March 2025 Meeting at the Bure Valley Railway

Norfolk & Suffolk Narrow Gauge Modellers

Our March 8th meeting was a special visit to the Bure Valley Railway. We caught the first return train of the day hauled by ZB Class 2-6-2 locomotive “Blickling Hall”. After lunch (and a visit to the model shop area of course) Director and General Manager Andrew Barnes gave us a fascinating tour of the workshop and engine sheds along with a fascinating talk about the history of the line, now in it’s 35th year, with it’s development of suitable locomotives and coaches, the buildings, funding, and his own career. We would gratefully like to thank Andrew and his team for hosting us for the day.

2-6-2 ZB Class “Blickling Hall” built by Winson Engineering and delivered in 1994, seen being prepared for the days runs to Wroxham and back.

“Blickling Hall” being coaled-up.
The first battery Co-Co locomotive of it’s kind in the UK, and to enter service very soon on the BVR. The Clayton Equipment “CB12” weighs 13.6 tons and was built as large as possible to help provide sufficient power to handle the 60-ton trains.
Gradient profile of the Bure Valley Railway to prove that Norfolk is anything but flat.
No.8 “John of Gaunt” uses a similar 2-6-2 ZB mechanical chassis to No’s 6,7 and 9.
No.9 “Mark Timothy” originally of 1999 but re-built to a beautiful Kitson Leek & Manifold design.
No.7 “Spitfire” another 2-6-2 ZB class delivered in 1994.
No.4 ex 2-foot gauge Hudson Hunslet 0-4-0 delivered re-built to the BVR in 2004.
Ex- Eclipse Peat Railway Lister No.5.
“Blickling Hall” being turned at Wroxham.
Many of our Group members at the doors of the running shed.

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