MELTON CONSTABLE RAILWAY WORKS

Past & Present

Hello and welcome to the coverage of M&gn Melton Constable works buildings and memorials.

This report was originally taken in the summer of 2020 and has been revisited in the summer of 2023.

Thank you for joining us on this journey.

The construction of Melton Constable station was made possible through the generous donation of land from Lord Hastings, who was later rewarded with a custom-made waiting room and a private platform. The station boasted a single island public platform that spanned 800 feet (240 m) and had through tracks on both sides. Visitors accessed the island platforms via a covered staircase that led from the road to the station. The station also offered several amenities, such as a refreshment room, waiting room, and toilet block. The platforms were sheltered by a canopy and two signal boxes named Melton East and West that were located at either end.

In 1883, The Works was founded by the Eastern & Midlands Railway, following the closure of the locomotive shops in Yarmouth and Fakenham. This move ensured that all significant repairs were now carried out in Melton Constable.

The station was established in 1882 and ceased operations in 1964. Prior to its closure, most of the M&GN had already shut down in 1959, leaving Melton Constable as the only terminus from Sheringham until its eventual closure in 1964.

In 1881, Melton Constable was a quaint village with only around 120 residents and 19 houses. However, a significant transformation occurred the following year when the railway was introduced. By 1911, the population of Melton Constable had surged to nearly 1,600 individuals, all thanks to the railway's arrival.

By 1911, Melton Constable had reached its peak. The village was established in the 1880s at the intersection of four railway lines, which connected Cromer, North Walsham, King's Lynn, Peterborough, Sutton Bridge, Norwich, and other areas in Norfolk to the Midlands and Lincolnshire. It was a new and bustling village built around the railway.

The M&GN network had two primary stations: Melton Constable and South Lynn. As South Lynn was the second station in Kings Lynn, South Lynn was connected to the Lynn Ely line through a shuttle line. South Lynn also boasted an expansive goods yard and was linked to Melton Constable via Fakenham.

A facility covering 14 acres (57,000 m2) was built on Norfolk Farmland. It consisted of an erecting shop, two long workshops, an iron foundry, a gasworks for the village, drawing offices, and housing for the railway workers. There was also a turntable and a wooden engine shed located at Melton Constable. However, the wooden engine shed was later replaced with a concrete one in 1951.

The M&gn was commonly referred to by a nickname: The Muddle & Go Nowhere.

The village of Melton Constable had a rural industrialised town appearance due to the location of the main workshops and factory of the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GNJR). The workshops were often referred to as the "Crewe Works of Norfolk" and produced a total of 19 steam locomotives and various wagons during its time under M&GNJR ownership. The Melton Constable site provided maintenance services for numerous M&GN steam engines and dismantled older machines at a gas cutting works located within the engine works. The village also had a thriving concrete work that produced various railway items, including furniture, fence posts, signal posts, and supports.

Pre-fabricated station buildings were also manufactured at this Norfolk location.

There are still some concrete products that have managed to survive till today, such as the sign at West Runton station and the signal box at Cromer station and also the lamp posts at Sheringham station on the North Norfolk railway. The sign at Gedney is also said to have been made from Melton Constable concrete.

Melton Constable served as a military munitions shell production site during World War One, which made it vulnerable to German Zeppelin raids at night while the workers were still on duty and the engine works were brightly illuminated. As a temporary measure during the war, the maintenance of the railway engines was outsourced to nearby companies.

During World War One, it was unfortunate that several engine drivers and other personnel, including the son of William Marriott, lost their lives.

In World War Two, the workshops were smaller and not as useful as they were in the First World War. Much of the work had already been transferred to Stratford by then.

Following its acquisition by the London and North Eastern Railway in 1936, Melton Constable Station experienced a decline as the new owners shifted operations to their works in Stratford. Consequently, numerous staff members relocated to the new works, which were situated close to London. Additionally, the influx of other railway companies during this period made the M&GN less popular, resulting in decreased demand for its rural locations. Despite these challenges, the works facility in Melton Constable remained operational for small maintenance jobs, and in 1951, a new shed was constructed for this purpose. This smaller shed had the capacity to accommodate up to 12 locomotives.

Melton Constable passenger station closed down in 1964, five years after some sections of the M&GN that had already shut down in 1959.

The Present Day

The closure of the lines and cessation of passenger and goods services by British Railways had a detrimental effect on Melton Constable, leading to its gradual decline. Nowadays, the village is situated in the heart of a large agricultural region where alternative modes of transport, such as cars, HGVs, and buses, are widely used. Nevertheless, there are still inhabitants who recall the days of the railway, with some having family connections to the industry.

The population of Melton Constable is currently estimated to be around 500 individuals.

It is possible that several families residing in this area might not have chosen Norfolk as their home if not for the railway and works at Melton Constable.

It's unfortunate that the Melton Constable station no longer exists, as it was completely demolished and there is no evidence of the former intersection. A telephone exchange has since been constructed on a portion of the former station's site. Additionally, it's been reported that the turntable, which was part of the station, was also demolished in the 1970s.

Many of the buildings at Engine Works are still standing and are being utilized for private industrial purposes. The gasworks have been demolished, but the goods shed, which isn't directly connected to the works, has been converted into a cafe. While some buildings have been updated with metal roofs, the 1951 engine shed remains in use. Sadly, the chimneys have also been demolished, including one that was next to the engine shed, which was taken down in the 1990s.

Nonetheless, the Water Tower remains intact and has been given a new roof. It also benefits from a protection order, as do some parts of Melton Constable village, to preserve the railway heritage. Some sections of the Water Tower have been repaired and still bear the scars of damage sustained during World War.

As you arrive at Melton Constable, you'll find a bus stop with memorabilia from the village inside. The supports used for the original station platform canopy were repurposed for this bus stop. There's also a memorial for the entrance to the Railway Works, complete with a steel arch, and near the erecting shed and long shops, the stairs leading to the works are still standing.

Melton constable station, which was once a magnificent railway station, has been demolished for many years now and has been replaced by other structures. Unfortunately, there are no signs left of its existence. However, there is a possibility that the Norfolk Orbital Railway project may replace it in the future. This project aims to connect the Mid Norfolk Railway and the North Norfolk Railway through a new station that will be built at Melton Constable.