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Sheringham station £1m platform reopening delayed due to fault
Sheringham train station and platform will remain closed until Thursday, May 16, after a fault was discovered with a batch of beams. Picture: MARK BULLIMORE
The reopening of the new £1m railway platform at Sheringham station has been delayed after a fault was discovered.
The platform, and the railway line from Sheringham to Cromer, was scheduled to reopen next week, on Monday, May 6, after being closed for more than a month while a new 80 metre platform, improved lighting, and a new shelter were installed.
But due to a fault discovered with a batch of beams supplied as part of the replacement platform structure, Greater Anglia (GA) have said part of the project will not be ready on time.
And normal service at the north Norfolk station will now not resume until Thursday, May 16.
READ MORE: Sheringham Railway Station remains shut while new platform is installed
A spokesperson for the rail provider apologised for the inconvenience and confirmed alternative arrangements, which involve a replacement bus service between Sheringham and Cromer (and trains between Cromer and Norwich) will continue until the new reopening date.
A GA spokesman said : 'We apologise for any inconvenience resulting from the delayed restoration of train services to Sheringham, following our major investment to improve the town's station.
'We have been working very hard to finish the project on schedule, but unfortunately we have been let down by the supply of a faulty batch of platform beams.
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'We are fully focused on completing the project as soon as we can, starting with the restoration of normal train services on Thursday 16 May.
'The £1 million upgrade will deliver a significant improvement in facilities for passengers with a longer, wider platform, with new lighting and easier access, allowing longer trains to serve the station, providing more capacity for the summer season and major events in north Norfolk.'
They added that the replacement bus services have 'worked very smoothly to date, achieving 98% punctual running'.
READ MORE: Station to shut this weekend for £1 million platform replacement
The new platform will be wider than the current structure and capable of accommodating the next generation of trains.
The current 40-metre platform is too short to fit the new bi-mode trains, which can switch between electric and diesel power.
Sheringham station was closed from Sunday, March 31, and all through the Easter holidays, which the town's Chamber of Trade warned would 'severely impact Easter trading.'
