Golden Spike

Driven on 3rd April 1883, just south of Aylsham and completed the line from Lynn to Yarmouth. This joined up the various railways as engraved:- the Peterborough, Wisbeach & Sutton, the Lynn & Fakenham, the Yarmouth & North Norfolk and the Yarmouth Union. According to the Ronald H Clark book A Short History of the Midland &Great Northern Joint Railway (p51), the spike was ceremonially driven in by William Marriott, later recovered, gold plated and engraved, then passed to the Railways builders, Wilkinson & Jarvis. The other 2 sides of the spike are engraved Wilkinson & Jarvis. Civil Engineers on one and Eastern & Midlands Railway Labor Omnia Vincet on the other (Latin tag translates as Work will conquer all)

The spike appears to have been in the hands of a private collector for the last 50 years, before we acquired it at auction on 4 June 2016.

Please note that the spelling Wisbeach is as it used to be, before the spelling became what it is today (probably another M&GN name change, like Sherringham and Bourn) The spike will be on Museum display later today. (Sunday 5 June).

Thanks to the five donors who gave specifically towards the purchase of this unique item.