Norwich to Cromer Leaving Norwich Thorpe station, the line followed the
Norfolk and Yarmouth Railway until it reached a small halt at
Whitlingham railway station. This station has been closed, and the platforms removed. The East Norfolk line leaves the Norfolk and Yarmouth; climbing a 1 in 80 bank for about a mile northwards from Whitlingham Junction. Leaving the
Yare valley, trains arrive at
Salhouse station, 6 miles from Norwich, which retains two operational platforms, although the goods yard closed on 18 April 1966. The original ENR timber building on the down platform has been demolished, although the later GER building on the up platform survives. The next station was reached after passing over the longest viaduct on the route, a 55-foot structure originally built using timber but rebuilt in the 1890s, over the
River Bure.
Wroxham was 8½ miles from Norwich. This was formerly the junction for the ENR branch line to
Aylsham and
County School, and also marks the limit of the
double track section. The branch line formerly diverged from the Cromer line a short distance north of the station, but closed to all traffic in 1982 and was subsequently dismantled, replaced by the
Bure Valley Railway. The station had coal and grain handling facilities in the yard north east of the station and, although this yard is no longer in use, the isolated tracks remain.
Worstead railway station, 13 miles from Norwich, is the next halt. Although originally equipped with two platforms, only one remains in use. The goods yard was closed on 13 July 1964, but the abolished signal box remains in situ as a shed and garage. The next station, located 16 miles from Norwich, was formerly known as
North Walsham Main railway station to distinguish it from
North Walsham Town railway station on the rival
Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, but is now simply referred to as North Walsham. The station was also formerly used to serve trains working on the
Norfolk and Suffolk Joint Railway route to
Mundesley. The station is equipped with a passing loop, although the original station buildings and signal box have been demolished. Leaving North Walsham, trains soon pass over the former Midland and Great Northern line to
Melton Constable, now in use as part of the
Weavers' Way long-distance footpath. Part of the Norfolk and Suffolk line to Mundesley has been used, along with part of the Midland and Great Northern line to
Yarmouth, as the North Walsham bypass, which can be seen paralleling the route through the town. The next station, 19 miles from Norwich, is at
Gunton railway station. There is no village of this name, and the station is actually situated in the parish of
Thorpe Market. Gunton Station was built primarily for the convenience of Lord Suffield (a major investor in the original East Norfolk Railway Company). Gunton's original station buildings are preserved but are no longer in the ownership of the railway. The line climbs steeply away from Gunton station, with the original route into Cromer being abandoned by the modern railway approximately half a mile from the original terminus - at the site of the former Cromer Junction with the Norfolk and Suffolk Joint Railway. The terminus of the line was
Cromer High railway station, the first station opened in Cromer, situated to the south on the outskirts of the town on a steep escarpment. The station (along with the East Norfolk line) was incorporated into the
Great Eastern Railway, who had operated the services from the beginning. Passenger services over the line ended on 15 September 1952, with the line between Reepham and Foulsham also being closed to goods. This section was then partially relaid in 1960, with the
Themelthorpe Curve goods link with the former
Norwich line of the M&GN being opened 12 September. The remaining section of line between Foulsham and County School was closed on 31 October 1964. Buxton Lamas and Coltishall closed to goods on 18 April 1966. Beyond Aylsham the route survives as part of the
Marriott's Way long-distance footpath and
cycleway. The next station was at
Cawston, where the building survives as a private residence, although the formation and platforms have been buried. Cawston was the planned location of the junction for the proposed, but never built, branch line to the coast at Blakeney, with a
triangle on the Aylsham side of the village being shown on plans. The next station,
Reepham also remains, along with its large goods shed and former yard, although a road improvement scheme in the town has partially blocked a section of the line. Although the tracks have been removed, the
Whitwell and Reepham railway intend to restore railway services to this station. Just west of Reepham is the
Themelthorpe Curve, connecting the ENR to the Midland and Great Northern line to
Norwich City railway station - one of the last sections of railway line to have been built in Norfolk. This also marks the point where the Marriott's Way leaves the formation. West of Themelthorpe the ENR originally passed under the Midland and Great Northern, and the abutments of the bridge can still be seen. The line then continues to
Foulsham. The section between Themelthorpe and Foulsham is the longest-closed section of the route, having been totally abolished in 1952. Although closed to passengers at this time, goods traffic on the section between Foulsham and County School until 31 October 1964. – but the main intention of the line was block access by rival companies. The proposed line had very little local support, especially in Holt – where the station was in fact going to be located in
Letheringsett rather than the named town. == Present day operations ==