History of the P&AR
This page is completely Fictional, although it does contain some information about real railway lines and companies.
I would also like to apologise for the length of this page, I promise I will add some picture when I get some suitable ones!
I would also like to apologise for the length of this page, I promise I will add some picture when I get some suitable ones!
Welcome the P&AR. We are a Preservation society, running on the ex-GER secondary mainline from Harleston to Appleby, through Norfolk and Suffolk. Our large double track Line, Approximately 40miles long, is by far the longest Preserved line in Britain.
Although we do have full running rights over our stretch of the line, British Rail still use the line for occasional freight use, under agreement, and they have control of the stretch of line from Harleston to the Great Eastern Mainline at Wickham Market.
History
The Line was constructed between 1880 and 1882 by GER (Great Eastern Railway) to provide a cross region line, providing the most direct route from their Great Eastern Mainline, completed in 1849, and their Cambridge-King’s Lynn route. Although the Line didn’t pass through Any of the major resorts of Norfolk or Suffolk, even though passing close to them, it still proved a major line, with Holiday Makers from London using it to get to Norfolk destinations, and the rich goods traffic, with all the farm traffic, carrying many crops, most notably Apples (where the town of Appleby gets its name) and wheat, as well as other.
The Line, although being able to carry much heavier axle loadings, was kept in line with the other eastern lines, so the staple locos were B12s (GER S69s) and similar locomotives, with Gresley B17s in LNER years, accompanied by numerous 0-6-0 goods locos. The line used engine sheds from the accompanying lines, such as Cambridge and Norwich, so never needed large locomotive works of it’s own, but did have facilities at Penyale, with a 4 track running shed and all facilities required to stable, water, coal and service locos between duties.
The line didn’t see much change in its LNER days, running daily passenger services, both along the line itself, from King’s Lynn to Ipswich, and from further affield, such as London Liverpool Street, along the GE mainline and up to Hunstanton in the other direction. Most traffic was carried in ageing coaches of pre-grouping days, supplemented by the odd rake of Gresley and Thompson stock, all the way up until Nationalization, when the production of Mk1s displaced More Gresley rakes onto the secondary Mainlines.
Nationalization, at first boosted traffic, with the influx of coaching stock and locomotives, such as Britannia’s and other Standard Designs, but after this short boost, the railway went into decline, road traffic taking over the farming traffic, and cars and foreign holidays taking the passengers. In 1964, the line closed to passenger traffic, but continued, as it still does, with twice weekly goods services, both for the farms, and other industries.
Preservation
After the closure of the Line to Passenger traffic, there was much outcry, some people believing that Beeching’s Axe may have started the destruction of Norfolk and Suffolk’s farms, and remaining tourist traffic.
In 1966, a group of like-minded enthusiasts joined forces to form the Penyale and Appleby Preservation Group. By 1968, as steam was just dying out on British Rail, the group had gained enough support, both from the public, and other groups, such as the Gresley Locomotive group, the A4 Society, and others, all looking for homes for their locos, to go to BR and ask for joint ownership and full use of the line. By November, permission had been granted, and the group, now renamed Penyale and Appleby Railway plc, moved all their locos to their new home, At Penyale Park Locomotive sheds.
Thankfully, BR had kept the line in good condition, apart from weeds, the Line from Harleston to Appleby was perfect, the Appleby-King’s Lynn section was derelict though, and abandoned. Facilities grew up around the existing ones at Penyale, and soon the 4 platform station, 4 track shed, and new overhaul shop, along with the goods yard, were in a operating condition, with several locomotives being overhauled, and the facilities all being funded by donations, and the kindness of Thomas Noakes, a rich local land owner, with his farm location overlooking the station.
In 1970, the line reopened for passenger use, with steam locos, and early BR diesels that were abandoned, hauling services again, connecting with BR services at Harleston.
Moving to the present day, the line is now, once again, thriving, with a ever growing loco and rolling stock stud, with last year, in 1984, loco numbers reaching the 20 mark, with the addition of the just made redundant Deltic locomotive, Tulyar.
Although we do have full running rights over our stretch of the line, British Rail still use the line for occasional freight use, under agreement, and they have control of the stretch of line from Harleston to the Great Eastern Mainline at Wickham Market.
History
The Line was constructed between 1880 and 1882 by GER (Great Eastern Railway) to provide a cross region line, providing the most direct route from their Great Eastern Mainline, completed in 1849, and their Cambridge-King’s Lynn route. Although the Line didn’t pass through Any of the major resorts of Norfolk or Suffolk, even though passing close to them, it still proved a major line, with Holiday Makers from London using it to get to Norfolk destinations, and the rich goods traffic, with all the farm traffic, carrying many crops, most notably Apples (where the town of Appleby gets its name) and wheat, as well as other.
The Line, although being able to carry much heavier axle loadings, was kept in line with the other eastern lines, so the staple locos were B12s (GER S69s) and similar locomotives, with Gresley B17s in LNER years, accompanied by numerous 0-6-0 goods locos. The line used engine sheds from the accompanying lines, such as Cambridge and Norwich, so never needed large locomotive works of it’s own, but did have facilities at Penyale, with a 4 track running shed and all facilities required to stable, water, coal and service locos between duties.
The line didn’t see much change in its LNER days, running daily passenger services, both along the line itself, from King’s Lynn to Ipswich, and from further affield, such as London Liverpool Street, along the GE mainline and up to Hunstanton in the other direction. Most traffic was carried in ageing coaches of pre-grouping days, supplemented by the odd rake of Gresley and Thompson stock, all the way up until Nationalization, when the production of Mk1s displaced More Gresley rakes onto the secondary Mainlines.
Nationalization, at first boosted traffic, with the influx of coaching stock and locomotives, such as Britannia’s and other Standard Designs, but after this short boost, the railway went into decline, road traffic taking over the farming traffic, and cars and foreign holidays taking the passengers. In 1964, the line closed to passenger traffic, but continued, as it still does, with twice weekly goods services, both for the farms, and other industries.
Preservation
After the closure of the Line to Passenger traffic, there was much outcry, some people believing that Beeching’s Axe may have started the destruction of Norfolk and Suffolk’s farms, and remaining tourist traffic.
In 1966, a group of like-minded enthusiasts joined forces to form the Penyale and Appleby Preservation Group. By 1968, as steam was just dying out on British Rail, the group had gained enough support, both from the public, and other groups, such as the Gresley Locomotive group, the A4 Society, and others, all looking for homes for their locos, to go to BR and ask for joint ownership and full use of the line. By November, permission had been granted, and the group, now renamed Penyale and Appleby Railway plc, moved all their locos to their new home, At Penyale Park Locomotive sheds.
Thankfully, BR had kept the line in good condition, apart from weeds, the Line from Harleston to Appleby was perfect, the Appleby-King’s Lynn section was derelict though, and abandoned. Facilities grew up around the existing ones at Penyale, and soon the 4 platform station, 4 track shed, and new overhaul shop, along with the goods yard, were in a operating condition, with several locomotives being overhauled, and the facilities all being funded by donations, and the kindness of Thomas Noakes, a rich local land owner, with his farm location overlooking the station.
In 1970, the line reopened for passenger use, with steam locos, and early BR diesels that were abandoned, hauling services again, connecting with BR services at Harleston.
Moving to the present day, the line is now, once again, thriving, with a ever growing loco and rolling stock stud, with last year, in 1984, loco numbers reaching the 20 mark, with the addition of the just made redundant Deltic locomotive, Tulyar.