Wells & Walsingham Light Railway
“Norfolk Hero” at Wells Station

This unique railway, which opened in April 1982, is the longest 10 ¼” narrow gauge steam railway in the world. See the unique and powerful Garratt steam locomotives “Norfolk Hero” and “Norfolk Heroine”, built specially for this line.

The timetabled service takes you from the village of Walsingham along the track bed of the former Great Eastern line, to the busy harbour town of Wells-Next-The-Sea. The scenic four mile journey through the beautiful Norfolk countryside takes about 30 minutes. You can access the timetable on their website from the link below.

The many cuttings and embankments along the line result in a diverse mixture of wild flowers, butterflies, birds and other wildlife that can be seen throughout the season. There are halts at Wighton and Warham where you can alight to explore the nearby villages, before boarding a later train for the rest of the journey.

“Norfolk Heroine” leads the way to Walsingham © Ian J Williams

The main station is at Wells-Next-The-Sea where the engine sheds and signal box are located. The signal box, which came from Swainsthorpe on the mainline to Norwich, has had the ground floor converted to a souvenir shop and waiting room.

On arriving at Wells you can either wait whilst the engine is prepared for the return journey to Walsingham, or go and explore Wells-Next-The-Sea. Throughout the day excellent refreshments are available from CHRISTINE’S – The Station Buffet. The harbour is about ¾ mile from the station, with a further mile to the beach. From the bus stop outside the station entrance you can take the Coasthopper bus to reach the many attractions along the North Norfolk coast, before returning to catch the train back to Walsingham.