Poppy Line Stream Train, Sheringham, Norfolk

28/6/2010

'WE'RE MOVING!! WE'RE MOVING!!' screamed Ellen as the steam train pulled out of the station. Ellen and I were just a little bit over excited - then we heard the train whistle shriek and saw the smoke streak past the window we almost exploded with excitement. Although we have both lived in North Norfolk we had never taken a trip on Sheringham's top attraction: the award winning Poppy Line Railway until now, where an authentic 1940s steam trains make the short half hour journey between Sheringham and Holt (stopping at Weybourne and Kelling Heath holiday park on the way).

Sheringham Station, I love the roof

The train departed from Sheringham Station at 10.30am, and we arrived early so we could have a good look around before we climbed aboard. We purchased our tickets, which were a little bit pricey (£10.50) and then went to check out the noble stead we would be travelling in (pictured below). The station is decorated as though its still 1940, old suitcases and trunks litter the platform and vintage posters and adverts cover the walls, it all looks very beautiful and authentic. We both wished we had dressed up ourselves - although it would have looked a bit odd as we would have been the only ones.

The steam train we rode on

Authentic 1940s accessories

The special Ladies only waiting room

Ellen modelling the carriage

We then found an empty carriage an clambered in, the interior looks exactly like the inside of the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films, there was even a luggage rack above our heads. The seats were upholstered in red velvet and were pretty comfortable/incredibly bouncy as long as you didn't sit on a spring. There was also some olden day graffiti that declared 'I love wayne' and a window that you had to pull down in order to open the door. We were sharing the carriage with 4 proper grown ups (pensioners) who gave us disapproving looks whenever our excited screams grew to loud!

Ellen being a rebel - we weren't allowed to lean out of the windows

On the journey to Holt

We then set off on our epic voyage - it was brilliant! As soon as we pulled out of the station we stood up and leaned out of the windows, even though we weren't supposed to lean out (we were proper rebels!) the clacketty-clack of the train on the tracks and the swaying of the train increasing the excitement of the experience. We went past the most beautiful scenery (one side you could see all the way across kelling heath on the other you could see all the way to the sea) and waved at lots of children in cars as we pulled along side the road heading towards Weybourne, where we stopped to let the Diesel powered train pass. I wish we had been able to get that train home, it looked like a tram and there aren't enough of those about this side of Germany.

We arrived at our destination: Holt Station

All too soon we arrived at Holt where we all had to get off the train while it went to turn around. Except that it didn't turn around. The engine detached itself from the carriages and then reversed down the tracks and attached itself to the back carriage - backwards! So in effect we were reversing all the way home! It was very odd. Ellen and I brought an ice-cream and a postcard apiece and then got back on the train. This time we sat at the front rather than the back and had a slightly more bumpy ride back.

It was a really fun couple of hours out, in our carriage there were some over 60s and on the same train there was also a coach load of school children and everyone seemed to have a great time. 

Poppy Line offers lots of different events throughout the year, it holds a beer festival in July , has its annual 1940s weekend where visitors are encouraged to dress up and ride the trains and it also holds several murder mystery evenings thought the year. 

Passing through Kelling Heath Park on the way home

Weybourne/ Cley

Both sides of the station

Plant holder

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