Originally built in 1976, the Wells Harbour Railway was a 10¼” gauge miniature railway connecting Wells Town to Wells Beach – a distance of approximately 1 mile. The railway had 2 stations, Harbour Station located next to the recreation field, and Pinewoods Station, situated within the grounds of Pinewoods Holiday Park.
The service usually operated from March until October. It was convenient for visitors and great fun for kids, with trains departing every 20 minutes, 7 days a week throughout the summer months. Timetables were posted on the station signs.
There was no ticketing system – passengers paid the £1.50 fare (cash only) to the ticket inspector once seated. Well-behaved dogs were permitted on the train.
The scenic journey between stations took approximately 5 minutes running alongside Beach Road, with the wildflower-covered bank of the beach walk on one side and a vista of grazing marshes and fields on the other.
Prior to its closure, there were 3 engines pulling the carriages between stations: Densil, Howard and The Duke. Children loved riding on the railway, excitedly announcing the train’s imminent arrival the moment it came into view.
Travelling on the Wells Harbour Railway was one of the must-do experiences when visiting Wells-next-the-Sea, and is fondly remembered by many.
Wells Harbour Railway had 2 stations, Harbour Station and Pinewoods Station.
Harbour Station
Located next to the recreation field on Beach Road, Harbour Station was close to the busy quay and town centre. A large children’s playground and a public toilet block was a few steps away.
Pinewoods Station
Located within the grounds of the Pinewoods Holiday Park, Pinewoods Station could be reached via a walkway that crossed Beach Road and led up a ramp to the top of the Beach Mile bank.
It was a further 450m walk to the end of the bank and the main beach entrance.
The Wells Harbour Railway, in its final years, operated 3 engines, Densil, Howard and The Duke. All 3 were built by Alan Keef Ltd.
Densil
Densil was a bright red 0-6-0 steam outline diesel locomotive powered by a Perkins 3 cylinder Diesel engine. He was delivered to the railway in 1998.
Howard
Howard was a navy blue 0-6-0 steam outline diesel locomotive powered by a Perkins 3 cylinder Diesel engine. He was delivered to the railway in 2005 to ease the workload of Densil.
The Duke
The Duke was a purple and yellow 0-6-0 diesel locomotive powered by an updated version of the Perkins 3 cylinder Diesel engine found in Densil and Howard. He was delivered to the railway in 2014, and was designed by Alan Keef Ltd in conjunction with the last owners. The brief was a Diesel engine with a modern look design and striking paintwork.
Carriages
The carriages had been in service since 1998, with a refurbishment taking place just a few years before the closure. Their bogies (wheels) were removed over the winter for maintenance.
The railway was established in 1976 by Commander Roy Francis using the original steam engine Edmund Hannay. After part of the track was damaged by sea surges in early 1978, the track was relaid and the railway reopened in July of that year.
In 1980 commander Francis sold the railway and moved on to establish the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway. Also in this year Weasel, a new engine, was introduced.
Wells Harbour Railway was sold again around 1989 and continued to operate with the 2 engines Edmund and Weasel, these together with the original carriages continued in service until 1998 although the carriage bogies (wheels) were replaced with new ones incorporating air brakes.
In 1998 Densil and new carriages were delivered – all built by Alan Keef Ltd.
The last owners, Gary and Alison Brecknell, took over the railway in 2001 and continued with improvements to both the stations and track until its closure in 2021.
Edmund Hannay
Edmund Hannay was built in 1972 by Norfolk engineer David King. A 0-4-2 coal fired steam locomotive, he was originally built to travel to steam fairs. He was the original engine on the Wells Harbour Railway when it opened.
Weasel
Weasel was built in 1980, again by David King, a 0-4-0 locomotive powered by an Alfa Romeo petrol engine with a manual gear box.
Carriages
The original carriages ran from the railway opening in 1976 until the end of the summer 1997. They were wooden bodies on steel underframes originally with unbraked bogies (wheels). The bogies were replaced with ones incorporating brakes to meet updated legislation.
The Wells Harbour Railway held the Guinness World Record – jointly with the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway – of the narrowest gauge on which a public railway service operated, at 260mm (10.25 inches.)
The land on which the Wells Harbour Railway operated was (and still is) owned by the Holkham Estate.
In 2020, Gary and Alison Brecknell, who ran the railway, announced plans to retire and asked Holkham for a new 10-year lease in order to sell the equipment and lease to a new operator.
However, a statement from Holkham said they hoped to be able to “find better solutions for getting people to and from the beach – ones that offer an easier and safer experience” and that renewing the lease “would delay the opportunity to resolve these matters”.
Holkham decided not to renew the lease and operators Gary and Alison were forced to sell the equipment.
News of the railway’s imminent closure prompted both grief and disbelief from residents and visitors. People began sharing memories (and outrage) on social media, and a petition to save the railway gained more than 50,000 signatures. It was all to no avail.
In September 2021, the railway closed without fanfare, and in November the train and track were loaded onto a truck and taken away.
In early 2022, the Holkham Estate announced a replacement electric bus service would be introduced.
