Wherry Lines

Wherry Lines
Berney Arms, on the Wherry Lines, is one of the remotest and least-used stations in the country
Overview
Type	Heavy rail
System	National Rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Norfolk East of England
Termini	Norwich Great Yarmouth Lowestoft
Operation
Owner	Network Rail
Operator(s)	Abellio Greater Anglia
Character	Rural branch line
Rolling stock	Class 37 Class 68 Class 153 "Super Sprinter" Class 156 "Super Sprinter" Class 170 "Turbostar"
Technical
Track length	Norwich–Gt. Yarmouth (via Acle): 18.36 mi (29.55 km) Norwich–Gt. Yarmouth (via Reedham): 20.56 mi (33.09 km) Norwich–Lowestoft: 23.51 mi (37.84 km)
Number of tracks	1-2
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The Wherry Lines are railway lines in England, from Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. These lines pass through The Broads. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 7, SRS 07.11 and is classified as a rural line. The name of the line is taken from the Norfolk wherries, which played an important role in the transport of goods and people around the broads before road and rail transport became widespread.

The line was first opened from Norwich to Great Yarmouth by the Norwich and Yarmouth Railway in 1844, running via Reedham. The link from Reedham to Lowestoft was added in 1847 by Samuel Morton Peto as part of the Norfolk Railway. Finally, the northern route from Norwich to Great Yarmouth was added in 1882 by the Great Eastern Railway.

On 1 February 2007, the services operating on the line were designated community rail services as part of The Community Rail Development Strategy which aims to increase passenger numbers and income, improve the management of costs, and develop a greater sense of community involvement.

The lines from Norwich to Brundall and on to Lowestoft are double track with the lines between Brundall and Great Yarmouth and Reedham and Great Yarmouth being single track. The line is not electrified, has a loading gauge of W8 except between Lowestoft and Oulton Broad North junction where it is W6, and has a line speed of between 40-60 mph.