Railways have played an important part in the history and development of the English county of Norfolk. It currently has thirty open National Rail stations, though there were once well over a hundred. Between 1959 and 1970 much of the network was closed, including more than two thirds of Norfolk's railway stations, several main lines and most of the branch lines - leaving only a core network in place. Several of the former routes have since been re-opened as heritage railway lines, such as the North Norfolk Railway and the Mid-Norfolk Railway.