Melton Constable railway station
Encyclopedia
Melton Constable was a railway station on the Midland and Great Northern Railway which served the North Norfolk
village of Melton Constable
from 1882 to 1964. Notwithstanding its rural location, the station became an important railway centre with lines converging from all directions providing connections to key East Anglian towns such as King's Lynn
, Norwich
, Cromer
, Fakenham
, Yarmouth
and Lowestoft
. Although long since demolished, there is a possibility that the station may yet be resurrected as part of the proposed Norfolk Orbital Railway.
to Norwich
via Melton Constable, followed by a second line east from Melton to North Walsham
. The scheme had been born of a desire amongst North Norfolk
landowners, including notably Lord Hastings of Melton Constable Hall, to break the East Anglian monopoly of the Great Eastern Railway
and to improve communications between the farming community and the outside world. The outcome was the incorporation of the Lynn & Fakenham Railway which began services from King's Lynn
in January 1882, with the line to Norwich being opened to traffic in December. The connection to North Walsham was completed on 5 April 1883 thereby enabling through-running to Great Yarmouth
over a line constructed by the Yarmouth & North Norfolk Light Railway, some three months after the Lynn & Fakenham Railway, the Yarmouth & North Norfolk and other small companies had merged to form the Eastern & Midlands Railway. The final line to reach Melton Constable was that of the Great Eastern from Holt which opened on 1 October 1884, and was extended to Cromer Beach
in 1887.
Both the Lynn & Fakenham and the Yarmouth & North Norfolk lines were built by Messrs Wilkinson & Jarvis of London
who had raised the necessary funds through a mixture of bonds
, debenture
s and mortgages
, hoping that their speculative investment would pay off when a larger railway company would purchase the line. One of their employees was William Marriott who became engineer to the Eastern & Midlands Railway in 1883; he would later play a key role in the development of Melton Constable where he lived for some years. He kept his position when the Eastern was taken over in 1893 by the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GN).
of North Norfolk". Due to its central location on the M&GN, Melton Constable became, after King's Lynn, one of the two main centres from which the M&GN was controlled; it was the line's engineering nerve centre from where an extensive 14 acres (56,656 m²) locomotive works
operated over 180 miles (289.7 km) of track, building and repairing locomotives and catering for the civil engineering
needs of the line. All M&GN traffic from and to the west had to pass through Melton Constable where trains were divided or made-up before proceeding west, where goods trains were shunted and assembled.
To attract and retain workers to such an isolated location, the railway company engaged a contractor to construct housing in the nearby parish of Burgh Parva. The first street to be built in 1882 was Melton Street followed by Ashley Terrace where poor-quality houses costing £150 each were built; later houses in Colville Road and Briston Road are of better quality and date from the M&GN's takeover of the line and the availability of more funds. Architecturally, the red-brick and slate-roofed terraced housing had more in common with an East Midlands
industrial town, with narrow streets and small front gardens which gave the area a particular character. The M&GN's gasworks
at the bottom of Melton Street lit the establishment, with the coal needed for the plant being supplied by rail via a siding
connection from the station's goods yard headshunt
. Other amenities included a school, recreational facilities, gasworks
and a sewerage station
.
at Melton Constable Hall made famous by its use in the film The Go Between
. The land on which the station was built on had been donated by Lord Hastings who was in return provided with a specially-appointed waiting room with an adjoining short platform. Other than this private platform, the station was equipped with a single 800 feet (243.8 m) island platform
with through tracks on either side.
Access to the platform was via a covered staircase which descended from an adjacent road overbridge to reach a long, single-storey station building containing the booking office and refreshment room. At the eastern end of the platform, there was a single-storey brick public waiting room and toilet block, which was subsequently rebuilt with an outer casing of concrete blocks. The main station building was constructed using yellow brickwork, with the exterior woodwork painted in a two-tone green and cream colour when the London and North Eastern Railway
took over operation of the M&GN. The platform was largely covered by a long canopy supported by metal spandrels bearing the initials "CNR", a reference to the failed Central Norfolk Railway scheme. A trap door on the platform surface led to the station cellars.
The station and junctions were controlled by two signal box
es at each end of the station and known as "Melton East" and "Melton West" boxes. They controlled typical M&GN somersault signals
mounted on square posts, which were in some cases moulded from concrete.
and 0-6-0
engines, progressively enlarging them. Up to 12 engines could be housed in the works' three-road engine shed
which was situated between the passenger station and the works. Part of the works was dedicated to the large scale production of concrete mouldings which were innovatively used by Marriott in the construction of signals and building blocks. The works closed in 1936 resulting in a significant reduction of activity at Melton Constable.
as part of a move to rationalise functions of the Joint system. Melton Constable Works ceased to repair locomotives after this date, but the facilities continued to be used for wagon repairs and the scrapping of redundant rolling stock. Further rationalisation in 1945 left Melton Constable as a wagon sheet works, whilst declining traffic served to highlight the duplication of facilities between the M&GN and other Great Eastern lines. Most of the M&GN closed on 28 February 1959, leaving Melton Constable as the terminus of a branch from Sheringham
until 4 April 1964 when it was closed to passengers.
still exists above the factory area and still bears the traces of repaired shrapnel holes sustained during a Second World War air raid.
The North Norfolk Railway
has long-term plans to restore the line from its own Holt station to Melton Constable, (Extending to Melton Constable would require installing a level crossing and alongside above the new-built road built about long after closure).
Similarly National Rail
services may return to the station as part of the Norfolk Orbital Railway, a community railway scheme.
Proposed Services
North Norfolk
North Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, United Kingdom. Its council is based in Cromer. The council headquarters can be found approximately out of the town of Cromer on the Holt Road.-History:...
village of Melton Constable
Melton Constable
Melton Constable is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 518 in 225 households as of the 2001 census.For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of North Norfolk...
from 1882 to 1964. Notwithstanding its rural location, the station became an important railway centre with lines converging from all directions providing connections to key East Anglian towns such as King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
, Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, Cromer
Cromer
Cromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
, Fakenham
Fakenham
Fakenham is a town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, some north east of King's Lynn, south west of Cromer, and north west of Norwich....
, Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
and Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
. Although long since demolished, there is a possibility that the station may yet be resurrected as part of the proposed Norfolk Orbital Railway.
Opening and early years
The Lynn & Fakenham Railway Act 1880 authorised the construction of a railway from FakenhamFakenham
Fakenham is a town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, some north east of King's Lynn, south west of Cromer, and north west of Norwich....
to Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
via Melton Constable, followed by a second line east from Melton to North Walsham
North Walsham
North Walsham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England in the North Norfolk district.-Demographics:The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 11,998. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of North...
. The scheme had been born of a desire amongst North Norfolk
North Norfolk
North Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, United Kingdom. Its council is based in Cromer. The council headquarters can be found approximately out of the town of Cromer on the Holt Road.-History:...
landowners, including notably Lord Hastings of Melton Constable Hall, to break the East Anglian monopoly of the Great Eastern Railway
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
and to improve communications between the farming community and the outside world. The outcome was the incorporation of the Lynn & Fakenham Railway which began services from King's Lynn
King's Lynn railway station
King's Lynn railway station serves the town of King's Lynn in Norfolk. The station is the terminus of the Fen Line from Cambridge, which is electrified at 25 kV AC overhead...
in January 1882, with the line to Norwich being opened to traffic in December. The connection to North Walsham was completed on 5 April 1883 thereby enabling through-running to Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
over a line constructed by the Yarmouth & North Norfolk Light Railway, some three months after the Lynn & Fakenham Railway, the Yarmouth & North Norfolk and other small companies had merged to form the Eastern & Midlands Railway. The final line to reach Melton Constable was that of the Great Eastern from Holt which opened on 1 October 1884, and was extended to Cromer Beach
Cromer railway station
The fishing port and holiday resort of Cromer in the English county of Norfolk has had a rail service since 1877. It was served by three railway stations for many years, and is now served by two...
in 1887.
Both the Lynn & Fakenham and the Yarmouth & North Norfolk lines were built by Messrs Wilkinson & Jarvis of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
who had raised the necessary funds through a mixture of bonds
Bond (finance)
In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay interest to use and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed maturity...
, debenture
Debenture
A debenture is a document that either creates a debt or acknowledges it. In corporate finance, the term is used for a medium- to long-term debt instrument used by large companies to borrow money. In some countries the term is used interchangeably with bond, loan stock or note...
s and mortgages
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
, hoping that their speculative investment would pay off when a larger railway company would purchase the line. One of their employees was William Marriott who became engineer to the Eastern & Midlands Railway in 1883; he would later play a key role in the development of Melton Constable where he lived for some years. He kept his position when the Eastern was taken over in 1893 by the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GN).
Growth of Melton Constable
From a population of 118 in 1881, Melton Constable grew rapidly with the arrival of the railway to reach a figure of 1,157 in 1911. The construction of a railway junction and establishment of a railway works transformed a small parish of 19 houses into what became known as the "CreweCrewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
of North Norfolk". Due to its central location on the M&GN, Melton Constable became, after King's Lynn, one of the two main centres from which the M&GN was controlled; it was the line's engineering nerve centre from where an extensive 14 acres (56,656 m²) locomotive works
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
operated over 180 miles (289.7 km) of track, building and repairing locomotives and catering for the civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
needs of the line. All M&GN traffic from and to the west had to pass through Melton Constable where trains were divided or made-up before proceeding west, where goods trains were shunted and assembled.
To attract and retain workers to such an isolated location, the railway company engaged a contractor to construct housing in the nearby parish of Burgh Parva. The first street to be built in 1882 was Melton Street followed by Ashley Terrace where poor-quality houses costing £150 each were built; later houses in Colville Road and Briston Road are of better quality and date from the M&GN's takeover of the line and the availability of more funds. Architecturally, the red-brick and slate-roofed terraced housing had more in common with an East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
industrial town, with narrow streets and small front gardens which gave the area a particular character. The M&GN's gasworks
Gasworks
A gasworks or gas house is a factory for the manufacture of gas. The use of natural gas has made many redundant in the developed world, however they are often still used for storage.- Early gasworks :...
at the bottom of Melton Street lit the establishment, with the coal needed for the plant being supplied by rail via a siding
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
connection from the station's goods yard headshunt
Headshunt
A headshunt is a short length of track, provided to release locomotives at terminal platforms, or to allow shunting to take place clear of main lines.- Terminal Headshunts :...
. Other amenities included a school, recreational facilities, gasworks
Gasworks
A gasworks or gas house is a factory for the manufacture of gas. The use of natural gas has made many redundant in the developed world, however they are often still used for storage.- Early gasworks :...
and a sewerage station
Pumping station
Pumping stations are facilities including pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another. They are used for a variety of infrastructure systems, such as the supply of water to canals, the drainage of low-lying land, and the removal of sewage to processing sites.A pumping station...
.
Station buildings
The station buildings were located close to the great hallGreat hall
A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, nobleman's castle or a large manor house in the Middle Ages, and in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries. At that time the word great simply meant big, and had not acquired its modern connotations of excellence...
at Melton Constable Hall made famous by its use in the film The Go Between
The Go-Between (film)
The Go-Between is Harold Pinter's 1970 film adaptation of the novel by L. P. Hartley. A British production directed by Joseph Losey, it stars Dominic Guard , Julie Christie, Alan Bates, Margaret Leighton, Michael Redgrave, Michael Gough and Edward Fox.Pinter's screenplay—his final collaboration...
. The land on which the station was built on had been donated by Lord Hastings who was in return provided with a specially-appointed waiting room with an adjoining short platform. Other than this private platform, the station was equipped with a single 800 feet (243.8 m) island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
with through tracks on either side.
Access to the platform was via a covered staircase which descended from an adjacent road overbridge to reach a long, single-storey station building containing the booking office and refreshment room. At the eastern end of the platform, there was a single-storey brick public waiting room and toilet block, which was subsequently rebuilt with an outer casing of concrete blocks. The main station building was constructed using yellow brickwork, with the exterior woodwork painted in a two-tone green and cream colour when the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
took over operation of the M&GN. The platform was largely covered by a long canopy supported by metal spandrels bearing the initials "CNR", a reference to the failed Central Norfolk Railway scheme. A trap door on the platform surface led to the station cellars.
The station and junctions were controlled by two signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
es at each end of the station and known as "Melton East" and "Melton West" boxes. They controlled typical M&GN somersault signals
Railway semaphore signal
One of the earliest forms of fixed railway signal is the semaphore. These signals display their different indications to train drivers by changing the angle of inclination of a pivoted 'arm'. Semaphore signals were patented in the early 1840s by Joseph James Stevens, and soon became the most...
mounted on square posts, which were in some cases moulded from concrete.
Locomotive Works
The works were situated to the south of the main station buildings and opened in 1883. It was principally a locomotive repair establishment, with the stock accessing the works via a headshunt connection beside the Melton to Norwich line. William Marriott and his workforce carried out several major rebuilding operations at the works, including the reboilering of the M&GN's 4-4-04-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
and 0-6-0
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
engines, progressively enlarging them. Up to 12 engines could be housed in the works' three-road engine shed
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
which was situated between the passenger station and the works. Part of the works was dedicated to the large scale production of concrete mouldings which were innovatively used by Marriott in the construction of signals and building blocks. The works closed in 1936 resulting in a significant reduction of activity at Melton Constable.
Decline and closure
Operation of the M&GN was taken over by the London and North Eastern Railway on 1 October 1936 which transferred all locomotive operations to its Stratford worksStratford Works
Stratford Works was the locomotive-building works of the Great Eastern Railway situated at Stratford, London, England. It was opened in 1847-1848 by the GER's predecessor, the Eastern Counties Railway...
as part of a move to rationalise functions of the Joint system. Melton Constable Works ceased to repair locomotives after this date, but the facilities continued to be used for wagon repairs and the scrapping of redundant rolling stock. Further rationalisation in 1945 left Melton Constable as a wagon sheet works, whilst declining traffic served to highlight the duplication of facilities between the M&GN and other Great Eastern lines. Most of the M&GN closed on 28 February 1959, leaving Melton Constable as the terminus of a branch from Sheringham
Sheringham railway station (North Norfolk Railway)
Sheringham is the name of a preserved railway station in Sheringham, Norfolk. It was once part of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway network. Since its closure as part of the Beeching Axe, it has served as the eastern terminus of the North Norfolk Railway...
until 4 April 1964 when it was closed to passengers.
Present and future
Melton Constable is today a rather smaller village with around 500 inhabitants. The station was demolished in 1971, to be replaced by a telephone exchange. Two of the ornamental spandrels that held up the station roof are incorporated into the bus shelter on the B1354 Fakenham Road. The land of the old railway works and sidings is now an industrial estate, but a number of the old buildings have been retained. A water towerWater tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
still exists above the factory area and still bears the traces of repaired shrapnel holes sustained during a Second World War air raid.
The North Norfolk Railway
North Norfolk Railway
The North Norfolk Railway – also known as the "Poppy Line" – is a heritage steam railway in Norfolk, England, running between the coastal town of Sheringham and Holt, It cuts through the countryside to the east of Weybourne with views of its windmill and passes through the well preserved country...
has long-term plans to restore the line from its own Holt station to Melton Constable, (Extending to Melton Constable would require installing a level crossing and alongside above the new-built road built about long after closure).
Similarly National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
services may return to the station as part of the Norfolk Orbital Railway, a community railway scheme.
External links
- Melton Constable station on navigable 1946 O. S. map
- http://good-times.webshots.com/album/568383821UaWnym?vhost=good-times