page updated
13 February 2017

Lynn & Fakenham Railway

Worked by Great Northern Railway.

Date Event Source
4 November 1845 Lynn & Fakenham Railway gave notice to incorporate a company and make and maintain a railway commencing in the parish of Mintlyn by a junction with the Lynn & East Dereham Railway to the parish of Fakenham Lancaster. London Gazette, 15 November 1845, pages 4283-4284.
8 November 1845 Lynn & Fakenham Railway gave notice to incorporate a company and make and maintain a railway commencing in the parish of Mintlyn by a junction with the Lynn & East Dereham Railway to the parish of Fakenham Lancaster. London Gazette, 22 November 1845, pages 5723-5724.
8 November 1845 Lynn & Fakenham Railway gave notice to incorporate a company and make and maintain a railway commencing in the parish of Mintlyn by a junction with the Lynn & East Dereham Railway to the parish of Fakenham Lancaster. London Gazette, 29 November 1845, pages 6779-6780.
31 December 1845 Notice to amalgamate the Lynn and Ely, Lynn and Dereham, and Ely and Huntingdon railways and branches connected with them as one company. London Gazette, 16 January 1846, page 164.
12 November 1875 Lynn & Fakenham Railway gave notice to incorporate a company and make a railway:
  1. Railway No.1 from a junction with the Hunstanton and West Norfolk Railway at Gaywood to Hempton on the west side of the Rainham to Fakenham road,
  2. Railway No.2 From a junction with Railway No.1 at Hempton to a junction with the Fakenham branch of the Great Eastern Railway, 10 chains south of point where the said railway crosses the Fakenham to Guist road,
  3. Allow the Company to enter into agreements with the Great Eastern, Great Northern, Midland and Hunstanton & West Norfolk companies and with the King’s Lynn Dock Company or either of them in respect of construction, maintenance and working of the railway,
  4. Running powers from Gaywood to King’s Lynn station,
  5. Running powers of the King’s Lynn Dock Company’s lines.
 London Gazette, 16 November 1875, pages 5481-5482.
24 March 1876 Lynn & Fakenham Railway gave notice to vary a bill in Parliament to deviate the proposed route of Railway No.1 so as to pass northward of the Gaywood River as far as Grimston. London Gazette, 31 March 1876, page 2221.
13 July 1876 Royal assent given to Lynn & Fakenham Act incorporating the company and authorising:
  1. Railway No.1 twenty miles two furlongs eight chains or thereabouts in length commencing by a junction with the Lynn and Hunstanton line of the West Norfolk Railway and terminating in the parish of Hempton on the west side of the road leading from Rainham to Fakenham, [Gaywood Junction - Fakenham]
  2. Railway No.2 seven furlongs nine and a half chains or thereabouts in length by a junction with Railway No.1 at the termination thereof and terminating by a junction with the Fakenham branch of the Great Eastern Railway near Fakenham station, [Fakenham connection to GER]
  3. Level crossings of public roads at Gaywood, Bawsey, Grimston, Roydon (3), Hillington (3), Little Massingham (3), Harpley, West Rudham, East Rudham, Helhoughton, Tatterford, Dunton (2), Hempton on Railway No.1, and at Hempton on Railway No.2,
  4. Divert a road at Congham,
  5. Construct bridges to carry roads over the railway at Congham, Broomthorpe, Helhoughton.
 Act of Parliament.
16 August 1879 Gaywood Junction to Massingham opened to traffic. RM 1936-9.
TIA 1960.
10 November 1879 Lynn & Fakenham Railway gave notice to make a railway:
  1. Railway No.1 from a junction with Railway No.2 authorised by the Lynn & Fakenham Railway Act, 1876, in Pudding Norton to Melton Constable,
  2. Railway No.2 from a junction with Railway No.1 in Melton Constable to Heigham,
  3. Railway No.3 from a junction with Railway No.2 in Heigham to Norwich,
  4. Railway No.4 from a junction with Railway No.1 in Melton Constable to Sheringham,
  5. Railway No.5 from a junction with From a junction with Railway No.4 in Kelling to Wiveton,
  6. Railway No.6 from a junction with Railway No.5 in Wiveton to Blakeney,
  7. Railway No.7 from a junction with the Hunstanton & West Norfolk Railway in Gaywood to a junction with the King’s Lynn Dock Company at the Loke,
  8. Railway No.8 from a junction with the King’s Lynn Dock Company at the Loke to a point near Garland’s Yard on the north side of Austin Street.
    9. also:
  9. purchase or take additional lands at Malt Hill Common (Fakenham), Kettlestone Common, Little Ryburgh Common, Briston Common, Whitwell Common, Holt Common, Kelling Heath, Salthouse Heath, Swannington Common.
 London Gazette, 21st November 1879, pages 6630-6632.
12 August 1880 Royal assent given to Lynn & Fakenham Act authorised making of railways:
  1. Railway No.4 from Melton Constable to Kelling,
  2. Railway No.5 from Kelling to Cley,
  3. Railway No.6 from Cley to Blakeney.
 Eastern & Midlands (Further Powers) Act 1888.
RM 1936-9.
16 August 1880 Massingham to Fakenham opened.
RM 1898-8 gives date as 6 August 1880 from Lynn to Fakenham.
RM 1936-9 gives date as 16 August 1880 from Massingham to Fakenham.		 RM 1898-8.
RM 1936-9.
TIA 1960
18 November 1880 City of Norwich Central Station and Railway gave notice to incorporate a company and make a railway:
  1. Railway No.1 from a junction with Railway No.2 authorised by the Lynn & Fakenham Railway (Extensions) Act, 1880 to King Street, Norwich near the junction with Prince of Wales’ Road,
  2. Railway No.2 from a junction with Railway No.2 authorised by the Lynn & Fakenham Railway (Extensions) Act, 1880 to a junction with Railway No.1 on the south west side of the Fakenham Turnpike,
  3. Railway No.3 from a junction with Railway No.1 near Cathedral Street to a point where King Street joins Rose Lane,
    4. also:
  4. To enable the Lynn & Fakenham Railway to contribute toward the costs of construction and maintenance
  5. To enter into agreements with the Lynn & Fakenham Railway for the working of the railway.
 London Gazette, 26 November 1880, pages 6134-6136.
11 August 1881 Royal assent to Lynn & Fakenham Railway Act to confer further powers on the Lynn & Fakenham, Yarmouth & North Norfolk and Yarmouth Union Railway Companies to make railways:
  1. Railway No.1 17 miles 3 furlongs 2.5 chains or thereabouts from a junction with Railway No.1 authorised by the Lynn & Fakenham Railway (Extensions) Act 1880 to a junction with the railway authorised by the Yarmouth & North Norfolk (Light) Railway Act at North Walsham [Melton - North Walsham],
  2. Railway No.3 4miles 4 furlongs 1.4 chains or thereabouts commencing with a junction with Railway No.4 authorised by the Lynn & Fakenham Railway (Extensions) Act 1880 to about 370 yards from the water fountain at Lower Sheringham measured in a south westerly direction [Kelling - Sheringham],
  3. Railway No.4 3 miles 7 furlongs 2.2 chains or thereabouts commencing by a junction with Railway No.3 at the termination thereof toa point near the cemetary at Cromer [Sheringham - Cromer].
  4. Railway No.3 may not be opened for passenger traffic until Railway No.4 is also completed and opened for passenger traffic.
  5. Railway No.1 to cross public roads on the level at Briston, Cawston (2), Aylsham (2), Felmingham, North Walsham (2),
  6. Railway No.4 to cross public road on the level at Sheringham,
  7. Railway No.1 under bridges at Briston, Corpusty (2), North Walsham,
  8. Railway No.4 under bridges at Sheringham, Runton (2),
  9. Railway No.1 over bridges at Corpusty, Aylsham (3), Blickling, Aylsham,
  10. Railway No.3 over bridge at Weybourne,
  11. Railway No.4 over bridges at Beeston Regis, Runton.

    12. also:
  12. enter in agreements with the Yarmouth & North Norfolk company for working, use and maintenance.

    13. also repeals the Great Yarmouth & Stalham (Light) Railway Act 1876 and the Yarmouth & North Norfolk (Light) Railway Act.
Act of Parliament.
16 November 1881 Lynn & Fakenham Railway gave notice to make railways:
  1. Railway No.1 (Lynn Loop Line) from South Lynn to Grimstone,
  2. Railway No.2 (Stiffkey Branch) from a junction with Railway No.6 authorised by the Lynn & Fakenham (Extensions) Act, 1880 to the Stiffkey sluice,
  3. Railway No.3 (Blakeney Harbour Branch) from the proposed Railway No.2 by Morston Creek to the south side of Blakeney Harbour, together with a wharf on the south and west sides of Blakeney Harbour, together with a breakwater,
  4. A wharf on the south side of Blakeney Harbour,
  5. An embankment at Stiffkey,
  6. Railway No.4 from a junction with Railway No.2 authorised by the Lynn & Fakenham (Extensions) Act, 1880, in the parish of Great Witchingham to East Dereham,
  7. Railway No.5 from Railway No.4 to a junction with the Great Eastern Railway north of that company’s Dereham station,
  8. Railway No.6 from a junction with Railway No.2 authorised by the Lynn & Fakenham (Extensions) Act, 1880, to a point near the King Street and Rose Street junction,
  9. Railway No.7 from a junction with Railway No.2 authorised by the Lynn & Fakenham (Extensions) Act, 1880, to a point on the Fakenham Turnpike near the junction with the Aylsham Turnpike,
  10. Railway No.8 from a junction with the proposed Railway No.6 near the River Wensum to a junction with the Great Eastern Railway south east of Norwich Thorpe station,
    11. also:
  11. To purchase some land by Rudham station,
  12. To purchase the Blakeney Harbour Company,
  13. Running powers into Dereham station,
  14. To change the company name to the Eastern & Midlands Railway Company.
 London Gazette, 25 November 1881, pages 5977-5979.
19 January 1882 Fakenham to Guestwick opened with intermediate stations at Thursford, Melton Constable and Hindolvestone. Quick.
RM 1936-9.
TIA 1960.
1 July 1882 Guestwick to Lenwade opened with interemdiate station at Whitwell & Reepham. Quick.
RM 1936-9.
TIA 1960.
2 December 1882 Lenwade to Norwich opened with intermediate stations at Attlebridge and Costessey for Drayton. Quick.
RM 1936-9.
TIA 1960.
Bulletin 671/16.
10th August 1882 Royal assent given to Lynn & Fakenham Act authorised making of railways:
  1. Railway No.1 Bawsey Loop,
  2. Railway No.2 from Blakeney to the termination of Railway No.6 authorised in the Lynn & Fakenham Act of 1880,
  3. Railway No.3 a continuation of Railway No.2 to Blakeney Harbour.

    4. also:
  4. purchase of the Blakeney Harbour Company,
  5. extension of time to complete lines authorised by the 1881 Act.
 Bulletin 671/15.
Eastern & Midlands (Further Powers) Act 1888.
31 December 1882 Last day of independent existence. Eastern & Midlands Act 1882.

Subsequent Chronology