At Sheringham town community newspaper. North Norfolk England UK.

''OPERATION PHOENIX.''

You have no doubt followed some if not all of the successes enjoyed by the North Norfolk Railway and M&GNJR Society over the past few years:

Sheringham station saved. Winner of the Heritage Railways Association award. Station building entirely re roofed. Winner of an Ian Allan Heritage Railway award. L.N.E.R Quad Art Set. Now undergoing full restoration rescuing what the National Railway Museum in York qualifies as the most important coach project in UK heritage railways. Upwell and Wisbech coach acquired and funds raised now undergoing complete restoration. J15 0-6-0 Locomotive 65462 has been completely overhauled and has now returned to traffic, drawing large numbers of visitors to see her.

Stalham Station dismantled from its original site and moved brick by brick and reconstructed at its new site at Holt. All this within the space of two years! Building Sheringham Water Tower.

A magnificent example of a period water tower allowing the watering of the biggest locomotives. We have caught the eye of the media, celebrities and even royalty with a visit from the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

It is being widely accepted that the North Norfolk Railway is the fastest growing heritage railway in the country. This has been the result of enormous efforts from a lot of people.

A grant of Ł778,000 has been awarded providing we are able to put up match funding of Ł286,000. This is an opportunity that we cannot miss as it is unlikely ever to be made available to us again. The main part of this grant is being spent on the development of Holt Station with the fitting out of the station building. The relaying of the track, building a six coach platform, water tower and the dismantling of the goods shed at Thursford transporting it to Holt and rebuilding it to display for the first time the wonderful collection of M&GN artifacts providing the best museum of its kind.

We are therefore launching OPERATION PHOENIX to raise the Ł286,000. Would you like to make a donation to the M&GN Joint Railway Society, our support organisation and a registered charity? Provided you are a UK taxpayer the value of your gift will be increased by 28% through the Gift Aid refund from the Inland Revenue and the Society will ring fence the funds for Phoenix.

On 28th February 1959 the last train left Stalham station. Forty five years later on the same day the station came alive again being reincarnated at Holt, 25 miles away from its original location, with the arrival of the first train at the platform.

Operation Phoenix was launched on that day, we have proved that objectives can be set, monies raised and targets achieved and this is no exception. So please continue to be part of this winning team and support your railway. This is for posterity and you will be part of it. REMEMBER THIS IS YOUR RAILWAY, BE PART OF IT.