The Mid-Norfolk Railway, which runs through the heart of Norfolk, is East Anglia’s longest standard-gauge heritage railway. Dereham is the railway’s headquarters, and it continues south to Wymondham Abbey Halt station. The route is currently being rebuilt northwards towards North Elmham, where it will terminate at the railway’s County School Station.
The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust is a registered charity that owns and operates the Mid-Norfolk Railway. The railway’s members own the Trust, and some of them give their time and various abilities to the railway.
The Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust was founded in 1995 with the goal of purchasing the railway between Wymondham and Dereham. Yaxham was designated as the command centre, and authorization was granted to clear the line of undergrowth and construct a train platform. Dereham station was cleaned up, and open days were conducted. In 1995, passenger trains were operating between Rash’s Green and Yaxham when a platform was built near Dereham. This was a huge success, and it provided physical proof of the Trust’s accomplishments and ability to run the line. The first train ran from Dereham station in the summer of 1997, after track was relayed into the station in early 1997.
