Few city folk know the tale of the misdemeanour in the mist which caused a train to meet the bed of the river Wensum.  

Lovingly dubbed ‘the Wensum Dipper’ the J17 locomotive left the Norwich City Station - on what is now the Marriott's Way, near the Barn Round roundabout in the city – on the evening of November 6, 1946.  

That misty evening everyone was doing their jobs with no inkling of the drama that was about to unfold.  

Norwich Evening News: This ghost image shows where the Wensum Dipper would have entered the river This ghost image shows where the Wensum Dipper would have entered the river (Image: Stuart Mc Pherson)

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John Batley, railway historian and preservationist at Friends of Norwich City Station (FONCS) said: “That evening the Norwich City Station to South Lynn freight service ended in the river Wensum rather than crossing the single line railway bridge just outside of City station.”  

The unfortunate locomotive mishap was caused by the yard foreman and the duty shunter.  

John said: “Rather than set the hand point for the mainline it was set to one of the two sidings running alongside the mainline.  

“At the end of the sidings there was two buffer stops which were close to the river's edge – this simple mistake caused the train to crash through the buffer and end up in the river.” 

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Norwich Evening News: John Batley is one of the preservationists at Friends of Norwich City Station John Batley is one of the preservationists at Friends of Norwich City Station (Image: John Batley)

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It was fortunate that it was a freight service and therefore not carrying any passengers – though the work ethic of the employees was displayed.  

“The driver and foreman escaped with minor burns and were able to walk back to the station to report the incident," John continued.

“The pair were sent home and reported back to work the very next day.” 

Following the unplanned dip, the J17 was recovered by a crane that came from Norwich Thorpe Station but had to travel 60 miles via Cromer to get there.  

Norwich Evening News: John Batley is an expert when it comes to Norwich City Station and the stories it holds John Batley is an expert when it comes to Norwich City Station and the stories it holds (Image: John Batley)

It is said that city homes with coal fires burned for weeks after the dipper incident - as its engine tender was plundered for coal.  

The train was eventually recovered and repaired.