections continued in use. Only a short section near Sheringham is in commercial use today, but the North Norfolk Railway is active as a heritage line.^{[3][page needed][4][page needed][5][page needed]}

The area eventually served by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, taken as south Lincolnshire and north Norfolk, was late to be supplied with railway connections due to being sparsely populated fenland. The Great Northern Railway (GNR), running north through Huntingdon, Peterborough and on to Grantham, so forming the western edge of the area, was not authorised until 1846 and not opened until 1848 between Peterborough and Lincoln. The Eastern Counties Railway (ECR), authorised in 1836, aspired to reach Norwich and Yarmouth, but ran out of money and stopped short.

In frustration local people obtained authority for the

was underway, and a myriad of railway schemes was put before Parliament. Many of these foundered there, or were authorised but failed to generate investors' commitment.

By 1850 the ECR had recovered from its financial difficulties of 1836 and had connected practically every town of importance in East Anglia into its system. For some years the ECR had successfully resisted the promotion of independent railways in its area but this could not continue indefinitely, and some local lines began to obtain authorisation.

The

]

The financial performance of the ECR declined over the years and in 1862 it was absorbed into the new Great Eastern Railway (GER).

The ultimate formation of the M&GNJR resulted from the fusion of numerous local schemes, though they did not at first aspire to form a connected railway.

Norwich and Spalding Railway Act 1853
Act of Parliament
16 & 17 Vict. c. cxxiv
Dates
Royal assent	4 August 1853
Text of statute as originally enacted

On 4 August 1853 the Norwich and Spalding Railway obtained its an act of Parliament, the Norwich and Spalding Railway Act 1853 (

]

In fact at this time the money market was particularly difficult, partly because of the Crimean War, and the company was unable to attract enough investment. It only managed to build from Spalding to Holbeach, 7+1⁄2 miles (12 km), opening to Holbeach for goods on 9 August 1858 and for passengers on 15 November 1858. The Wisbech stipulation appears to have been overlooked for the time being.

The line connected with the Great Northern Railway (GNR) at Spalding and the GNR agreed to work the line for three years. There were four trains daily except Sundays, with one extra on Tuesdays.^{[3][page needed][5][page needed]}

Norwich and Spalding Railway Act 1859
Act of Parliament
22 & 23 Vict. c. cxviii
Dates
Royal assent	13 August 1859

The company obtained a further authorising act of Parliament, the Norwich and Spalding Railway Act 1859 (

]

Peterborough, Wisbech and Sutton Bridge

United Kingdom legislation

Peterborough, Wisbeach and Sutton Railway Act 1863
Act of Parliament
26 & 27 Vict. c. ccxxii
Dates
Royal assent	28 July 1863
Text of statute as originally enacted

The line connecting Wisbech

26 & 27 Vict.

c. ccxxii) authorising the Peterborough, Wisbech and Sutton Bridge Railway (PW&SBR) was passed. Capital was to be £180,000.

In 1871 Richard Young a local shipowner (and later director of the Great Eastern Railway) was chairman of the company.^[9]

The Eastern Counties Railway had just been transformed into the Great Eastern Railway (GER), and powers were to be sought by the PW&SBR to connect to the GER line at Wisbech. The Norwich and Spalding Railway was given running powers between Sutton Bridge and Wisbech. It was the Midland Railway (MR), not the GNR, that secured the contract for operating the new railway for 50% of receipts.^{[10][5][page needed][4][page needed]}

Lynn and Sutton Bridge Railway Act 1861
Act of Parliament
24 & 25 Vict. c. ccxlv
Dates
Royal assent	6 August 1861
Other legislation
Amended by	Lynn and Sutton Bridge Railway Act 1863

Lynn and Sutton Bridge Railway Act 1863
Act of Parliament
26 & 27 Vict. c. cxciii
Dates
Royal assent	21 July 1863
Other legislation
Amends	Lynn and Sutton Bridge Railway Act 1861
Text of statute as originally enacted

The next section of the future M&GNJR to be built was the Lynn and Sutton Bridge Railway, which was authorised by the Lynn and Sutton Bridge Railway Act 1861 (

]

Spalding and Bourn Railway

United Kingdom legislation

Spalding and Bourn Railway Act 1862
Act of Parliament
25 & 26 Vict. c. cxcix
Dates
Royal assent	29 July 1862

On 29 July 1862 the Spalding and Bourn Railway

]

PW&SBR extending to Wisbech

United Kingdom legislation

Peterborough, Wisbeach and Sutton Railway Act 1864
Act of Parliament
27 & 28 Vict. c. ccxl
Dates
Royal assent	25 July 1864
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Peterborough, Wisbech and Sutton Bridge Railway now got authorisation in the Peterborough, Wisbeach and Sutton Railway Act 1864 (

]

Rivalry between the GNR and the GER

The Great Eastern Railway (GER) was formed on 7 August 1862, from the Eastern Counties Railway and other concerns. The GER made it^[clarification needed] clear, not least by bitter parliamentary struggles, to get authorisation for its own line or for running powers to get to Doncaster. Considerable quantities of coal were being brought south from the South Yorkshire Coalfield by the GNR, and the GER sought to take a share of the traffic. Fearing that this might happen, suddenly giving the GER a monopoly of the coal traffic to East Anglia, the GNR started to sponsor friendly railways in the area itself.^{[3][page needed]}

Lynn and Sutton, Spalding and Bourn, and Norwich and Spalding Railways Act 1866
Act of Parliament
29 & 30 Vict. c. cclxv
Dates
Royal assent	23 July 1866
Text of statute as originally enacted

Midland and Eastern and Norwich and Spalding Railways Act 1867
Act of Parliament
30 & 31 Vict. c. clxxxv
Dates
Royal assent	12 August 1867
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Lynn and Sutton Bridge Railway and the Spalding and Bourn Railway amalgamated to form the Midland and Eastern Railway in 1866; the intention was to push westward to

]

The Midland and Eastern Railway leased the Norwich and Spalding line, but the N&SR remained nominally independent until 1 July 1877.[4]^{[page needed]} It needed to go to Parliament to plead that it had, in good faith, tried to make a Sutton to Wisbech line, but had been prevented; and that the line had in fact been pre-empted by the PW&SBR; this was accepted and the N&SR was released from the prohibition on declaring a dividend. The Midland and Eastern Railway now effectively controlled the whole of the western section of the future M&GNJR, except for the Peterborough to Sutton Bridge line, which was still controlled by the Midland Railway.^{[3][page needed]}

The Midland and Eastern was jointly owned by the GNR and the Midland Railway, but it operated more or less independently. The joint committee did not meet between 1867 and 1880; trains of the two owning companies ran their own trains on the lines. In this period the network was referred to as the Bourne and Lynn Joint Railway.^{[3][page needed]}

For several years the Great Eastern Railway had been trying to get access to northern districts, and had been frustrated by the Great Northern Railway's opposition. Nevertheless, the GER repeatedly presented bills for such lines, and the GNR calculated that it was only a matter of time until it was successful. This policy came to fruition in April 1878 during parliamentary hearings on a GER bill, and negotiations were set in place to establish what became the Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Line, forming a through route from Doncaster to March via Lincoln.

The GNR and the Midland Railway had hitherto dominated the southward flow of Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire coal, and saw that the dominance was vulnerable. This led the GNR and the Midland to look favourably at further development of the Bourne and Lynn Joint Railway (Midland and Eastern Railway).^{[3][page needed]}

Sanction was obtained by an independent shipping company in the

]

In the east

Great Yarmouth and Stalham Light Railway

United Kingdom legislation

Great Yarmouth and Stalham (Light) Railway Act 1876
Act of Parliament
39 & 40 Vict. c. lxxxii
Text of statute as originally enacted

Further east, it was not until 1876 that the first railway section of the future M&GNJR was approved by the Great Yarmouth and Stalham (Light) Railway Act 1876 (

, was opened on 7 August 1877.

Yarmouth and North Norfolk (Light) Railway Act 1879
Act of Parliament
42 & 43 Vict. c. lxxv
Dates
Royal assent	3 July 1879
Text of statute as originally enacted

From Ormesby to

]

United Kingdom legislation

Yarmouth and North Norfolk (Light) Railway Act 1878
Act of Parliament
41 & 42 Vict. c. xl
Dates
Royal assent	27 May 1878
Text of statute as originally enacted

Meanwhile, on 27 May 1878 the company got powers in the Yarmouth and North Norfolk (Light) Railway Act 1878 (

]

Lynn and Fakenham Railway

United Kingdom legislation

Lynn and Fakenham Railway Act 1876
Act of Parliament
39 & 40 Vict. c. cxlvi
Dates
Royal assent	13 July 1876
Text of statute as originally enacted

On 13 July 1876 the Lynn and Fakenham Railway (L&FR) was authorised by an act of Parliament, the Lynn and Fakenham Railway Act 1876 (

]

United Kingdom legislation

Lynn and Fakenham Railway (Extensions) Act 1880
Act of Parliament
43 & 44 Vict. c. clxv
Dates
Royal assent	12 August 1880
Text of statute as originally enacted

On 12 August 1880 the Lynn and Fakenham got approval in the

]

Yarmouth Union Railway

United Kingdom legislation

Yarmouth Union Railway Act 1880
Act of Parliament
43 & 44 Vict. c. cxcv
Dates
Royal assent	26 August 1880
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Yarmouth Union Railway (YUR) was a short line, 1 mile 2 chains (1.65 km) long, was authorised by the Yarmouth Union Railway Act 1880 (

]

Amalgamation: the Eastern and Midlands Railway

Eastern and Midlands Railway (Amalgamation) Act 1882
Act of Parliament
45 & 46 Vict. c. ccxxvii
Dates
Royal assent	18 August 1882
Text of statute as originally enacted

Now the many railway companies that were independent of the Great Eastern Railway saw that amalgamation with one another was desirable. On 18 August 1882 the Eastern and Midlands Railway (Amalgamation) Act 1882 (

]

The whole line from Bourne to Great Yarmouth was now under the control of the Eastern and Midlands Railway. The train service at this stage was "lavish",[3]^{[page needed]} with six trains daily on the South Lynn to Melton Constable section and seven from Melton to Norwich City, with numerous short workings. On Sundays it was made possible to spend the day in Great Yarmouth, by running several trains throughout or connecting in to those trains.^{[5][page needed][3][page needed]}

The section from Melton Constable to Holt was opened on 1 October 1884.

King's Lynn was an important regional centre and port on the Ouse, and the E&MR access to it was inconvenient, involving (from the east) reversal at the GER station for through trains, and reliance on that company's grudging acquiescence. Thoughts had long harboured the intention of creating an independent through route and on 2 November 1885 the Lynn Loop was opened for goods traffic; passenger service followed on 1 January 1886. The line ran south of Lynn, connecting from South Lynn goods station to Bawsey. The former connection from Gaywood Road Junction, north of King's Lynn, to Bawsey was closed. The railways had referred to the main station in King's Lynn simply as "Lynn" but from this time "Lynn Town" was used instead.

After a suspension of work, the Holt to

to Cromer via Norwich in 3+1⁄2 hours.

At this time the decision was taken not to go ahead with the Blakeney Harbour branch from Kelling.^{[3][page needed]}

Eastern and Midlands Railway (Further Powers) Act 1888
Act of Parliament
51 & 52 Vict. c. lxvi
Dates
Royal assent	28 June 1888
Text of statute as originally enacted

On 20 June 1888 a new branch line from North Walsham to

]

Relationships with the Midland and the GNR

For some years there had been continuing friction between the E&MR (and its predecessors) and the Midland Railway over the routing for goods traffic. The E&MR contended that the Midland was obliged to route its traffic to Norwich over the E&MR and not the GER, notwithstanding the inferior travel times. The Midland repeatedly protested at tribunals that no such obligation existed. Now at last a sudden rapprochement took place. A bill was to be submitted to the 1888 session of Parliament to build a connecting line from the Midland Railway near Ashwell (in the vicinity of Oakham) and Bourne. The E&MR was to build this with Midland financial help, and the following year the Midland would take over the entire western section. Traffic from the eastern section would be directed via the Midland.

At a stroke this would have cut the GNR out of much of the traffic, even though it had constantly been friendly and supportive of the E&MR when the Midland had treated it shabbily. This was "extraordinary conduct" by the E&MR. R. A. Read was a director, friendly to the Midland but prone to "rash and elaborate schemes", and Wrottesley attributes these schemes to him.^{[3][page needed]}

Eastern and Midlands Railway (Extension) Act 1888
Act of Parliament
51 & 52 Vict. c. lxv
Dates
Royal assent	28 June 1888
Text of statute as originally enacted

Nevertheless, the new line was sanctioned by the Eastern and Midlands Railway (Extension) Act 1888 (

]

In the months following the passage of the act, wiser counsels prevailed, and the E&MR, Midland and GNR boards negotiated a more congenial arrangement. The Midland and GNR would become joint owners of the western section; the eastern section would be unaffected for the time being. The route of the Bourne connecting line to the Midland would be varied, to meet the Midland at Saxby; the connection to the GNR main line at Little Bytham would be retained; and the connecting line west of that point would be Midland property, not E&MR. Ordinary shareholders in the E&MR would get £47 for every £100 worth.^{[note 6]} A joint committee met at King's Cross on 5 March 1889; it was a Midland and Great Northern Joint Committee, but at this stage no such designation was applied to the railway itself.

At the moment when the future seemed satisfactory, the E&MR was plunged into crisis. For some years it had been paying only modest dividends, and profitability had not always been adequate to support outgoings. W. Jones had been hiring carriages to the company and for some time had not been paid. On 27 June 1889 he obtained judgment in his favour, but the company had no money to comply. At the time there was a system established since 1867 intended to keep a railway in operation for the convenience of the public in this situation: in effect to trade out of bankruptcy.

The "rash" R. A. Read was appointed receiver, and at a shareholders' meeting in November 1889 it was stated that the company had liabilities of over £108,000 on working costs as well as £71,645 on unpaid debenture interest and guaranteed share dividends. At a further meeting on 2 May 1890 the debenture holders accused Read of being to blame for getting the line into this situation, and demanded his removal, as well as a declaration that their debenture payments should rank equally with the railway operating costs, contrary to normal practice when a line was in receivership. Appeals were eventually dismissed and despite the legal and financial difficulties the railway kept running. It was not until 16 August 1892 that a scheme of financial arrangement was finalised.

While this was continuing, some capital improvements took place, largely funded by the Midland Railway. Signalling was modernised, some additional crossing places were established as well as some short lengths of double track, and the Bourne to Saxby line continued to be built. On 25 July 1890 an avoiding line at Spalding was authorised, enabling through running past the south of the town. It opened for goods traffic on 5 June 1893, and on the same day the Saxby to Bourne section opened, also for goods only. On 28 June 1892 the Sutton Bridge was authorised to be renewed. It opened on 18 July 1897; it was a swing bridge, and carried road and rail traffic. There were tolls on the road part of the bridge, but these were given up in 1902.

The words Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway appeared in public timetables for the first time in 1890.

The 1889 arrangement whereby the Midland and GNR jointly took over E&MR lines applied only to the western section. Now in 1891 the two larger companies indicated that they wished to acquire the eastern section too. This was agreed in October 1892, and a bill was submitted to the 1893 session of Parliament. The consideration was £1,200,000 of Midland and GNR 3% rent stock, although there were complicated provisions for preference and debenture shareholders. Both eastern and western sections transferred to the M&GNJR.

Midland and Great Northern Railways (Eastern and Midland Railway) Act 1893
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act for vesting in the Midland and Great Northern Railway Companies the undertaking and powers of the Eastern and Midlands Railway Company and for other purposes.
Dates
Royal assent	9 June 1893
Text of statute as originally enacted

With only minor interference from the GER, the new arrangement passed as the Midland and Great Northern Railways (Eastern and Midland Railway) Act 1893 (

]

Further projects

Saxby and the Spalding avoiding line opened to passengers

On 1 May 1894 the Bourne to Saxby line was opened to passengers, with additional platforms at Saxby. The formation was made for a southward connecting curve there, but track was never laid on it. The boundary with the Joint Line was at Little Bytham as planned, and the formation of the connection to the GNR was also made, and here too track was never laid on it. The Spalding avoiding line was opened to passenger traffic on the same day, 1 May 1894.

Mundesley to Cromer

The

, passing south of the town and curving back to approach it from the west.

The Norfolk and Suffolk Joint Railway

Both the GER and the M&GNJR wanted to build a direct coastal line between

), the North Walsham to Mundesley line, Mundesley to Cromer, and Mundesley to Happisburgh.

The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Bill for the curve at Yarmouth passed in Parliament on 6 August 1897, becoming the

c. cxx) on 25 July 1898. The Lowestoft line opened on 13 July 1903.

The Mundesley branch opened for goods traffic on 20 June 1898, and to passengers on 1 July 1898. As a joint line (from Antingham Road Junction) it had passenger trains of both companies: nine GER and seven M&GNJR daily. Goods services alternated month by month.

In the first years of the 20th century the M&GNJR was doing well financially. Long-distance expresses were run to the area from northern English cities as well as from London. Restaurant cars were put on, as well as workers' trains, for example bringing fish-processing women from northern Scotland for seasonal work. Fish had become an important traffic since the N&SJR connection to Lowestoft had been established.

Although some short sections of double track had been introduced, the majority of the network was single line, and this brought challenges to timekeeping at busy times. The Midland and GNR were operating trains on the line as of right, and the GER had acquired running powers over several sections and to some terminal stations. Conversely the M&GNJR needed the cooperation of the GER for some penetrating workings, at a time when competition with the GER was still intense.

In May 1906 the committee approved introduction of the Whitaker

During World War I many of the best long-distance express passenger trains were suspended; the M&GNJR took on considerable additional goods traffic during hostilities, and many of the workforce left for the armed forces. The company maintained an armoured train, constructed by the London and North Western Railway at Crewe, continuously in steam from early in 1915 in case of enemy invasion.^[22]

After 1918, government control of the railways continued, and much traffic in demobilised servicemen tested the capacity of the network. There was a general railway strike in the latter months of 1919, and a coal strike in 1921, both of which caused considerable damage to the M&GNJR. The national general strike took place in 1926.^{[3][page needed]}

Wartime control of the railways ended on 15 August 1921, and the government passed the Railways Act 1921, which had the effect of transferring most of the railways of Great Britain into one of four new large companies, in a process referred to as the "grouping". The Midland Railway was transferred to the new London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), and the Great Northern Railway (as well as the Great Eastern Railway) were transferred to the new London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). The M&GNJR remained unchanged, now jointly owned by the LMS and LNER. The rivalry with the GER was naturally at an end. The change took place formally on 1 January 1923.^{[3][page needed]}

The long-distance express trains were reinstated progressively, and the LNER particularly emphasised London King's Cross to Cromer traffic. Holidays at the seaside increased in popularity very considerably after the war, and as well as trains to and from the area, local services for holidaymakers staying in the area were enhanced in the season.

However road competition, both for goods and passengers, began to take a serious toll as roads were improved. at the same time a general depression in the agricultural sector harmed M&GNJR income.^{[3][page needed]}

The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway had retained its identity at the grouping of the railways in 1923. In the mid-1930s there was good cooperation between the LMS and the LNER and in 1935 it was agreed that the LNER should manage the operational aspects of the M&GNJR system, though maintaining its independent identity. This took effect from 1 October 1936.^{[5][page needed]} The system consisted of 183 route miles (295 km), of which 40% was double track.^{[3][page needed]}

In 1939 World War II started, and once again most long-distance expresses were suspended; staff were called up or volunteered in the services. However the focus of defence, evacuation of children, and later the D-day landings was the south coast, not the east. The war ended in 1945. The railways were run down during the war and the government passed the Transport Act 1947, so that the railways became nationalised at the beginning of 1948, forming British Railways (BR).

The long distance and holiday trains began to be restored, and holiday camp facilities became popular, and were served by the line.^{[3][page needed]}

The very low usage of some parts of the M&GNJR system under BR could not be ignored, and some local closures started:

• On 6 April 1953 the
  Mundesley section was closed.^{[5][page needed}
  ]
• On 21 September 1953 the Yarmouth Beach to Gorleston North section closed.^[23]
• The ex-GER station Cromer High was closed on 20 September 1954, services being concentrated on the M&GNJR station, Cromer Beach, which was extended and improved for the purpose.^{[3][page needed]}
• Eye Green, Thorney and Wryde stations closed to passengers in 1957 and North Drove closed to passengers in 1958.

Diesel multiple unit vehicles were introduced on the M&GNJR from 18 September 1955, gradually taking over the entire passenger service except the long-distance trains which remained locomotive-hauled.^{[3][page needed]}

In May 1958 a report was finalised by British Railways. It concluded that the entirety of the M&GNJR was loss-making, and was largely duplicated by routes of the former GER. Complete closure of passenger services was proposed. Widespread closure of goods services too was contemplated, with only the Spalding to Sutton Bridge, Peterborough to Wisbech, South Lynn to Gayton Road, and Melton Constable to Norwich City being kept. Only the Melton to Cromer branch was to be unaffected by the proposals. The scale of the closure aroused considerable opposition, mainly focussed on the reduction in amenity to communities, although there was also widespread apathy, reflected in poor turnouts at public meetings.

After deliberation the Transport Users Consultative Committee issued its decision in November 1958, that the majority of the proposed closures should proceed. Retained sections were Spalding to Bourne for goods, Spalding to Sutton Bridge for goods. A new spur would be built at Murrow connecting the M&GNJR line with the GN&GE joint line; the Peterborough to Wisbech line would be disconnected at the Peterborough end, and served via the Murrow curve from Whitemoor, at March. Wisbech too would be retained and served from Whitemoor via Murrow. Further east the Melton Constable to Norwich line would remain open for goods trains, as would the South Lynn to Rudham line. Passenger trains would continue to operate between Melton Constable and Cromer, and between North Walsham and Mundesley. Yarmouth Vauxhall (the former GER station) would be extended to handle the additional seasonal passenger traffic.

The closures took place after the last trains on Saturday 28 February 1959. There was much greater public attention to the running of the last passenger trains than there had been to attending the public meetings, but the closure was decisive.^{[3][page needed][5][page needed]}

Notwithstanding the dire warnings of protesters, a substitute bus service operating from Melton Mowbray to Spalding following closely the route of the railway was almost completely lacking in patronage, and was soon given up.^{[5][page needed]}

The Melton Constable to Sheringham line had retained its passenger services for the time being; however that too closed to passengers after 4 April 1964. North Walsham to Mundesley closed on 5 October 1964.^{[3][page needed]}

The Spalding to Sutton Bridge goods connection closed after Friday 2 April 1965.^{[5][page needed]}

v t e Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Legend
Birmingham– Peterborough line (MR) Saxby (MR) Edmondthorpe and Wymondham (MR) South Witham East Coast Main Line (MR) Castle Bytham Little Bytham Junction to Edenham (former E&LBR) Toft Tunnel (GNR) Peterborough North to Essendine East Coast Main Line Bourne Eye Green to Sleaford Thorney Twenty Wryde Counter Drain Peterborough– Lincoln Line North Drove Spalding Great Northern & Great Eastern Jt Ry Peterborough– Lincoln line Murrow East Weston Wisbech St Mary Moulton Wisbech North Whaplode Wisbech (goods) Holbeach Wisbech Quay Fleet Ferry Gedney Tydd Long Sutton Sutton Bridge swing bridge Walpole Terrington Clenchwarton West Lynn South Lynn Fen line to King's Lynn and docks Hardwick Road (goods) Lynn and Dereham Railway Gayton Road Norwich City Grimston Road Hellesdon Hillington Drayton Massingham Attlebridge East Rudham Lenwade Raynham Park Whitwell & Reepham Fakenham West Guestwick Wymondham to Wells Hindolvestone Thursford Melton Constable Holt (original) Corpusty and Saxthorpe Holt (NNR) Kelling Heath Halt (NNR ) Bluestone Weybourne (NNR) Sheringham (NNR) Aylsham North Occasional use level crossing Sheringham ( Bittern Line ) Felmingham West Runton Cromer High Cromer Beach Roughton Road Cromer Tunnel Norfolk and Suffolk Jt Ry Gunton North Walsham North Walsham Town Honing Bittern Line Stalham Sutton Staithe Halt Catfield Potter Heigham Potter Heigham Bridge Halt Martham Hemsby Little Ormesby Halt Great Ormesby Scratby Halt California Halt Wherry Lines to Norwich Caister Camp Halt Caister-on-Sea Newtown Halt White Swan (goods) Yarmouth Beach Breydon Viaduct Yarmouth Vauxhall Norfolk and Suffolk Jt. Rly. Yarmouth–Lowestoft line South Quay goods tramway

• Saxby; Midland Railway station;
• Little Bytham Junction; boundary point between Midland Railway and M&GNJR;
• Bourn; opened 16 May 1860; renamed Bourne between 1872 and 1893; closed 2 March 1959; convergence of line from Essendine; divergence of line to Spalding;
• Twenty; opened September 1866; closed 2 March 1959;
• Counter Drain; opened September 1866; closed 2 March 1959;
• North Drove; opened September 1866; closed 15 September 1958;
• Cuckoo Junction; divergence of avoiding line to Welland Junction;
• Spalding; Great Northern Railway station; opened 17 October 1848; M&GNJR route reverses here; divergence northward of GNR and GN&GE Joint lines;.
• Welland Bank Junction; convergence of avoiding line from Cuckoo Junction;
• Weston; opened 1 December 1858; closed 2 March 1959;
• Moulton; opened 15 November 1858; closed 2 March 1959;
• Whaplode; opened 1 December 1858; closed 2 March 1959;
• Holbeach; opened 15 November 1858; closed 2 March 1959;
• Fleet; opened 1 November 1862; closed 2 March 1959;
• Gedney; opened 1 July 1862; closed 2 March 1959;
• Long Sutton; opened 1 July 1862; closed 2 March 1959;
• Dock Junction; divergence of line to Docks;
• Sutton Bridge Junction; convergence of line from Peterborough;
• Sutton Bridge; first station Norwich and Spalding terminus opened 1 July 1862; Lynn and Sutton station opened 1 March 1866; closed 2 March 1959.

• Peterborough; opened August 1850; originally Peterborough North; still open
• Peterborough Wisbech Junction; divergence from
  Midland Railway route
  ;
• Dogsthorpe Brick Works;
• Eye; opened 1 August 1866; renamed Eye Green 1875; closed 2 December 1957;
• Thorney; opened 1 August 1866; closed 2 December 1957;
• Wryde; opened 1 August 1866; closed 2 December 1957;
• Murrow; opened 1 August 1866; renamed Murrow East 1948; closed 2 March 1959;
• Wisbech St Mary; opened 1 August 1866; closed 2 March 1959;
• Wisbeach; opened 1 August 1866; renamed Wisbech 1877; renamed Wisbech North 1948; closed 2 March 1959;
• Ferry; opened 1 August 1866; closed 2 March 1959;
• Tydd; opened 1 August 1866; closed 2 March 1959.
• Sutton Bridge Junction; above.

• Sutton Bridge;
• Cross Keys; east end of
  swing bridge
  ;
• Walpole; opened 1 March 1866; closed 2 March 1959;
• Terrington; opened 1 March 1866; closed 2 March 1959;
• Clenchwarton; opened 1 March 1866; closed 2 March 1959;
• West Lynn; opened 1 March 1866 closed 1886:
• South Lynn; opened 1 January 1886; closed 2 March 1959;
• South Lynn Junction; divergence of line to King's Lynn;
• Gayton Road; opened 1 July 1887; closed 2 March 1959;
• Grimston Road; opened 16 August 1879; closed 2 March 1959;
• Hillington; opened 16 August 1879; closed 2 March 1959;
• Massingham; opened 16 August 1879; closed 2 March 1959;
• Rudham; opened 16 August 1880; renamed East Rudham 1 March 1882; closed 2 March 1959;
• Raynham Park; opened 16 August 1880; closed 2 March 1959;
• Fakenham Town; opened 16 August 1880; renamed Fakenham West 27 September 1948; closed 2 March 1959;
• Thursford; opened 19 January 1882; closed 2 March 1959;
• Melton Constable; opened 19 January 1882; closed 6 April 1964; convergence of line from Cromer; divergence of line to Yarmouth;
• Hindolvestone; opened 19 January 1882; closed 2 March 1959;
• Guestwick; opened 19 January 1882; closed 2 March 1959;
• Whitwell & Reepham
  ; opened 1 July 1882; closed 2 March 1959;
• Lenwade; opened 1 July 1882; closed 2 March 1959;
• Attlebridge; opened 2 December 1882; closed 2 March 1959;
• Costessey & Drayton; opened 2 December 1882; renamed Drayton 1 February 1883; closed 2 March 1959;
• Hellesdon; opened 2 December 1882; closed 15 September 1952;
• Norwich City; opened 2 December 1882; closed 2 March 1959.

• Melton Constable; above;
• Holt; opened 1 October 1884; closed 6 April 1964;
• Weybourne; opened 1 July 1901; closed 6 April 1964;
• Sherringham; opened 16 June 1887; renamed Sheringham 1897; M&GNJR station closed in 1967 when new resited station opened, now part of the Bittern Line
• West Runton; opened September 1887; still open as part of the Bittern Line;
• Runton West Junction; divergence of line to North Walsham;
• Runton East Junction; convergence of line from North Walsham and later the Bittern Line from Norwich (via ex-GER route);
• Cromer Beach; opened 16 June 1887; expanded and renamed Cromer 1969; still open as part of the Bittern Line.

• Melton Constable; above;
• Corpusty and Saxthorpe; opened 5 April 1883; closed 2 March 1959;
• Bluestone; opened 5 April 1883; closed 1 March 1916;
• Aylsham Town; opened 5 April 1883; simply Aylsham 1902 – 1910; Aylsham North from 1948; closed 2 March 1959;
• Felmingham; opened 5 April 1883; closed 2 March 1959;
• North Walsham; opened 13 June 1881; renamed North Walsham Town 27 September 1948; closed 2 March 1959;
• Honing; opened August 1882; closed 2 March 1959;
• Stalham; opened 3 July 1880; closed 2 March 1959;
• Sutton Staithe Halt; opened 17 July 1933; closed 8 July 1935;
• Catfield; opened 17 January 1880; closed 2 March 1959;
• Potter Heigham; opened 17 January 1880; closed 2 March 1959;
• Potter Heigham Bridge Halt; opened 17 July 1933; closed September 1939; reopened June 1948; closed 27 September 1958;
• Martham; opened 15 July 1878; closed 2 March 1959;
• Hemsby; opened 16 May 1878; closed 2 March 1959; a temporary station to north opened 15 July 1878; temporary station to south opened October 1878; temporary stations closed July 1879;
• Little Ormesby Halt; opened 17 July 1933; closed 8 July 1935
• Ormesby; opened 7 August 1877; renamed Great Ormesby 21 January 1884; closed 2 March 1959;
• Scratby Halt; opened 17 July 1933; closed September 1939; reopened June 1948; closed 2 March 1959;
• California; summer service only; opened 17 July 1933; closed September 1939; reopened June 1948; closed 28 September 1958;
• Caister Camp Halt; summer service only; opened 17 July 1933; closed September 1939; reopened June 1948; closed 28 September 1958;
• Caister; opened 7 August 1877; renamed Caister-on-Sea 1 January 1893; closed 2 March 1959;
• Newtown Halt; opened 17 July 1933; closed September 1939; reopened June 1948; closed 2 March 1959;
• Yarmouth; opened 7 August 1877; renamed Yarmouth Beach 1883; closed 2 March 1959.^{[24][page needed][17][page needed]}

For over 40 years William Marriott served the M&GNJR and its predecessors, joining the staff of the original contractors, Wilkinson and Jarvis in 1881, serving as Engineer from 1883, Locomotive Superintendent from 1884 and finally becoming Traffic Manager as well in 1919, before retiring in 1924. He is commemorated in the name of the Marriott's Way footpath, much of which follows the trackbed of the M&GNJR Norwich line, and in the work of the North Norfolk Railway

At Murrow the M&GNJR crossed the GN&GE joint Line on the level, one of few such crossings in the UK, and the only one where two joint lines crossed.^{[2][page needed]}

Because of the relatively early closure date, most workings throughout the life of the M&GNJR were operated by steam power. A small number of diesel multiple unit services were run in the final years, alongside the very occasional incursions of early diesel locomotives.

The M&GNJR mainly used designs from the MR and GNR, but included in its stock some of the older E&M engines, often much rebuilt. The famous Beyer-Peacock engines survived in this way from the early 1880s to the mid-1930s. The best contemporary designs were acquired by the Joint in the 1893 – 1901 period, but as there were no more modern engines forthcoming, the light 0-6-0s and 4-4-0s provided much of the motive power on the line until 1936. From then on the LNER tried various designs on the line, not necessarily bigger or even more recent than the Joint's own engines, but as the M&GNJR's engines were scrapped, newer engines such as the K2 2-6-0s and B12 4-6-0s became common. The ex-GER D16 "Claud Hamilton" 4-4-0s provided the locomotive backbone of this later period.

From the 1950s,

]

British Railways' Eastern Region was an early adopter of diesel motive power and the M&GNJR lines were used by

. A fleet of the latter was commissioned in the mid-1950s to take over all the long-distance locomotive-hauled passenger services, but the line's closure in 1959 saw them re-allocated (especially to the Great Northern suburban commuter workings out of King's Cross, for which they were particularly unsuitable). One M&GNJR boiler from a Hudswell Clarke 4-4-0T survives, it is hoped this will be rebuilt as a static exhibit.

Badge and livery

The M&GNJR device consists of images derived from the coats of arms of the four principal cities and towns it served: (clockwise from top left) Peterborough, Norwich, Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn.

For much of the company's life the locomotives were painted a light golden brown, often referred to by paintshop staff as "autumn leaf" or "

". From 1922 the goods engines were painted dark brown, followed by the rest of the locomotives in 1929. The LNER painted the survivors black. Most of the carriages were ex-GNR and were varnished teak, but some of the older stock and rebuilds were painted and grained to look like teak. Wagon stock was generally brown oxide, the same colour as the GNR used, until 1917 when general stock under the common user agreement began to be painted grey. The number of M&GNJR wagons declined during the 1920s, and were eventually bought by the parent companies in 1928, leaving only service stock, which was painted red oxide. Under British Railways' control, carriages were often carmine and cream, then maroon.

The M&GNJR was frequently referred to as the "Muddle and Go Nowhere",^[25] a fairly self-evident title for a route that served a mostly rural region, but after closure this phrase was commonly replaced with "Missed and Greatly Needed".^[26]

The M&GNJR's memory is kept alive by two heritage railway operations and railway museums. Whilst only the short section between

M&GNJR signal boxes survive at numerous locations,[31] with Cromer Beach box^[32] being open to the public.^[33] The box from Honing also survives at the Barton House Railway near Wroxham.^[34]

The

Very little rolling stock from the line has been preserved. The North Norfolk Railway have rescued a brake van.[36] Another M&GNJR brake van survives, No. 23 which was built in 1899, was rescued from Melton Constable in 2000.^[37] Two M&GNJR coaches survive, both at Eccles on Sea.^[38][39] No locomotives survived, with the last complete locomotive being scrapped at the Longmoor Military Railway in 1953.^[40]

The "golden ochre" livery has been carried by two industrial locomotives on the North Norfolk Railway,^[41] and was later worn by a bus operated by Norfolk Green^[42] on routes formerly served by the company.

Footnotes

1. ^ ^{a b c} The Railway Year Book for 1926. London: The Railway Publishing Company Limited. 1926. pp. 229–231.
2. ^
   ISBN 0-7110-0024-7
   .
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah} Wrottesley 1981.
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o} Clark, Ronald H. (1967). A Short History of the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway. Norwich: Goose and Son.
5. ^
   ISBN 0-7110-1145-1
   .
6. ISBN 0-7153-7431-1
   .
7. ISBN 0-86138-038-X
   .
8. ^ Wrottesley 1981, p. 19.
9. ^ "Peterborough, Wisbech and Sutton Railway company". Cambridge Chronicle and Journal. 1 April 1871. p. 7.
10. ^ Wrottesley 1981, pp. 16, 19, 21.
11. ^ Rhodes 1982, p. 10.
12. ^ Wrottesley 1981, p. 20.
13. ^ "Sutton Bridge Dock". Portsmouth Evening News. 24 June 1881. p. 3.
14. ^ Clark 1967, p. 13.
15. ^ Wrottesley 1981, p. 34.
16. ^ Carter, E.F. (1959). An Historical Geography of the Railways of the British Isles. London: Cassell.
17. ^
    ISBN 978-1-84033-7556
    .
18. ^ Wrottesley 1981, p. 65.
19. ^ Maxwell, Alexander (September 1936). "The Midland and Great Northern Railway: I: Its Traffic". Railway Magazine.
20. ^ Hopwood, H.L. (August 1908). "The Midland and Great Northern Railway". Railway Magazine.
21. ^ Sekon, G.A. (October 1905). "How Expresses Exchange Trains Staffs and Tablets". Railway Magazine.
22. OCLC 835846426
    .
23. ^ Passengers No More Second Edition page 110
24. ^ Quick, M.E. (2002). Railway Passenger Stations in England Scotland and Wales—A Chronology. The Railway and Canal Historical Society.
25. ^ "Walpole Cross Keys village website". Walpolecrosskeys.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 May 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
26. ^ "Trip Back to the Golden Age of Steam". Spalding Advertiser.
27. ^ "Bittern Line homepage". Bitternline.com. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
28. ^ "North Norfolk Railway". Nnrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
29. ^ "Whitwell and Reepham Railway". Archived from the original on 18 July 2011.
30. ^ "M&GN Circle".
31. ^ "The signal box M&GN listing". Signalbox.org. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
32. ^ "Cromer signalbox museum". Cromerbox.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 September 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
33. ^ "North Norfolk Railway – Sheringham station facilities". Nnrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
34. ^ "Barton House Railway signalling". bartonhouserailway.org.uk. Archived from the original on 5 September 2011.
35. ^ "Nene Valley Railway". Nvr.org.uk. 5 April 1977. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
36. ^ "M&GN 12 (body only) Goods Brake Van built 1881". Archived from the original on 19 January 2023.
37. ^ "M&GN 23 (Body only) Brake van built 1899". Archived from the original on 26 October 2021.
38. ^ "M&GN 587 Six-wheel 6 Compartment Third (part body only)". Archived from the original on 14 July 2024.
39. ^ "M&GN Six-wheel Luggage Brake (body only) built 1890". Archived from the original on 14 July 2024.
40. ^ Rowledge, S. "Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway locomotive list". Staplehurst: Robinjay Press. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
41. ^ "Photo of Harlaxton in M&GN livery". Arpg.org.uk. 6 December 2004. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
42. ^ "Norfolk Green fleet list" (PDF). Retrieved 17 November 2012.

References

• Wrottesley, A.J. (1981). The Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway. Newton Abbot: David & Charles.
  ISBN 0-7153-8173-3
  .

Further reading

• Becket, W.S. The District Controller's View No.12: Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway: M&GN Railway Operating in the 1950s. Xpress Publishing. Detailed timetables and descriptions of all line workings, including freight
• Clark, M.J. Railway World Special – The M&GN. Ian Allan.
• Clark, R.H. Scenes from the M&GN. Moorland.
• Clark, R.H. A Short History of the M&GN Joint Railway. Goose & Son.
• Digby, Nigel. A Guide to the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway. Ian Allan.
• Digby, Nigel. The Stations & Structures of the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Vol.1. Lightmoor Press. Architecture and civil engineering, station plans Lowestoft to Melton Constable
• Digby, Nigel. The Stations & Structures of the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Vol.2. Lightmoor Press. Signalling and permanent way, station plans Norwich to Peterborough and Spalding
• Digby, Nigel. The Liveries of the Pre-Grouping Railways Vol.2 (East of England & Scotland). Lightmoor Press. Chapter on M&GN liveries
• Digby, Nigel. The Liveries of the M&GN. M&GN Circle.
• Greeno, Dennis. M&GN in Colour – Vols.1 - 4. M&GN Jt Railway Society.
• Squires, Stewart; Hollamby, Ken, eds. (2009). Building a Railway: Bourne to Saxby. Lincoln Record Society.
  ISBN 978-0-901503-86-2
  . An extraordinary collection of photographs by resident engineer Charles Stansfield Wilson, taken 1890–93, showing the construction of this extension of the M&GN
• Wells, A.M. The Locomotives of the M&GN. HMRS. A detailed and definitive work
• Whitaker, A.C. Running a Norfolk Railway. M&GN Circle.
• Wilkinson, E. Operation Norfolk: Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Passenger Services 1954. Xpress Publishing. Detailed timetables and descriptions of passenger workings
• Hill, Roger; Vessey, Carey (1995). British Railways Past and Present – 27 Lincolnshire. Past & Present Publishing. Annotated photographs some of which are of the M&GN

Middleton Press "Encyclopedia of Railways" series, featuring annotated track plans and small photographs:

• Adderson, Richard; Kenworthy, Graham (1998). Branch Lines Around Cromer. Middleton Press.
• Adderson, Richard; Kenworthy, Graham (2008). Branch Lines Around Lowestoft. Middleton Press.
• Back, Michael (2009). Branch Lines Around Spalding – M&GN Saxby to Long Sutton. Middleton Press.
• Ingram, Andrew (1997). Branch Lines Around Wisbech. Middleton Press.
• Adderson, Richard; Kenworthy, Graham (2007). Melton Constable to Yarmouth Beach. Middleton Press.
• Back, Michael (2008). Peterborough to King's Lynn: part of the M&GN. Middleton Press.
• Adderson, Richard; Kenworthy, Graham (2011). South Lynn to Norwich City via Melton Constable. Middleton Press.

External links

Media related to Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway at Wikimedia Commons

• The Midland & Great Northern Circle
• Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Society
• M&GN FAQ
• Cromer Signalbox project