History Yarmouth–Lowestoft line

1 history

1.1 construction
1.2 operations

1.2.1 passenger traffic
1.2.2 goods traffic

history
construction

the great eastern railway , midland , great northern joint railway formed norfolk , suffolk joint committee in july 1898 control joint railway projected extensions between cromer beach , mundesley yarmouth , lowestoft. second line create first direct coastal link between norfolk , suffolk coastal towns, , railway companies hoped stimulate development of holiday resorts along coast. opened on 13 july 1903 , supplanted more circuitous route between 2 towns provided yarmouth–beccles line via haddiscoe east curve , st olaves station.

breydon viaduct on breydon water.

as part of agreement, ger build direct line between yarmouth , lowestoft, while m&gn construct link caister road near yarmouth beach terminus across wherry lines , beccles line junction near gorleston north station.

the scheme construct m&gn link entitled lowestoft junction railway , entailed construction of 3 viaducts: breydon viaduct on breydon water, smaller viaduct across river bure , vauxhall viaduct across ger s east suffolk line. in total, £159,758-12-4d (equivalent £16.6 million in 2016) spent in constructing 2 miles 11 chains (3.4 km), not taking account of costs of alterations made yarmouth beach station accommodate new connection. track @ first double became single 800 feet (240 m) breydon viaduct, important engineering structure on m&gn, before becoming double again join ger curve yarmouth south town station @ gorleston north junction. contractors line oliver & sons of rugby, , john wilson ger appointed engineer.

operations
passenger traffic

a 1912 railway clearing house map showing coastal section of norfolk , suffolk joint railway (in dotted blue/yellow) , connecting lines.

as joint committee had no rolling stock of own, services between yarmouth , lowestoft or either , beccles typically consisted of 2 coaches hauled small tank locomotive such m&gn 4-4-2ts. m&gn ran 4 daily services , lowestoft, while ger laid on 3 trains; m&gn used yarmouth beach , ger south town. ger services withdrawn during first world war.

the m&gn operated 2 holiday expresses: morning service leicester , birmingham , afternoon 1 derby, manchester , liverpool. neither called @ hopton-on-sea or corton stations. consequently, although gorleston-on-sea , gorleston north stations received around 10,000 passengers between them , lowestoft central around 25,000 passengers during pre-first world war period, hopton , corton saw little traffic. in fact, corton station had less 10,000 passengers during 1911, corresponded less half passenger each m&gn stopping service. there no sunday passenger services except during summer, although stalham yarmouth service in october did run until 1905 benefit of daytrippers. between january 1917 , july 1919, ger services withdrawn between yarmouth south town , lowestoft central first world war economy measure.

although m&gn remained joint line after 1923 railway grouping, operated london midland , scottish railway , london , north eastern railway. same year, lms introduced new service connected liverpool lime street , manchester london road yarmouth , lowestoft. journey time between manchester , yarmouth 6 hours 25 minutes. variety of great eastern, great northern , great central tanks used provide regular poorly-patronised service. during second world war, single line working introduced between gorleston-on-sea , lowestoft north other line needed store wagons; normal service restored in march 1948. gorleston north badly damaged enemy bombing subsequently closed; station inconveniently sited in relation town , had suffered bus , tram competition. post-war timetable gave line poorest level of service @ previous point: 4 trains ran south town , 2 yarmouth beach. @ time, two-coach unit suitable workings except summer saturdays. holiday excursions returned after war , m&gn services east midlands , birmingham popular. service levels rose after closure of m&gn , introduction of dmus , winter 1957-58 timetable showed 15 hourly departures south town between 7.29am , 9.29pm, rising 20 in 1963-64 after closure of line beccles. final winter of 1969-70, number had fallen 12.

goods traffic

the line did deal substantial goods traffic: 20,000 tons of coal year , 5,000 tons annually of lowestoft fish traffic, around 10% of total generated. lowestoft north , gorleston north stations became important coal depots, while potential new traffic created construction of sugar beet shoot @ hopton-on-sea in 1913. in same year, new 12-coach spur installed @ gorleston-on-sea accommodate passengers suffolk show. new station opened @ gorleston links in 1914 serve adjacent golf club paid costs of construction. fish traffic declined during first world war, overall goods traffic increased result of war requirements , diversion rail of traditionally seaborne traffic yarmouth, lynn , wisbech. volume of goods carried rail declined in post-war period due agricultural , industrial depression, coupled growth of road competition line vulnerable due short distances on traffic conveyed. between 1923 , 1936 m&gn provided goods service on line consisted of 2 or 3 trains per day fish trains. denationalisation of road transport transport act 1953 dealt further blow goods traffic facilitating long-distance transportation motor vehicles.