Sheringham platform replacement

grumblingalong · 12 Feb 2019

After a while in the rumour mill, finally today the official announcement that the 1960s "temporary" platform at Sheringham will be replaced with something that is suitable for wheelchairs and trains longer than a 156...

Surely the right thing to do?

https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/abo...ngham-station-platform-be-installed-ready-new

Greater Anglia is to improve services for passengers travelling to and from Sheringham, by installing a brand-new platform at the station, ready for new trains. The new facility will be double the length of the existing platform – at 80m, as against 40m now.

It will also be wider, with improved lighting and a new customer shelter. The investment of over £1 million, will make the station fit for the new trains which are due to come into service later this year.

The new bi-mode trains will all be 3 or 4 carriages long (replacing the current 1 and 2 carriage trains), meaning that Greater Anglia will be able to provide more capacity, including for special events and the busiest days during the holiday season.

The new platform will also make the station a much better, more welcoming gateway to the town, which will be easier for customers to use, replacing the existing rather short and narrow facility which can lead to delays at busier times.

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Tio Terry · 12 Feb 2019

Pity they didn't decide to reinstate the level crossing and use the original platforms!

jopsuk · 12 Feb 2019

Tio Terry said:
Pity they didn't decide to reinstate the level crossing and use the original platforms!

There's so many reasons why that would be a bad idea. But mainly why add a level crossing to operations when there's no need? The North Norfolk Railway is making very good use of the original station.

Tio Terry · 12 Feb 2019

jopsuk said:
There's so many reasons why that would be a bad idea. But mainly why add a level crossing to operations when there's no need? The North Norfolk Railway is making very good use of the original station.

Maybe the NNR should be providing the Cromer-Sheringham service? Two platforms at Cromer, one for NR, the other for NNR?

jopsuk · 12 Feb 2019

Maybe? But that isn't within the current scope and would introduce a level crossing on a busy street to the NNR's operation.

306024 · 12 Feb 2019

The present timetable has the two trains passing at North Walsham. That gives a very short turnround at Sheringham without adding time for crossing the road, even with a faster Stadler unit. Anyway it is all academic as apparently the crossing has a cap on the number of trains per year that can use it, which would be used up in less than one day. Add the fact it is a busy road and there are no gates.

As for the second suggestion that the NNR run to Cromer, you cannot be serious (with apologies to John McEnroe).

Good to see Sheringham platform finally sorted. Once saw a blind person fall onto the track on the slope by the cab.

duffield · 13 Feb 2019

306024 said:
As for the second suggestion that the NNR run to Cromer, you cannot be serious (with apologies to John McEnroe).

Although of course the NNR *do* run dining specials to Cromer. But that's not what's being dicussed.

Harpers Tate · 13 Feb 2019

Of course, if one were being a real pedant, the NNR do not run trains to Cromer; the NYMR do........

Train Maniac · 14 Feb 2019

Why not do a Swanage Railway and let the NNR run all trains between Holt and Cromer during the summer months? I dont know the area well (only visited when i was little) but wouldnt it allow a higher frequency on the Bittern Line with a quicker turnaround at Cromer?

sprunt · 14 Feb 2019

Regardless of the practicalities, would the NNR want to take over a national rail service, with the requirements that would place on them?

Macwomble · 14 Feb 2019

Train Maniac said:
Why not do a Swanage Railway and let the NNR run all trains between Holt and Cromer during the summer months?

Because they can't use the level crossing in Sheringham any more than a certain number of times per year (IIRC it's as few as a single figure number)

Taken from the NNR web site

Meetings were held between the NNR and Network Rail, County Highways and HM Railway Inspectorate. All said it could be done. The latter added a caution in that unless the road traffic can be managed better a full crossing would not be possible. However, an 'Occasional use - tramway style' crossing would be permitted.

http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/page.php?pid=48

duffield · 14 Feb 2019

Harpers Tate said:
Of course, if one were being a real pedant, the NNR do not run trains to Cromer; the NYMR do........

Damn. I *knew* I should have put "(using the NYMR's TOC status)" at the end.

AM9 · 14 Feb 2019

Anyway, the NNR has had enough problems with the Sweetbriar Lane crossing. I doubt that another one would help much.

dk1 · 24 Mar 2019

Speaking to a council planner at Sheringham yesterday & it would appear the enlarged station is remaining on the same side as the present one. A retaining wall is being built to extend outwards towards those houses on New Street with a canopy then extended 40m towards West Runton. The ramp at the buffer stop end will also be much more gentle.

Mikey C · 24 Mar 2019

dk1 said:
Speaking to a council planner at Sheringham yesterday & it would appear the enlarged station is remaining on the same side as the present one. A retaining wall is being built to extend outwards towards those houses on New Street with a canopy then extended 40m towards West Runton. The ramp at the buffer stop end will also be much more gentle.

The current arrangement works fine with the 2 separate stations on either side of the road, I imagine the level crossing would have been a real nuisance to the town when it was being used on a regular basis

dk1 · 24 Mar 2019

Mikey C said:
The current arrangement works fine with the 2 separate stations on either side of the road, I imagine the level crossing would have been a real nuisance to the town when it was being used on a regular basis

I'm no thanks sure it was quite so bad way back then with less traffic on the roads. It has a limit on the amount of movements that can take place now being just a tramway. Probably only the summer dining train that causes any issue but then that's got more of a tourist interest in itself.

Rumours where abound that the new station was going to be on the opposite side of the line directly in front of Tesco but wasn't taken forward. Work to clear the embankment behind the current (temporary :lol:

) platform has started.

Mikey C · 24 Mar 2019

dk1 said:
I'm no thanks sure it was quite so bad way back then with less traffic on the roads. It has a limit on the amount of movements that can take place now being just a tramway. Probably only the summer dining train that causes any issue but then that's got more of a tourist interest in itself.

Rumours where abound that the new station was going to be on the opposite side of the line directly in front of Tesco but wasn't taken forward. Work to clear the embankment behind the current (temporary ) platform has started.

I imagine it's easier to build the new platform on the same side though if they had decided to build on the Tesco side they then wouldn't need to shut the station for a month!

Trainfan344 · 24 Mar 2019

Loads of room cleared behind the current platform when I visited Thursday!

adambowie · 1 Apr 2019

The station closed over the weekend. As Trainfan344 mentioned, there's been work clearing the area behind the current platform already.

It would make sense to me that they're sticking with the current platform and not moving it to the other side by Tesco. Access on that side would only be possible via the pedestrian access to Tesco, and that would mean walking around a building to reach the very small adjacent car park that's currently used by taxi drivers and those picking up or setting down passengers.

I'm just glad that they're finally doing something as the existing platform is very narrow and during summer months, it gets very crowded with holidaymakers getting on and off simultaneously.

TheEdge · 2 Apr 2019

adambowie said:
I'm just glad that they're finally doing something as the existing platform is very narrow and during summer months, it gets very crowded with holidaymakers getting on and off simultaneously.

I suspect we will see punctuality go up in summer on the branch with the new platform. So much delay was caused by waiting for a train load to single file off the platform through the crowd to then have said crowd have to single file on. Throw in the prams and bikes that were invariably about and the turnaround was gone

Trainfan344 · 3 Apr 2019

Pictures online today show the old platform is no more.

John Webb · 9 Apr 2019

Interesting view today (9th April, 11.15am) from one of the North Norfolk Railway cameras at Sheringham - https://www.nnrailway.co.uk/webcam/ - showing considerable activity with a large lorry being unloaded and a Network Rail trailer on the NNR side of the level crossing!

fenman35 · 2 May 2019

Local gossip has it that problems with pre-cast concrete platform segments cracking has delayed completion to at least mid may

pdeaves · 2 May 2019

fenman35 said:
Local gossip has it that problems with pre-cast concrete platform segments cracking has delayed completion to at least mid may

Not just gossip. Here's the press release: https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/abo...ce-arrangements-between-sheringham-and-cromer

eastdyke · 2 May 2019

pdeaves said:
Not just gossip. Here's the press release: https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/abo...ce-arrangements-between-sheringham-and-cromer

Pah! Modern materials eh?
Curious as to why a GA news announcement should use 'A Greater Anglia spokesman said ... '
It's as if the writer is trying to somehow distance him/herself from the issue!

jopsuk · 3 May 2019

eastdyke said:
Pah! Modern materials eh?
Curious as to why a GA news announcement should use 'A Greater Anglia spokesman said ... '
It's as if the writer is trying to somehow distance him/herself from the issue!

it's so that local press can just copy and paste the press release

swt_passenger · 3 May 2019

jopsuk said:
it's so that local press can just copy and paste the press release

Exactly. No-one would expect any real "local journalism" to be going on these days...

eastdyke · 3 May 2019

jopsuk said:
it's so that local press can just copy and paste the press release

Thanks, of course. Silly me :oops:

Tio Terry · 19 May 2019

I see the BBC are reporting "Signalling Problems" are delaying the opening of the refurbished station. Anyone know what they are?

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-48281770

Mogulb · 19 May 2019

Even for the BBC that report is more than a bit wrong, suspect they have confused faulty beams with signals! As for Stadler trains in service uhhh, testing yes.

Sheringham platform replacement

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