Rail enthusiasts are hoping to restore a forgotten station building before it reaches the end of the line.

They are in talks with Network Rail over Middleton Towers, which was once a halt on the King's Lynn to Dereham Railway.

The line, which ran through 26 miles of the Norfolk countryside, was closed in 1968.

Eastern Daily Press: An enthusiasts' special train visits Middleton Towers in 1986An enthusiasts' special train visits Middleton Towers in 1986 (Image: Phil Richards)

Just a three-mile section remains, which carries trains delivering sand from the quarries at Leziate to glass-making factories in Yorkshire and on Humberside, where it is made into beer bottles.

Middleton Towers' platform and passenger shelter still stand beyond antique wooden level crossing gates, where the track crosses Station Road between Leziate and Middleton.

The enthusiasts' group set up on social media two years ago now has 600 members and is in talks with Network Rail, which owns the building, regarding its future.

Eastern Daily Press: Rail enthusiasts are hoping to restore the former station building at Middleton Towers Rail enthusiasts are hoping to restore the former station building at Middleton Towers (Image: Chris Bishop)

NHS worker Alex Brammer, who founded the Middleton Towers Restoration Group, said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the project.

"Our aim is to convert the former waiting room and ticket office into a public tea room and a museum to pay tribute to the former Lynn and Dereham railway," he said.

"It's a piece of history, it's no different to an old chapel future generations need to be able to enjoy."

The brick-built former ticket office and platform shelter are in dire need of repair. Tiles are falling from its pitched roof.

Eastern Daily Press: The former Middleton Towers station, near King's LynnThe former Middleton Towers station, near King's Lynn (Image: Middleton Towers Restoration Group)

Mr Brammer said he expected the work would cost more than £50,000 but the group will not know until a survey has been carried out.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "Our property team have been in touch with the restoration group."

The spokesman said it was too early to give an update on talks.

 

END OF THE LINE

Eastern Daily Press: The former East Winch station, which is now a private homeThe former East Winch station, which is now a private home (Image: Adrian S Pye)

The Lynn to Dereham Railway once had 11 stations along its route.

They included East Winch, Narborough and Pentney, Sporle, Swaffham, Fransham and Scarning.

Dereham was connected to Wymondham, via what is now the preserved Mid-Norfolk Railway, and north towards Wells-next-the-sea via Fakenham.

Eastern Daily Press: The former Swaffham station on the King's Lynn to Dereham LineThe former Swaffham station on the King's Lynn to Dereham Line (Image: Geoffrey Skelsey)

Today Middleton Towers' modest buildings are dwarfed by the giant hoppers which load the sand trains, which set off carrying 1,000 tonnes a time to Lynn and the north.

The line peters out into the trees after a loop, which enables the engine to be run around to the front of the train before it departs.  

In the other direction, it leads west to King's Lynn, via a bridge under the A149 bypass.