Buckenham railway station

Buckenham
General information
Location	Buckenham, Broadland, Norfolk England
Grid reference	TG350056
Managed by	Greater Anglia
Platforms	2
Other information
Station code	BUC
Classification	DfT category F2
History
Original company	Yarmouth and Norwich Railway[1]
Pre-grouping	Great Eastern Railway[1]
Post-grouping	LNER
Key dates
1 May 1844	Opened[1]
Passengers
2019/20	212
2020/21	98
2021/22	300
2022/23	354
2023/24	360
Notes Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Buckenham railway station is a stop on the Wherry Lines, which serves the village of Buckenham in Norfolk, England. It is 7 miles 62 chains (12.5 km) down the line from Norwich on the routes to Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth; it is situated between Brundall and Cantley.^[2] Its three-letter station code is BUC.

The station was opened in 1844. Today, it is managed by Greater Anglia. According to usage estimates, Buckenham is one of the least-used stations in the country, registering just 216 passenger entries/exits in 2018/19; this is partly due to the limited number of services that stop at the station. The station buildings are currently used as a recording studio.^[3]

RSPB Buckenham Marshes is located next to the station, with RSPB Strumpshaw Fen a short walk away. Strumpshaw Hall Steam Museum is also located in the area.

History

The station in 1963

The Bill for the Yarmouth & Norwich Railway (Y&NR), the first public railway line in Norfolk, received Royal Assent on 18 June 1842. Work started on the line in April 1843 and it opened on 1 May 1844. In June 1845, the Y&NR was amalgamated with the Norwich & Brandon Railway and Buckenham station became a Norfolk Railway asset.^[1][4]

The Eastern Counties Railway (ECR) and its rival the Eastern Union Railway (EUR) were both sizing up the Norfolk Railway to acquire and expand their networks. The ECR took over in May 1848 and, in August 1862, all railways in East Anglia were consolidated to form the Great Eastern Railway (GER).^[5] The Railways Act 1921 led to the creation of the Big Four companies and the GER amalgamated with several companies to form the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). Buckenham became an LNER station on 1 January 1923. Upon nationalisation in 1947, the station became part of the Eastern Region of British Railways

In 1997, the privatisation of British Rail saw the station and its services were transferred to Anglia Railways, which operated it until 2004 when National Express East Anglia won the replacement franchise. In 2012, Abellio Greater Anglia won the franchise.

In 2018, several scenes in Danny Boyle's film Yesterday were filmed at the station. ^[3]

Services

The station has a limited service. There is one train to Norwich and one to Lowestoft on weekdays and Saturdays. On Sundays, there are six stopping trains westbound towards Norwich; eastbound, seven trains from Norwich call at the station, with three to Great Yarmouth, via Berney Arms, and four trains to Lowestoft.^[6]

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Brundall		Greater Anglia Wherry Lines		Cantley

References

1. Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 47. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
2. OS Explorer Map OL40 - The Broads (Map). Ordnance Survey. 2005. ISBN 0-319-23769-9.
3. Sennitt, Owen (23 August 2021). "Have you spotted any Greater Anglia locations on the big screen?". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
4. C.J. Allen ^{[full citation needed]}
5. CJ Allen - Great Eastern - page46
6. "Timetables". Greater Anglia. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2024.

External links

• Map sources for Buckenham railway station

• Train times and station information for Buckenham railway station from National Rail
• Buckenham - Least Used Station In Norfolk - 2018 YouTube video by Geoff Marshall documenting the facilities and services available at the station

52.59734°N 1.46852°E / 52.59734; 1.46852