Kimberley Park railway station

Kimberley Park
Kimberley Park station, 2008
Location
Place	Kimberley
Area	Breckland, Norfolk
Coordinates	52°35′28″N 1°03′07″E / 52.591101°N 1.051945°ECoordinates: 52°35′28″N 1°03′07″E / 52.591101°N 1.051945°E
Grid reference	TG068036
Operations
Managed by	Great Eastern Railway
Owned by	London & North Eastern Railway Eastern Region of British Railways Great Eastern Railway (1989) Ltd. Mid-Norfolk Railway
Platforms	1
History
15 February 1847	Opened (Kimberley)
1 July 1923	Renamed (Kimberley Park)
13 July 1964	Closed to freight
6 October 1969	Closed to passengers
22 May 2004	Reopened as part of MNR
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Kimberley Park railway station is a railway station in the village of Kimberley in the English county of Norfolk.

History

Kimberley Park railway station (1906)
Legend Line towards Dereham Bridge 1682 B1135 Danemoor Bridge 5 Milepost Bridge 1681 4 Milepost Level Crossing Station and signal box Goods yard Bridge 1679 Wicklewood Bridge 3 Milepost Line towards Wymondham

The Wymondham-Dereham branch line was built by the Norfolk Railway and the line and stations were opened on 15th February 1847. Kimberley was the first station north of Wymondham followed by Hardingham.

The station was rebuilt by the Great Eastern Railway and provided with a second platform when the line was doubled in the early 1880s. A new up platform was constructed, and the existing buildings were given new glass-fronted passenger accommodation and platform canopies.^[1] In 1882 the station was considered a request stop.^[2]

Until 1923 the station was known as 'Kimberley', but this was changed to 'Kimberley Park' during the Grouping to avoid confusion with Kimberley station in Nottinghamshire.^[3] The main buildings were on the down platform, with a smaller waiting room being provided on the up.

The goods yard was situated on the down side of the line, comprising a single siding linked by trailing connections to the up and down main lines. Although Kimberley had no goods shed or crane, it was provided with loading docks and a cattle pen.^[4]

Present day

There is no car parking at this station.^[5] The station is served by heritage services operated by the Mid-Norfolk Railway on the line from East Dereham to Wymondham Abbey station.^[6]

Signal box

The original standard GER signal box was located at the southern end of the down platform, where the footings can still be clearly seen.^[4][7] The Mid-Norfolk Railway intends to replace this 'box, in an alternate location on the currently out-of-use up platform, with the cabin from Soham.^[8][9]

Preceding station	Heritage railways			Following station
Thuxton		Mid-Norfolk Railway		Wymondham Abbey
	Disused railways
Hardingham Line open, station closed		British Rail Eastern Region Wymondham to Wells via East Dereham		Wymondham Line closed, station open
	Future services
Hardingham Line open, station closed		Norfolk Orbital Railway Mid-Norfolk Railway		Wymondham Abbey Line and station open

References

1. Jenkins, S. (1993). The Lynn and Dereham Railway. Oakwood Press. p. 50. ISBN 0-85361-443-1.
2. Jenkins, S. (1993). The Lynn and Dereham Railway. Oakwood Press. p. 54. ISBN 0-85361-443-1.
3. Jenkins, S. (1993). The Lynn and Dereham Railway. Oakwood Press. p. 83. ISBN 0-85361-443-1.
4. Jenkins, S. (1993). The Lynn and Dereham Railway. Oakwood Press. p. 140. ISBN 0-85361-443-1.
5. Planning Your Visit: Minor Stations
6. Kimberley park station
7. Remains of Kimberley station signal box
8. Signal Box on the move....
9. Soham box