A north Norfolk artist dubbed The Railway Man for his paintings of historic steam and diesel trains is enjoying his most successful year yet, with a string of exhibitions, and so many commissions he says he is struggling to keep up.

Eastern Daily Press: Dereham Station in the days of steam engines, by Sheringham-based artist Wrenford Thatcher. Picture: suppliedDereham Station in the days of steam engines, by Sheringham-based artist Wrenford Thatcher. Picture: supplied (Image: Archant)

Former inventor and university lecturer Wrenford Thatcher - a lifelong railway enthusiast whose paternal and maternal grandfathers were engine drivers - took up painting full time after becoming semi-retired.

Mr Thatcher, who works from a studio in his home at Sheringham, has since developed an enthusiastic following, with his larger paintings fetching four-figure sums.

He has also published two books featuring his paintings, and said that, since exhibiting his work at Dereham station during the Mid-Norfolk Railway's annual steam gala, the Norski Noos gallery at Bawdeswell, Dereham, where his paintings are permanently on show, has been inundated with enquiries.

'Up until then, only my smaller paintings had been on show,' he explained. 'But, as a result of the gala, the gallery has been selling larger paintings and picking up a number of commissions.'

Eastern Daily Press: The iconic Flying Scotsman, by Sheringham-based artist Wrenford Thatcher. Picture: suppliedThe iconic Flying Scotsman, by Sheringham-based artist Wrenford Thatcher. Picture: supplied (Image: Archant)

One of these, which Mr Thatcher is currently working on, was for the Holden F5 Locomotive Trust, which has asked him to produce a painting of the replica 1930s Great Eastern Railway steam locomotive it is building.

'I have also been given the great privilege of an artist's pass by the North Norfolk Railway, which has given me an opportunity to record the Poppy Line on canvas, which is wonderful,' Mr Thatcher said.

Paintings by Wrenford Thatcher will be on show at Picturecraft Gallery, Holt from September 15. Opening times are Monday to Saturday, 9am-5pm, (Thursdays 9am-1pm).

Eastern Daily Press: The Great Gathering, by Sheringham-based artist Wrenford Thatcher. Picture: suppliedThe Great Gathering, by Sheringham-based artist Wrenford Thatcher. Picture: supplied (Image: Archant)