Norwich
Cravens cars E54433 and E51265 accelerate past Norwich Thorpe Junction with the 14.35 to Lowestoft on 2nd June 1984. The highly polished single slip and loop lines indicate the level of activity between the depot and the station, with many empty stock movements throughout the day. Photo: Stewart Jolly.
BR Class 90 No. 90001 stands in the twilight of the day, and of its service on the Great Eastern, at Norwich's platform 2 with the 16.30 departure to Liverpool Street on January 3rd 2020. The demise of the Class 90s was hastened by the Covid-19 pandemic which reduced the service frequency on the main line to hourly, giving an opportunity to replace the locomotives sooner than expected. Photo: Alan Jones.
Coming off the depot and into the headshunt before reversing onto the Reception Lines and into the station, 12-car Stadler Class 745 No. 745104 works 5P35, the 11.07 Crown Point to Norwich on February 15th 2024. The set will then form 1P35, the 12.00 Norwich to Liverpool Street. Photo: Alan Jones/Signalling Record Society, courtesy Network Rail.
The architecture of Crown Point signal box can best be described as 'functional'. The panel is in the white section whilst the door at ground level is the entrance to a rest area. 15th February 2024. Photo: Alan Jones/Signalling Record Society, courtesy Network Rail.
On February 15th 2024, the Signalling Record Society ran a very successful visit to Crown Point, Trowse Swing Bridge and Reedham Swing Bridge signal boxes, hosted by courtesy of Network Rail. Here is the small panel that controls Crown Point depot showing, at the top, the Up and Down Lowestoft lines, below which are Nos.1 and 2 Reception Lines for movements in and out of the station and below these (in brown and green) is the Wensum Curve, which is termed a 'through siding'. Below these are the depot lines. Photo: Alan Jones/Signalling Record Society, courtesy Network Rail.
Seen through the window of Crown Point signal box, Railway Support Services' Class 08 No. 08441 performs its pilot duties in the depot sidings on Thursday 15th February 2024. Photo: Alan Jones/Signalling Record Society, courtesy Network Rail.
The current Trowse Swing Bridge box dates from 1987. The signalling area is on the upper floor whilst on the ground floor are the hydraulics to lift and swing the bridge. Photo: Alan Jones/Signalling Record Society, courtesy Network Rail.
Running under diesel power, four-car Stadler Class 755 No. 755423 crosses Trowse Swing Bridge on Thursday 15th February 2024 with the 12.28 Norwich to Cambridge. At Ely it will switch to electric power for the run down to Cambridge. Photo: Alan Jones/Signalling Record Society, courtesy Network Rail.
Trowse Swing Bridge Box houses this panel covering the Norwich area, which has the station at the far right end, the line to Ely at top left and the London line passing over the Ely line at bottom left. The panel is not in regular use, but shows the movements of trains over the line. Photo: Alan Jones/Signalling Record Society, courtesy Network Rail.
Trowse Swing Bridge box houses a workstation that controls the section of line from just beyond Crown Point to Whitlingham Junction and up to Sheringham, with signals prefixed 'TB'. The left-hand screen shows Whitlingham Junction at bottom centre, with the Lowestoft line continuing across to the right had screen. The Sheringham branch diverges and goes single after Hoveton & Wroxham (centre of right-hand screen), then goes back to the left-hand screen to Cromer at top right of the right-hand screen. The Sheringham section is worked as "one engine in steam". 15th February 2024. Photo: Alan Jones/Signalling Record Society, courtesy Network Rail.
Seven days' notice are required to swing Trowse Swing Bridge - an event which also requires the rails to be cut since as can be seen on this photograph they currently run straight across the bridge! Photo: Alan Jones/Signalling Record Society, courtesy Network Rail.
The single line section over Trowse Swing Bridge is very busy with four London trains, two Liverpool trains and two Cambridge trains per hour. With an average of 7.5 minutes between trains, swinging the bridge isn't a practical proposition in daytime hours. On February 15th 2024, Class 755 No. 755423 has just come off the bridge and is accelerating towards Trowse Lower Junction with the 12.28 Norwich-Cambridge. Photo: Alan Jones/Signalling Record Society, courtesy Network Rail.