Norfolk is full of forgotten railways, closed down by Dr Beeching with just the odd bridge and station platform left.

But one has been forgotten more than most.

The Claxton village railway ran for 1.5 miles through marshland in the Yare Valley. 

It was not connected to the main rail network and carried not passengers but a cargo of sugar beet, destined for the factory at nearby Cantley.

This remarkable railway - with a locomotive from a specially-adapted Model T Ford - ran for only ten years before it was dismantled and taken away.

There is now little sign of it left, but villagers in Claxton, between Norwich and Loddon, are keen to highlight this charming chapter in Norfolk history, as the railway's centenary draws near.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: Mr Moar with the last remaining piece of the historic railway - it is on display on the footpath neighbouring his house for walkers to read the historyMr Moar with the last remaining piece of the historic railway - it is on display on the footpath neighbouring his house for walkers to read the history (Image: Bruno Brown)

David Moar, 72, whose house lies on the line, is one of those in the village keen to bring greater awareness to the episode.

"It's important for people to learn about interesting local history," he said.

"If we forget about these pieces of local history people don't realise how far things have come in terms of development.

"People need to realise the hard work which people who lived here before had to endure."

He is encouraging anyone with information about the railway to get in touch and hopes that the village may be able to organise a way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding.

The line was the brainchild of local farmer John Pyke, who lived at Claxton Manor Farm from 1922 and 1937.

He grew sugar beet but each winter faced the problem of how to get his crop to the processing factory at Cantley, which was little over a mile away but lay on the opposite bank of the River Yare.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: Cantley sugar beet factory featuring a wherry in 1913Cantley sugar beet factory featuring a wherry in 1913 (Image: Circa)

In the 1920s, the local roads were poor and unmetalled and lorries had to use the Reedham ferry, which had a weight limit and would incur a charge with each crossing.

The innovative Mr Pyke instead decided to construct his railway, to take the beet to a riverside wharf where it could be loaded into wherries or lighters and taken to Cantley.

Using surplus equipment from the War Department and steel from the Krupp factory in Germany, the line ran for a mile from the village itself, across the marshes to the river.

Several pine bridges had to be built across drainage dykes.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: Pyke’s locomotive was a Ford Model T car conversionPyke’s locomotive was a Ford Model T car conversion (Image: W. Mason)

The Model T Ford was converted into a locomotive by John Keeler & Sons, agricultural engineers from nearby Thurton, using a sprocket and chain recovered from a sail-binding machine.

It was capable of towing ten v-shaped skips, each capable of carrying 2.5 tonnes of beet.

Mr Pyke installed a turntable at the river to enable the car to be turned around and return to pick up its next load.

The line opened in 1926 and proved its worth each winter, taking the beet from the 100 acre farm to the wharf.

Wherries initially carried 30 tons of beet at a time, but by the end of the decade steel lighters carrying up to 100 tons at a time were filled and then towed downstream by steam tug.

In 1928, the line was extended to Staines Barnes, which lay a further half a mile from the river.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: Farmer Pyke's railway showing extension built in 1928 to Staines BarnsFarmer Pyke's railway showing extension built in 1928 to Staines Barns (Image: W. Mason)

The extension caused a major challenge since it involved crossing the Street, the main road through the village. The council refused Mr Pyke permission to lay permanent tracks across the road.

The solution was to lay a concrete strip across the road and adapt the train to allow it to cross.

Beccles firm Elliot and Garood Ltd, who had made the turntable, was responsible for the improvised crossing.

The line was a popular feature of the village.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: Billy Mason driving the ribbon decorated Ford in 1928 in an annual event to raise money for the Claxton Church roofBilly Mason driving the ribbon decorated Ford in 1928 in an annual event to raise money for the Claxton Church roof (Image: W. Mason)

It only carried beet from October to January, although the line was used at other times for transporting timber and sand for track maintenance.

Photographs show it was used to take locals on a trip to the riverside to raise money for the local church roof, during the village Whit Monday fete.

In 1926, up to 600 yards of track were taken up and, with the locomotive, taken across the river to Cantley to help in the construction of a new reservoir.

The Claxton line needed extensive upkeep - it was prone to sinking into the marsh - and by 1936, times had changed and its use had passed.

Improvements to the local roads and lorries meant there were now simpler ways to get the beet to Cantley.

The line was packed up - including the Model T Ford - and sold off to the Great Ouse Catchment Board, for a site near Cambridge.

Mr Moar, 72, has lived at Staines Farm Cottage - which the line went past - for more than 40 years.

"I think it is important to remember the Claxton railway because it is an important piece of British engineering in an era where we went from horse and cart to trains."

Mr Moar collected the last known remaining piece of the railway after it was unearthed by builders during a nearby renovation in 2013.

"The railway had been covered up. They were going to throw the remains away which seemed like a shame so I asked if I could have some of them," he said.

"I put the last remaining section of the old railway with a sign behind our house, which is a public footpath from the church, down to the River Yare.

"I have put it there because I think it is important for people to learn about interesting local history.

"It is important to the village of Claxton," he said.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: Claxton Manor, the former home of Farmer John PykeClaxton Manor, the former home of Farmer John Pyke (Image: Archant)

THE UNLIKELY RAIL TYCOON

John Pyke, who died in Kirby Bedon in 1946 at the age of 86, lived an extraordinary life.

He spent 16 years as Norwich City FC's chairman and a total of 18 years on the board.

His time at the club spanned the First World War and the move from Newmarket Road to its new ground at the Nest, on Rosary Road.

Originally from Gresham, near Cromer, Mr Pyke was a major figure in Norfolk farming and lived for part of his life with both his legs amputated.

He is buried in Claxton churchyard.

Mr Moar said Mr Pyke was 'ahead of his time' and a 'brilliant businessman'.

"Farmer Pyke was quite an innovator. Farming back then was terribly hard, gruelling hands-on work, incredibly physical and tough, which I feel people nowadays take for granted how far we have come.

"Mr Pyke created a forward-thinking solution to ease the difficulty, and that was the railway line. 

"His remarkable ingenuity was massively ahead of his time, without him, the railway would not have existed."

Beccles & Bungay Journal: Farmer Pyke's obituary in the Eastern Daily Press following his death in 1946Farmer Pyke's obituary in the Eastern Daily Press following his death in 1946 (Image: Eastern Daily Press)