17AUG22
We have opted to maintain the moratorium on steam for the 21st August. We review this on a weekly basis and the time is still not right to resume steam.
16AUG22
One of our current projects is making progress. Here Philip Moore shows the new (reclaimed) canopy support that has just been installed. It will replace the one on the far right which will be removed and associated wiring re-routed. This is to facillitate the realignment of the track from the turntable to the station throat. The concrete work was done by, inter alia, Brian Jacobs and Richard Crook
12AUG22
A question often asked by new members and prospective applicants is, “Can I run my loco at Eaton Park?”
Well, here are the current regulations
1) Members may run their locos at Eaton Park on any day as long as there are at least two members present. An under-16 must always be accompanied by an adult
2) During hours when public trains are running, a second crew member must be carried and the driver must be aged 16 or over.
3 Signage protecting the level crossings must be put out and recovered after cessation.
4) Steam locos must have in-date certification and be fitted with a spark arrestor.
11AUG22
Although the field has now been cut and all the scorched growth removed, we have opted to maintain the moratorium on steam for the 13th and 14th August. We review this on a weekly basis and the time is still not right to resume steam.
We have not run coal fired locos for a month now. Oil or gas fired locos might be a possibility for the future, or even a necessity, as these scorching summers become the norm.
08AUG22
This pic shows why we currently have a steam ban in place.
We are reviewing the situation on weekly basis but, looking at
the forecast, it doesn’t look good for the next few weeks.
06AUG22
On Saturday Brian Parker gave us a very interesting talk on the adaptions he has made to his loco.
Who else might like to do similar? Contact Mike Fordham if so.
Head Gardener Richard was, however, equally interested in motor bikes!
02AUG22
Peter Davies renewing track fixings. Track maintenance takes place every Tuesday throughout the year. This track was laid in 2015 and secured with 5mm screws. These are now being replaced with 6mm screws which will be less prone to failure. In the background is the very useful flatbed wagon, it is far easier to transport large items on this than on wheelbarrows.
New point lock mechanism devised by Pete King.
Please do not step on this as it is not designed for carrying weight!
26JY22
Some pics from the action at EP today, when temperatures were more reasonable

Richard Hendrick works on the PW hut extension
Malcolm Pettitt investigates why the Cl 42 is still not working
Brian Sayer repairs his Cl.66
Chris Shingles works on the A3 while Brian Jacobs poses nearby.

24JY22
Today saw a welcome return of the Cole’s Class 70 model. Believed to be around 40 years old, here it poses with what, at first glance is a double stacked container train, but in reality is passenger cars stacked 1 on 1.
Complete with driver!
24JY22
Please note we are not using steam locos today, due to the fire risk to the park
21JY22
19JY22
Due to the predicted high heat today, members attending EP should consider this advice from gov.uk
Why this is important
The heat can affect anyone, but some people run a greater risk of serious harm. Remember to think of those who may be more at risk from the effects of heat – these include the following:
- older people [ie most of us!”], especially those over 75
- people with a serious chronic condition, particularly heart, breathing or mobility problems
- people on certain medications, including those that affect sweating and temperature control (for example, diuretics, antihistamines, beta-blockers and antipsychotics
- people who are already ill and dehydrated (for example, from gastroenteritis)
- people who are physically active (for example, manual workers)
What you can do
Stay out of the heat, cool yourself down, keep your environment cool or find somewhere else that is cool.
Avoid being out in the sun during the hottest part of the day (around midday) and plan your day to avoid heavy activity during extreme heat.
Bring everything you will need with you, such as a bottle of water, sun cream and a hat.
If you have to go out in the heat, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen, and wear a hat and light clothing.
Drink plenty of fluids: water, low fat milks and tea and coffee are good options.
Look out for signs of dehydration such as increased thirst, a dry mouth, dark urine, and urinating infrequently or small amounts.
Avoid extreme physical exertion. If you can’t avoid strenuous outdoor activity,, keep it for cooler parts of the day – for example, in the early morning or evening.
If you intend working in the field – don’t go alone!
Be on the lookout for signs of heat related illness
Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are two potentially serious conditions that can occur if you get too hot:
- heat exhaustion is where you become very hot and start to lose water or salt from your body. Common symptoms include weakness, feeling faint, headache, muscle cramps, feeling sick, heavy sweating and intense thirst
- heatstroke is where the body is no longer able to cool itself and a person’s body temperature becomes dangerously high. Heatstroke is less common, but more serious. Untreated symptoms include confusion, seizures and loss of consciousness
- Severe heat exhaustion or heatstroke requires hospital treatment.
- Call 999 if you or someone else have signs of heatstroke including:
- fast breathing or shortness of breath
- a fit (seizure)
- loss of consciousness
- not responsive
17JY22
Please note that, due to predicted extreme temperatures today, trains will not be running. Apologies for any disappointment. We hope to be back on Friday 22nd with trains for Bluebell Primary and Colman PTA. Normal service should be resumed next Sunday.
16JY22
Today was BR Blue Day, with all trains pulled by locos in the BR livery of the mid 60s to early 90s.
We’re thinking of expanding this idea for next year.
15JY22
This has just been forwarded to the website and may interest those with steam engines and even those who don’t. It is the 2005 IMLEC competition (International Model Locomotive Efficiency Competition). It comes in two parts with the second part showing Pete King competing at about 40 minutes in.
12JY22
Even in the relentless heat, basic site maintenance continues.
Brian Jacobs trims the hedges (above)
while Richard Crook deals with all the trimmings (below)
09JY22
Members of the Narrow Gauge Railway Society who visited Eaton Park this afternoon.
An NGRS special train.

In the afternoon, after our guests had departed for Yaxham,
Pete King gave some of the newer members instruction on his engine.
It augers well for the Stafford project later this year
08JY22

07JY22
A very successful BBQ took place yesterday, at which Janet Steel dedicated the bench she has provided in commemoration of her late husband and long term member Barry Steel, fondly remembered as a kind and gentle soul who was always willing to help others.
In this pic, Mrs Steel, her daughter and grand-daughter.
Many thanks are due to The Two Richards, Wells and Hendrick , who cooked the food. Also thanks to Mrs Moore who organised the provisions, and to Philip who helped eat them, as well as starring as The Pub Landlord. Delicious cakes were supplied by Mrs Hendrick and also by Ms Karim.
More pics in the gallery
06JY22
The members BBQ is today. Weather looks set to be warm and dry. Site opens 1830 for members and their families. Burgers, hot dogs, drink, the usual goodies, plus trains and cake. It doesn’t get any better than this! Forget the pizza zone, enter the burger zone!
05JY22
Fishplate greasing today. An important if unexciting task. Here Peter Davies is slackening fishplates and then using spray grease to lube the fishing surfaces. This is important because the rails must be able to slide in the plates when heat lengthens them.
03JY22
Not seen at EP for a while is Paul Sherwoods Iceni.
It’s had its tyres reprofiled and was at EP for dual testing, which it passed.
Also enjoying the dog days at EP today was Ben and Bob’s Corby, a powerful and popular engine.
01JY22
On Saturday 9th July, we are hosting a party from the Narrow Gauge Railway Society. Members are invited to come and meet them and also to take part in the private members session in the afternoon. From 10am
30JN22
Coming up at Eaton Park…
Sat 2nd July – First Saturday of the month, private members day
Sun 3rd July – public trains
Weds 6th July – society BBQ, from 1830
Saturday 9th July – private members session from 1300
Saturday 16th July – BR Blue pop-up.
29JN22
One week to go to the,
SOCIETY SUMMER BBQ
at Eaton Park on Weds 6th July.
All members and their families are invited.
Guests from the NRS will be amongst us.
Arrive from 1830. Food from 1900 by the Two Richards
0% alc. and other soft drinks at Phil’s Bar…and Pimms too!
There may also be trains!
Covered accommodation if showers.
29JN22
From the park...


Malcolm Pettitt”s 5″ gauge GER T26 2-4-0 No 490. The original is in the Science Museum collection.
Scamp receives attention to improve performance
26JN22
Following the Narrow Gauge Rly Soc visit on Sat 9th July, the rest of the day will be taken up with a private members play/training session.
14JN22
The summer BBQ is just three weeks away. We need some items to assist the catering/bar team.
If you can spare any of these please bring them to the clubhouse on the Tuesday before
1) cool bags or insulated buckets, to keep drinks and ice chilled on the day
2) a nice pitcher to mix Pimms up in
14JN22
Works at the park today,
Pete King is working on a new design of locators for the turntable.
Philip treating woodwork under the supervision of new member Barry Futter
Richard Crook doing his thing with the strimmer. Things are growing fast now!
13JN22
A second lightweight battery drill has been burnt out by drilling into concrete, this is beyond the capacity of these drills. For drilling into concrete please use the SDS drill, which was acquired for just this purpose
13JN22
Prerparations are at an advanced stage now for the society BBQ on Wednesday 6th July. This will happen come rain or shine as we have plenty of undercover accommodation available if required.. All members and their nuclear families are invited.
09JN22
Spotted at EP recently
This is ListerMan.
A descendent of Ned Kelly.
Probably.
08JN22
Public services this Sunday 12th will be all electric.
The following Sunday 19th will be a douible bill fea. Maid Marion and Corby
On Monday 29th August we will hold a train day for the Lord Mayors charity, which this year is Home Start
28MAY22
Please note that the sliding gate requires using with extra care pro tem, as one of the structural members has failed.
28MAY22
Three Class 66s at the members day today. A fourth joined after this pic was taken.
27MAY22
Good News! After only three months, Sweet Briar Road is open again. Journies to EP should be considerably easier now.
22MAY22
This is why…
there is a compulsary STOP at the field exit!
22MAY22
New resident at EP is this AME Class 66
08 May 22
Two members engines enjoying a quiet smoke in the pit today.
A member’s new “Scamp“, a diminutive yet interesting petrol-electric.
05 May 22
Some action from the recent B/Hol Monday,
Brian P pulling a 5-car public train. His engine just gobbled it up!
DieselMike doing the yearly oil/filter change on his Lister.
03 May 22
Following extensive electrical and mechanical work by Ian Carter and Malcolm Pettitt, the Class 42 is now fit for service again.
Here, Malcolm gives it a test. (Pic P King)
29 April 22
A Saturday members meeting has been arranged for August., See events page for details.
28 April 22
Ndsme is considering laying on a coach to the Midlands Exhibition in October.
If you are interested, please reply to the email you should all have received.
The cost will depend on the numbers travelling.
23 APR 22
Sweet Briar Road remains closed and Anglia Water indicate that it will not reopen until late May. In the meantime the official diversion has huge tailbacks so it is probably easier to travel via the Inner Ring Road and exit via Unthank Rd or Earlham Rd, both of which will regain the Ring Road near the park.
Covid.
A reminder that, if anyone in your family feels “under the weather” or “not quite right”, these could be early warnings of a covid infection. In this case you should NOT attend EP until it is resolved as you risk bringing the virus to EP. Covid is highly infectious and is likely to transmit from one family member to another easily. Covid symptoms include,
- a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
- shortness of breath
- feeling tired or exhausted
- an aching body
- a headache
- a sore throat
- a blocked or runny nose
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea
- feeling sick or being sick
If you have COVID-19, you can pass on the virus to other people for up to 10 days from when your infection starts.
You should:
- try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days
- avoiding meeting people at higher risk from COVID-19 for 10 days, especially if their immune system means they’re at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, even if they’ve had a COVID-19 vaccine
This starts from the day after you did the test.
12 APR22
1)…For those trying to view the EPMR facebook page (or any other public page such, as 7.25″ railways), facebook is currently throwing up a log-in wall which means you won’t be able to view unless you have an account. Whether this is a permanent feature or a temporary glitch remains to be seen. UPDATE 15/4/22 SINCE RESOLVED
2)…The society is actively investigating setting up a dedicated raised track group to oversee the refurbishment. Those members who expressed interest in this project will be contacted shortly with a view to arranging an initial meeting, possibly on a Tuesday, possibly at the Eaton Park Community Centre. Once a viable structure is in place then the membership can be consulted for approval for the expenditure.
3)…Public trains running on Easter Sunday and Monday. Interested members are invited to assist.
31MAR22
The membership renewal cycle is now complete. Members who have not renewed will be sent one final reminder.
Membership cards will be retained at EP for those members who did not provide an sae. These cards will be available for collection on Tuesdays or Sundays.
22MAR22
Membership Renewals
The 2021-22 membership year is drawing to a close. Over two thirds of members have successfully renewed so far. In order to retain your member privileges, do please renew by 31st March, after which date your membership will cease
19MAR22
Renewal forms are available in the clubhouse for those that need a hard copy.
15MAR22
At Eaton Park today we...
…took the white fence down at Larch End
to create space for a storage siding…
…and replaced a drive chain on the Class 42…
…the other bogie will also be done
13MAR22
Pics from the DEC Ukraine Appeal benefit day. Just over £1500 was raised.
One of our busiest days in recent years, with a unique Hunslet double- header.
More pictures in the Gallery.
08MAR22
Preparatory work for new raised track storage.
Clearing away two years of organic matter
The new covered raised track storage siding will go here. The white fence will be relocated.
05MAR22
Temporary duckboards installed in the pit pending a more permanent solution to the flooding problem. These have been made from recycled plastic pallets.
01MAR22
Pete and Jim repairing the turntable

27FEB22
Two pics from the pop-up action today. Jim McDonell’s Glen class and Brian Parker’s Maid Marion, pulling busy afternoon trains. Brian’s loco ran for a full five hours and was still going strong at the close of play!
22FEB22
Pete King and the track team resleepering in the field today.
This is the last point to be done in the field
22FEB22
The Sweet Briar Rd closure looks like it may be for some time.
https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/
21 Feb 22
Raised track (refurbishment) consultation
If you have a view on this subject then please respond asap. The consultation closes in a few days.
21 Feb 22
ROAD CLOSURE
Please note that the ring road is closed between the Dereham Road roundabout and Hellesdon Hall Road. This is likely to remain closed for up to 14 days. Diversion in place but expect significant queues at all times during the day
19 Feb 22
Storm Eunice caused some degree of difficulty in Southern England but at EP this was the only thing of note. We got off lightly!
17 Feb 22
Phil doing some painting during “play hour”.
17 Feb 22
Hello Hello I’m back again!
Excalibur arrives back at EP after a spell at the manufacturers for fitting of upgrades.
Any day now…back in service! Seen here with the owners.
17 Feb 22
Mystery pair of gloves
Who has left these behind?
16 Feb 22
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