Hi Mark I live within spitting distance ( when the wind is in the right direction) of the old M&GN (?) line from Yarmouth to North Walsham- one of the stretches where the rail line actually ran close to the beach for a few miles. I can't help you with details- my "olds" who would know are long gone. I suspect they had in mind "He who would old England win, must at Weybourne Hoop ( Hope) begin" because of the deep water close to the beach there. If you do not strike lucky with an enthusiast perhaps the people in the office at the Sheringham steam railway- North Norfolk Railway http://www.nnrailway.co.uk might be kind and put you in touch with one. They have some interesting displays about the old M&GN and other lines. Another mine of information and a helpful chap who has written a stack of books about the history of Yarmouth and the Rows and district is Colin Tooke. http://www.gtyarmouth.co.uk/Tooke-Books/ He has very kindly answered a query I had once so you might strike lucky with him- there is a contact email address on the site. Rosie On 23/10/2011 17:27, Mark Howells wrote: > Hi Norfolkies - > > A history oriented question for which I hope to get some direction > from the mailing list. > > I found a throw away reference to the War Office having > commissioned armed trains along the Norfolk coast in 1914. They > were always kept under steam apparently to protect from enemy > invasion. (Because obviously if Happisburgh was to fall, that would > lead directly to the fall of East Ruston and then the rest of the > dominoes would tip! Picklehaubes in North Walsham - unthinkable!) > > Can anyone point me to references regarding what these coastal > protection trains were like and how long they were in service? > > Thanks - Mark > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NORFOLK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message