Visitors

As anyone who follows me will know, I do like my trains, particularly steam ones.  I'm not so bothered about diesels and especially modern ones, but I do like it if something unusual is happening even if that involves something new.

When British Railways closed the line from Sheringham to Holt and onwards, they moved their station at Sheringham to the other side of the road so they didn't have to stop the traffic every time a train arrived.  The level crossing was ripped up and the old Sheringham station became the terminus of the North Norfolk Railway to Holt.  Many years later the NNR managed to reinstate the level crossing so that visiting engines could arrive under their own steam (so to speak) rather than them all having to arrive on the back of a low loader.  However, by definition, it is very rarely used; only ever on the few occasions when something is visiting.

Today was such a day with not just one visitor, but three arriving.  Two were modern diesels, 66714 'Cromer Lifeboat' and 69010 which is going to be named 'North Norfolk Railway' in a ceremony tomorrow to celebrate 50 years of the NNR.  The third one was D213 'Andania' which was of more interest to me, as it is one of the ones I used to 'trainspot' back in my youth in the 1960's at Darlington and Newcastle stations.

My main photo is of 69010 leading 66714 across the level crossing.  From my vantage point I noticed for the first time that there is a hen painted in the gable of the signal box.  I've added an extra of the two of them heading off into the sunset towards Weybourne, and of D213 crossing the crossing.