Wells and Walsingham Light Railway

The Wells and Walsingham Light Railway is a narrow-gauge railway with 10¼ inch track width that runs four miles through the Norfolk countryside. It connects the two villages using custom-built locomotives maintained by railway enthusiasts.

The original line opened in 1857 as the Wells and Fakenham Railway and served passengers until 1964 when the Beeching cuts ended regular service. Railway enthusiasts later restored part of the route and reopened it with narrow-gauge trains.

The name comes from the two villages it connects: Wells-next-the-Sea, a working port town, and Walsingham, historically a pilgrimage destination. Travelers experience the Norfolk countryside the way people traveled through it over a century ago.

Trains run daily from March through November from both stations without needing advance booking. The short journey is accessible to most visitors and offers a relaxed way to see the countryside at a gentle pace.

At 10¼ inches gauge, this holds the record for the longest railway of its size in the world. The custom-built Garratt steam locomotives are rarely seen elsewhere and represent impressive engineering on a small scale.

Location: North Norfolk

Address: Stiffkey Road, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk NR23 1QB

Website: https://wwlr.co.uk

GPS coordinates: 52.92770,0.87740

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:46