build a harbour and dock railway in Lowestoft. The scheme, which was promoted by Samuel Morton Peto, included a line from Lowestoft to the Yarmouth & Norwich Railway with which it formed a junction near Reedham. On 3 July 1846, the Norfolk Railway obtained a lease to construct the line, which it did by May 1847. The line was opened to goods on 3 May and to passengers on 1 July 1847. A second route was opened on 1 June 1859 with the completion of the Lowestoft and Beccles Railway which entered the town via a swing bridge over Oulton Broad, where a freight line branched off to the south bank of Lowestoft harbour. The new line connected Lowestoft with London, , and other places more conveniently without having to go via . Lowestoft station opened on 1 July 1847. At the time of construction, the station was separated from the town on the clifftop by about ½-mile of green fields and farmland, although a new turnpike road (now known as London Road North) linked it to Lowestoft. Development was stimulated by the construction of the harbour later in 1847 and extension of the railway to a new fish market and cattle sheds. Initially, only two platforms were provided, but rebuilding took place in 1855 by Lucas Brothers when a more substantial and well-designed building was provided. The Italianate station is a fine example of their work, which also includes buildings such as the Royal Albert Hall, Liverpool Street station, York station and the Felixstowe Railway. In 1855, the station's roof burnt down and timber for the new roof was brought in from Scandinavia by Peto's North of Europe Steam Navigation Company. The main buildings were arranged in an L-shaped configuration, with the booking, enquiry and parcels offices laid out on the north side bordering Denmark Road, the refreshment rooms were on the east side opening into Station Square and the toilets and bookstall were to the south. The concourse was covered by an overall roof which extended some way over the tracks and platforms to provide a small train shed. With the arrival of the railway, Lowestoft's population doubled in 16 years to reach 10,000 and by the end of the century it had increased to 36,000. In 1849, Peto constructed the esplanade and the Royal Hotel was opened. The Norfolk Railway was taken over by the Eastern Counties