Buckenham - Least Used Station In Norfolk

[@markrogers4789]

I went there in the late 90s to go for an interview in Buckenham. I didn't get the job. But it was worth it just for the train journey. Then they argued about paying the expenses because they didn't believe anyone would go by train! Great video . Thanks.

[@stevenjlovelace]

The house next to the station is Buckenham Palace, a (much) less formal version of Buckingham Palace.

[@heliostransport515]

It’s ‘Buckingham’ Palace

[@lornanicholsby6281]

😂

[@theyoutubeguy1]

@@heliostransport515 WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSHHHHHH

[@marcuspotter5590]

@@heliostransport515 No it isn't, the house next to the station is Buckenham Palace. Buckingham Palace is where the Queen lives.

[@joesos]

The Siblings 🤦‍♂️

[@SeverityOne]

I'm waiting for a train Just waiting for a train What a mis'rable feeling It's soaking again It's late Sunday night Not a choo-choo in sight Just sitting And waiting For a train

[@brianartillery]

Difference between Frogs and Toads: one is an amphibian, and the other is a kind of Brake Van... Seriously, though, Frogs have smooth skin, hop, and enjoy being in water, and their spawn resembles tapioca in appearance, whereas Toads have warty skin, waddle, are not so keen on being in water all the time, and their spawn is in long strings. There you go.

[@randaldavis8976]

pick it up and if it pisses in your hand, it's toad...

[@2themoon863]

Either way the debate is...ribbiting.

[@feeshyyyt]

@@randaldavis8976 pissfingers

[@camotech1314]

Battletoads are incredible! 🐸

[@ianmcclavin]

It looks like the walkway.along to the Norwich-bound platform used to have the platform extending along it at one time. I wonder if something similar happened there to at Balcombe, on the Brighton Main Line, when a freight train derailed in 1985, and demolished a length of platform, they decided not to reinstate it. I've been through Buckenham loads of times, on the way to Oulton Broad when my aunt was alive there, but I can't remember ever being on one that stopped at Buckenham, and that's going back to the late 70's!!

[@TheOnlyMrTransparent]

The reason for platform is so long is because it was primarily used for cattle trains to take the cows to Norwich. As you can see, some of cattle didn't make it onto the trains and were left behind!

[@conorjm11]

Norwich to Lowestoft (and back) is my daily commute, so know that line well. Fun fact, the resignalling that's being done is costing £68 million and is mainly being done to allow modern length freight trains run on the lines again, which they haven't been able to do. Also fun fact, Berney Arms will not get a train for SIX MONTHS due to the resignalling, so I'd imagine it will beat Buckenham next year, although there are daily services to Berney Arms which might make the difference.

[@robinjones6999]

You beat me to it!! I noticed last year all the resignalling. love those old signal boxes and swing bridges etc. Stunning area.

[@conorjm11]

@@robinjones6999 The swing bridges are stunning but oh my days the number of times they break is infuriating. That whole line is in much need of modernisation, but it is happening, albeit slowly! Also, looked like the speed restriction between Cantley and Reedham was still in effect when Geoff went, not sure why but it's been in place for weeks now

[@LaurencePlanesTrains]

Freight trains????? All they ever have is passenger trains and the monthly test train

[@conorjm11]

@@LaurencePlanesTrains I know, but Network Rail are selling some disused sidings in Lowestoft at the port with funding available to upgrade them to allow for freight to run.

[@mellonmarshall]

CAn I ask but who is getting on and off at Cantley, there nothing there but sugar beet

[@merlotburmese]

It amuses me that you're expected to cross the line to the other platform, not to mention the DIY level crossing on your walk. We station adopters at Whatstandwell asked to work on the disused platform across the line during the recent period when there were no trains for seven weeks or so. You'd think we'd asked to draw white lines on the A6 during the morning rush. There were NO TRAINS, but crossing the line was completely unimaginable. 100 metres down the line, the track to the sewage-treatment works crosses the line - we'd be fine to work there, if anyone wanted us, but not our own platform.

[@geofftech2]

Full credit to my GoPro camera for getting in on the "rain blob on lens" action, from the start of that clip that was obviously impossible to remove in post ...

[@samholdsworth3957]

Damn and blast!

[@atrerailways7886]

I love you kids keep it up brother

[@atrerailways7886]

I was inspired to film train videos

[@TheScabhunter]

do ellsmere port

[@universaltrainsstudio8534]

YAY! Another least used station!! What is the next one Geoff?

[@Larry]

LMAO, we went on holiday to Norfolk last year looking for the nearby railway museum, got lost and we stopped outside this station for a pee! It was pouring with rain that day too!

[@RichardWatt]

Hello you! Fancy seeing you here, Larry!

[@DoubleDeckerAnton]

It's nice to get out of 'busy busy London' into the countryside...!!! 😁👍🌳🚶‍♂️🏃‍♂️🌲

[@williamgeorgefraser]

The level crossing in Brundall is amazing. It's a dead end road that leads to numerous boatyards and the road is so narrow they had to make a turning circle at the bottom. I don't know how many yards are still operating but in the mid-80s, when I worked on the Broads, you went in the front door to the office and out the back door to go onto the boat as the buildings touched each other. I was surprised to find the Berney Arms was not the least used, though it has weekend ramblers.

[@mattholland6341]

I know the guy who maintains the Station Gardens at Buckenham, he goes up there every couple of Sundays to look after the plants and keep the place looking great.

[@beyondDCC]

I miss my early 50's trips to London's Liverpool St. on the Jazz service in my childhood. Gresley Quint-Arts suburban stock hauled by N7's and L1's. Some still in worn LNER teak finish with "3" on the doors. But despite the slam doors and stops at every local station, we managed to have at least 9 trains per hour in rush periods. Here in California where I live now, we are lucky if the one Amtrak train a day is less than 5 hours late.

[@QHarefield]

Geoff, I am impressed : you sang that song in exactly the same key as Gene Kelly. Either you checked immediately beforehand, on your iphone, in which case you are probably a musician, as you pitched (and sang) it accurately; or you overdubbed it afterwards (but it was very well done, if so); or you checked before you left home, in which case you must have perfect pitch; or you were extremely lucky! Sadly, we will never know the answer, because your original post was 16 months ago, and there is no way you are going to see this!

[@geofftech2]

ha ha ... not overdubbed, i sang it in the moment as you heard it! maybe i have perfect pitch? crikey. (I check ALL my comments, even on old videos!!)

[@QHarefield]

@@geofftech2 Wow! I am even more impressed, now - both the singing 'and' the checking. I have no idea how many videos you have made, over the years, but ... checking them all?? Do you ever sleep?!

[@geofftech2]

the way the KZbin admin commenting system works is that it lists them all in chronological order. i have it set to "most recent" at the top, and check everyday ... (mainly to delete abusive ones, tbh!) must dash ... got some singing to do

[@petercreed2539]

Your videos all ways make me smile and brighten up my day

[@DavidWilliams-km5xu]

Another great video Geoff. I love those sort of small stations.

[@Ifakojesfd]

I thought it was going to be stuart ashen

[@JamesCleevely]

That would have been a dream come true!

[@whywhy6055]

Subscribe to r3dseries well i thought it was going to be chef excellence

[@andrewwright7712]

What I can't work out about Buckenham is how it gets less passengers than Spooner Row. The walk from Buckenham to Brundall is a lovely route, even in the rain.

[@GeorgeGibbsRacing]

You're not often over here in Norfolk, so this title got me a little excited to see some of my local trains on the channel! You should check out the new greater Anglia trains between Liverpool Street and Norwich when they're released early next year. There is one already released and it's a stark difference to what we are used to!

[@telemachus53]

Geoff: How come you didn't tell us you're such a good singer? Excellent intonation!

[@sophiaevans9908]

Least used station on the Isle of Wight so you finally get to go there!

[@wintrwunderland]

What's the Isle of Wight?

[@rockystrains8891]

@@wintrwunderland Island of the UK a few miles south of Portsmouth

[@gilles111]

There is no Isle of Wight. Just like Bielefeld doesn't exist in Germany.

[@Ravi_Parekh]

He went there on all the stations

[@gilles111]

There is no video of Isle of Wight; there can't be anyone...

[@espowari]

The only time Geoff didn't have to post the SD card to Will!

[@gugapenteado7834]

I simply love this channel! Greetings from Brazil!

[@LJBMOTORSPORT]

Telling people about u today got a load of stick but it was worth it for this episode

[@barnabyhands7723]

From Norfolk but just moved away, and yet somehow I miss the rain! Thanks Geoff for the tiny dosage of home!

[@DomsDesigns1]

Never been prouder to be from Norfolk.

[@LittleLandmarks]

The building of the new station at Wolverhampton is finally underway. The old station there is worth checking out, and the metro line to Birmingham is, in part, an old railway. There is loads of interesting trivia along the route too.

[@diabeticlifewithtim3145]

My dad, my brothers and I used to walk that road up to Buckenham station every other Saturday when he wasn’t working as a postie in Salhouse! Then on the Sunday of the alternate weekend we’d watch trains go past at Brundall station, get chips on the way back home and park up at Salhouse station to eat them before going home!

[@AutonomyCentral]

Nice to see you in our small side of the country!

[@EandEFC]

Visited the station a couple of years back it really is in the middle of no where but good to see it still open.

[@Chalky.]

They closed my local station in the 60s and people have been asking ever since to get it reopened, and apparently they've finally got around to it for opening in the next few years.

[@davidkgame]

You literally went right by my house one stop out of Ipswich! The station car park is at the end of my road :) Our little station has major issues right now where you have Disabled Access to one platform but not the other, so you can go to Stowmarket, Norwich etc. on a mobility scooter, wheelchair and the like, but once you get home, you're stranded!

[@munglejoela]

I love this, mainly because I live in Brundall and get the train to Lowestoft every day! And yet I still haven't been to Buckenham...

[@Sinuhbsadak]

The platforms are probably separated, so that the train can stop after the crossing in both directions, so the crossing can be lifted before the train departs and the wait is shorter

[@TravelSignal]

It used to have more stopping services, as a request stop when I used to take the train to school (from Reedham). At least possible for a day in the city.

[@nickprince9881]

Great content for a station that basically had none of the basics. Just a little tip on fields of Cows and Bulls is that cows have an udder full of teets attached to it for milk while the bull only has one teet attached to it and I wish you the best of luck milking that! Also you only get one bull in a field as bulls don't get on and will always fight to the death.

[@dj94545gaming]

Wow, it's cool to see you up here, did you get to see the Berney Arms station on the Norwich to Yarmouth route, via reedham. Only three trains a day 2 there and 1 back. One of the more picturesque places to work on the railway.

[@dj94545gaming]

We I'll be damned, also I meant to ask did you get to see any of the class 37s?

[@lewis72]

I have a feeling that you filmed this Saturday* afternoon, going by the weather, as I was sitting in the rain for 2 hours at Carrow Road watching Norwich get beaten. Such joy. *Ah, you hinted at this by saying it was a request stop for you, which you stated was for Saturdays... and you said so later ! Do'h !!

[@geofftech2]

also at the start when i say "It's Saturday 6th October", that's the other clue! yes, there were many fans on the train on their way to see Stoke beat them!!

[@lewis72]

I just HAD to turn away when I saw Ipswich on the screen at first, so missed your introduction.

[@swanningabout]

@@lewis72 You didn't hear it?

[@HenrysAdventures]

I really enjoyed that! I love the remote stations of the Norfolk Broads!

[@dat581]

Salute with the right hand only Geoff!

[@mrbrianparker]

Geoff looked so under-dressed I was feeling positively chilly in my nice warm living room. Will's parka and spray on thermal jeans were obviously keeping him nice and warm and dry until he took his hood down in solidarity with Geoff. "Brrrr, it's a bit nippy out".

[@HatterDave]

Watching some of these again and even 5-6 services each way on a Sunday seems incredibly generous for a station that only gets 122 passengers a year.

[@gregkiteos1936]

As of May 2019 the manual crossing gates at Brundall are still there.

[@ligasinica6109]

Thank you! Was curious about it

[@gregkiteos1936]

@@ligasinica6109 Sadly all gone now. All the semaphores and associated signal boxes have too, save for the two boxes associated with the two swing bridges on the Lowestoft line. I believe that the signal boxes at Reedham Junction and Brundall are to be donated to the Mid Norfolk and North Norfolk Railways.

[@llux]

happy to see this as i just moved from london to suffolk 😀 and miss your videos being close to home

[@Synnystershy]

I love how you censor your companion's number plate but let us see everyone else's.

[@LisaMarli]

Yeah, a Least Used Station. I look forward to these. You do seem to have a lot of fun. I now laugh when on anyone's video there is one of those rubbish bins with the bag flapping in the wind. It's even funnier when they are trying to be artistic. You've broken me, Geoff! 😃❤

[@SamAronow]

Don't apologize for the rain. This makes me miss England.

[@railnut21]

How ribbiting seeing the local wildlife (sorry!). As always an excellent video. Looking forward to seeing more least used station videos in future.

[@MichaelDreksler]

Groan

[@hcjkruse]

Between Harwich and Manning tree early in the morning you sometimes see wildlife too.

[@Sim0nTrains]

That was a entertaining video, shame about the weather, I be honest I had no idea where Buckenham was until I was editing a video which I did in August and found it on a map after Brundall and also you mentioned about limited WiFi during the video, when I was down there 2 months ago to clear some of the lines I haven't rode on, I was shocked to find the WiFi was pretty rubbish even know the land is flat! great video, cannot wait for your next Least Used Station.

[@morganjones2944]

Do secrets of the Merseyrail please

[@pineli6752]

I already mentioned something like that!

[@ArthurEmbleton]

New class 777 trains are being commissioned that can run on third rail and overhead so that they can run from Liverpool to Wrexham without passengers having to change trains.

[@ArthurEmbleton]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_777

[@ArthurEmbleton]

I think that'd be interesting to do an episode about

[@harry-wr1oh]

Game circle 01 yeh good idea

[@scottishtrains9761]

I had a few days exploring the so called "Wherry Lines" I stayed in a hotel in Great Yarmouth and went to Berney Arms for the first day and all the other staitions in the second day.

[@lewis72]

The toss pots at Greater Anglia now charge to park at Brundall station as well as (nearly) all of the other stations in the region, so now it costs about 50% more to leave the car at Brundall/Acle etc. and get the train in to Norwich. So much for trying to get people out of their cars and out of the city. It's cheaper to park at Rose Lane car park now.

[@EdwardHitchon1993]

I was involved in a project standardising poster placement on Northern stations (visiting 101 in 6 weeks). The onward information posters only count bus services as regular if they are more than hourly. Poor Ulleskelf (served by around 10 trains a day) has a two hourly bus service (served by one in each direction alternating each hour), but this is not reflected on the onwards travel poster - which is located yards from the bus-stop. It did seem a little churlish to claim there were no buses when there were so few trains. We also had the fortune to meet the "Station Adopter" who told us they'd had a spate of irate fare dodgers who had been put out at Ulleskelf by a zealous conductor only to discover they were then stuck for up to 8 hours waiting for the next train.

[@eddherring4972]

FYI Elsenham has a manual crossing it is part of the conditions of use that it remains manual so it will probably be the last one in use

[@dansmith4601]

According to the automatic captions, the onward travel information poster is the spiciest Geoff has ever seen

[@GoranNewsum]

I only know Singing in the Rain from Morcambe and Wise.

[@iankemp1131]

Always wondered about Buckenham's strange platform with the long path, it has been like that since the 1970s at least. Good suggestion from Ian McClavin. I wondered if it might be to increase the distance to the level crossing in case of an overrun - but it's surely not busy enough. How does the stagger compare with Dilton Marsh?

[@harryburgess6239]

Just a little bit of Norfolk pride coming out 😁😁 I'm so happy this video was made!

[@anthonydefreitas6006]

A tip for keeping lenses dry & smear free. Take a chamois leather and cut it into 1 inch strips. Place in a ziplock bag. Use strips when necessary.

[@afterlifewisdomvideos54]

Love it Well done !love the film clip cuts etc

[@k.r.baylor8825]

If one is interested, here's some more information about the actual Buckenham station house. It was "de-staffed" in the late 1960s. The 1840s station house is now occupied, so someone is living there, listening to trains hurl by each day. All this exciting info can be found on page 12 of the PDF via the link: www.railfuture.org.uk/east/rail-east/RailEast-Issue-174-June-2017.pdf

[@RichardWatt]

So, could you say there was "Buck All" going on at Buckenham?

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

Nicely done. enjoyable viewing

[@LaWendeltreppe]

If it's sunny or it rains, Geoff flies by in tubes and trains :))

[@littlejack2233]

I wonder if perhaps the Norwich to Lowestoft line was originally single track, as a number of the lines out to the seaside towns were originally. Then when the track was dualled, the bank opposite was unsuitable for a platform.

[@ianmcclavin]

I think Norwich - Lowestoft was double track from the outset - staggered platforms are not unusual, especially where there's a level-crossing involved.

[@hcjkruse]

What is there idea/history of having to open the window an then reach outside to open the door? I travel to London ever three weeks now by German and Dutch trains in the Netherlands, replacement bus(we have our own purple line disaster) between Schiedam and Hook of Holland, ferry from Hook of Holland to Harwich, 6:57AM train to Manning tree, and than the type of train in the video to get to Londen Liverpool street station fast. Not taking the 7:15 or 7:20 train from Harwich because that stops at every cow. Yes I am that nutcase with a yellow backpack. After a day meeting I go back to Harwich to get the night ferry back to Hook of Holland

[@agent_605]

Hans Kruse Most trains originally had slam door trains, but to allow for central door locking and to prevent people messing with the doors only exterior handles were placed in later years, so sliding windows were used so passengers could open the doors from the inside. Most trains after the late 1980s had powered doors anyway

[@norbitonflyer5625]

External-only door handles long pre-dated central locking. Indeed, it was the absence of central locking which made it necessary to not have internal handles, so a door couldn't be opened accidentally. And of course before air conditioning, all trains had opening windows anyway

[@DanLoudShirts]

SInging in the same key too. Very impressive, something that cannot be said about the station! They've ripped half the platform away.

[@allanlindskoog]

First thing I noticed as well. Either good luck or technology??

[@Robbins996]

“We’ve got to get a shot of the train” *almost misses the train*

[@MrBnsftrain]

2:00 I hope the gates go to a museum, or put up for sale to a private owner! I'd like to use one of those as a gate to my back yard! I'm you also saw two other crossing with manual gates! (the ones at buckenham look recently restored!)

[@bigjaffa02]

Question: Is this the station with the longest distance between staggered platforms in the UK? If not, where is? (simple staggered platforms only, i.e. platforms 1 to 24 at London Waterloo doesn't count)

[@ianmcclavin]

I think Dilton Marsh is much longer, there's a substantial curve separating them.

[@johnlladron735]

Great video, thanks a lot. Can't help but wonder how much money it costs to change all of the level crossings out there and whether it's really worth it, compared with having a human opening gates which must be pretty low maintenance. Talking of maintenance, they could also be used for line walks.

[@maxwelsh4126]

I was just wondering this morning when a new Least used station video would come out!

[@dansmith4601]

Gotta love automatically generated captions: 'at buckenham translates to 'up bucking them'

[@mattlock4035]

I was half expecting to see Alan Partridge rambling across that field 😀

[@auua93]

After watching this video I googled Buckenham and this video was the fourth result from the top for me

[@johnbouttell5827]

The village lies in the civil parish of Strumpshaw, home of the Strumpshaw Hall Steam Museum.

[@zeeox]

Looks like they missed the short-cut at the back of the Brundall station car park that takes you almost right up to the Acle line railway bridge before you turn onto Low Road... although it would have been a bit muddy in that weather!

[@geofftech2]

Ooh, did not know that was there!!

[@zeeox]

It doesn't shave too much time off to be fair, but if you are heading to RSPB Strumpshaw after getting an early train in, you want to save as much time as you can to get to the reserve quickly on foot after a relatively long early train trip to get there (especially if you're lugging a lot of heavy birding gear around). I discovered it when I went to Strumpshaw for a day trip the first time, and must admit that I rarely ever then decided to double it up with the walk to RSPB Buckenham as well, due to the minimal return options... and the fact that you are therefore better off going all the way back to Brundall in order to make a fuller day out of your trip because of the better return options. It's rather ironic that I can spend a longer time birding in the Broads on a (2 train) day trip from Cambridge than I can birding in the Fens (on Sundays) at RSPB Lakenheath... even though it only takes me 26 minutes to get there from Cambridge North! But that's Greater Anglia saving on the diesel for you!

[@K1W1fly]

Is it REALLY Ipswich Station, or is it Bolton in disguise?.... (Monty Python fans will get it...)

[@anarcho-pingu]

That’s intercity Rail for you.

[@tech4pros1]

Notlob..

[@Mallyhubz]

Ipswich welcomes you!

[@andrewwilson6240]

Anybody know where the sprinter 156409 featured near the end is now. I thought all of the GA 156s came here(EMR) but it isn't on their fleet list. GA however seem now not to have any left. The old GA 156s were internally in a much poorer state than the ones inherited from EMT.

[@andyalder7910]

If you want a shorter walk from station to station try Birchgrove to Ty Glas in the outskirts of Cardiff.

[@andizzle195]

@geoffmarshall what is the app or image/PDF you are using in this video and others that show the map with all the stations. The best one I can find is on the national rail’s website and it doesn’t include every station.

[@Gr33nMamba]

RE the help point, makes you wonder how often people go out and actually test the call point (glorified pre-dial phone) actually works in these remote locations. I didn't hear it dial.

[@thomasfclc5606]

Can you do a least used London Underground Station

[@dansmith4601]

Roding Valley I think

[@agent_605]

Roding Valley overall is the least used, seeing about 200,000 passengers a year. By comparison, many zone 1 stations see more than that in a day

[@matthewdunderdale8685]

spot on

[@thomasfclc5606]

@@agent_605 thank you. To be honest I thought it would be mill hill east as that's the part no one uses on the northern line

[@agent_605]

Thomas FclC Mill Hill East has quite a few peak time through trains to London. Meanwhile Roding Valley only has 3 trains an hour to London via Hainault, so many find it’s quicker just to go to Woodford (the next stop West) and get a train from their to London which avoids the Hainault Loop

[@alextopley2657]

I was at Norwich station on Saturday! Shame I missed you, would have loved to say hello.

[@dominicnoades8616]

Great video, can you video about LTM soon please, I am going there in November for my birthday

[@gamercatkinggameing]

I would not have walked to a least used station in the rain

[@RemnantShard]

The road we see will's footage of is the a11 norwich bound from thetford

[@TiberiusWallace]

Tbh did you even check if the cows had bins or a dotmatrix display?

[@johnmcfarland2055]

I have friends who live in Attleborough, shown prominently on your map at 2:17

[@dwegmull]

Have you considered fitting a hood to your lens? If it's not too windy, it might keep some drops off the lens...

[@JasonDykstraMT]

THere are more cows there on one day than passenger in the year

[@Finallybianca]

Growing up in rural Iowa I know how that is.

[@micaelsilva]

Not bad at singing, congrats!

[@charliedunham6598]

Thanks for doing this video as I live practice at Brundall realy nice to see it in the video shame about the whether

[@matsamuel5655]

You talked about an All the Stations to Chingford. Could you please post a link to that video because I can't find it & I live near Chingford Station .. Thanks ..

[@Tallinn8786]

I'm guessing you filmed this on Saturday! It was beautiful sunny autumn weather on Friday & Sunday, what a shame the weather was so bad on Saturday.

[@zombieguyproducion]

0:03

[@RichardWells1]

...and you sang 'Singin' in the Rain' in the right key...!

[@brian9731]

I think that help point has no phone line connected to it. We hear it dialling out but no dialling tone before or ringing afterwards.

[@Matthewsbuses1997]

Hi Geoff, I’m planning on visiting Buckenham station tomorrow, what is there to see and is there no bus service on a Sunday?