The Mid-Norfolk Railway has relaunched its running season featuring the first regular passenger service to run north of Dereham since British Railways closed the line to passengers in October 1964.

The Railway has also announced that trains are again planned to run to Wymondham Abbey station from Dereham by the summer school holidays in July, once the engineering works that have caused the closure are completed.

A supplier of coal has also been found that means the Blue Steam service timetable will run with either the resident BR standard Class 4 MT engine or for this year only, the on-hire Austerity Tank engine No 22, hauling the maroon vacuum-braked coach set.

The new service north is part of the Green Diesel Multiple Unit service timetable, which will see two trains a day travel north to Hoe Crossing. The 2022 running season also sees a new Orange Diesel Engine timetable. This timetable will see the railway’s Heritage Diesel engines hauling trains and will feature the rostering of the resident class 14, class 33 and, on occasions, one of the class 47s in service.

Explaining the relaunch, Charlie Robinson, the Chairman of the Mid-Norfolk Railway, said: “I know that there has been disappointment and uncertainty due to our postponed reopening caused by the long standing engineering issues and the impact of the lost income from the cancelled Polar Express service at Christmas. It is therefore important that the railway has decided to relaunch our running season and make it clear we are open, running trains and looking forward with confidence to the rest of the year.

“The Mid-Norfolk Railway, despite not being able to currently run south of Thuxton to Wymondham is however, still able to start new regular services running north from Dereham. This therefore marks an important point in the railway’s history and is another small step towards the eventual return to County School.”

The ongoing engineering work will see track maintenance being carried out between Thuxton and Hardingham and also track near Bridge 1675 will be realigned to remove the excessive curves that British Railways introduced when the line was singled. Both issues have been long known, but had to wait while other higher priorities were addressed in recent years.

Recently members of the Mid-Norfolk Railway were on hand to welcome home to the railway the resident steam engine, British Railways Standard Class 4 Tank engine 80078. The engine has been away on its travels over the winter and will now soon resume service hauling trains on the railway.

Engine 80078 returns to the railway following service over the Christmas period at the Swanage Railway in Dorset, winter maintenance, and then most recently a guest spell on the Epping and Ongar Railway.

Mid-Norfolk Railway Honorary Vice President and engine owner Stewart Robinson, said: “I am pleased to see 80078 back at the Mid-Norfolk Railway after its recent travels and together with the rest of the railways steam crews, we are are all looking forward to once again working the engine during this summer’s steam service.”

Throughout the 2022 running season, the railway will once again be running the popular “Breckland Fryer” fish and chip trains in the evening and afternoon cream tea trains on selected running days. The railway will also continue to run the “Kids Go Free” family tickets that were successfully introduced in 2021. These tickets will be available for all standard running days but do not include special events or special trains.

The MNR shop at Dereham Station has also had a refresh with new lines of merchandise and clothing that feature the railway’s new “Heart of Norfolk” logo on offer. Further details of events and timetables will be available on the railway’s website in due course at www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk