A piece of Norfolk's railway heritage steamed home with a price tag of £11,000 yesterday - more than five times the expected sum. Decades after it was retired, the last-known original signal box from Dereham Station is destined to guard the tracks once again - at a site in Hindolveston, near Fakenham.

A piece of Norfolk's railway heritage steamed home with a price tag of £11,000 yesterday - more than five times the expected sum.

Decades after it was retired, the last-known original signal box from Dereham Station is destined to guard the tracks once again - at a site in Hindolveston, near Fakenham.

The one-up, one-down timber and glass building was sold to property developer John Barnes at an auction in Norwich after a bidding war stoked the price far beyond the guide of £2,000.

Mr Barnes hopes to put the box next to the disused Yarmouth/ King's Lynn line to use as an office and study.

He said: "This is a unique piece of history. You are not going to be able to buy that traditional character anywhere else.

"I will be glad to be able to return it to its home next to the railway track and I will allow people who are interested to come in and look around.

"It will be fantastic to sit in there and enjoy the panoramic views out of its huge glass windows."

Mr Barnes now has 56 days to move the box 18 miles across the Norfolk countryside from Mattishall, where it was used as a studio and dark room.