Bramford | |
|---|---|
 Bramford station in 1963 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Bramford, District of Mid Suffolk England |
| Platforms | 2 |
| Other information | |
| Status | Disused |
| History | |
| Original company | Ipswich and Bury Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Great Eastern Railway |
| Post-grouping | London and North Eastern Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 24 December 1846 | Station opens |
| 1913 | station resited |
| 2 May 1955 | Station closed [1] |
Bramford railway station refers to the two stations located in Bramford, Suffolk.
The first station at Bramford was opened by the Ipswich and Bury Railway on 24 December 1846. It was an all timber affair designed by Frederick Barnes [2] and was situated on an embankment to the north of the Bramford to Ipswich Road. On the down side (from London Liverpool Street) the platform was reached by some steep wooden steps whilst on the up side a slope was the means of access to the platform.
The station was badly damaged by gales in February 1860 with part of the building demolished and strewn across the tracks. [3]
Such were the changes in the railway industry that in 1847 the Ipswich and Bury Railway became part of the Eastern Union Railway which itself became part of the Eastern Counties Railway in 1854. The Great Eastern Railway took over operation of the station in 1862. [4]
At 3:00 p.m. on 1 August 1911 the down platform caught fire and despite the efforts of local railway staff and villagers by 5:30 there was little left of the down side platform. A number of cottages located at the bottom of the embankment were also damaged (the site of a car show room in 2012). [5]
The signal box - a little further to the north - was undamaged as was the goods shed located opposite.
The second Bramford station opened and was located on the other side of the road underbridge. Its construction was approved by the Great Eastern Railway works committee in 1912 and opened in 1913. The station was a substantial brick affair with the station building on the up side and a small shelter on the down side. [6] A new signal box was also provided at this time. [7]
However, in 1919 the goods shed also burnt down (probably due to sparks or ash from a passing train).
The Bradshaws Railway guide for July 1922 shows down services for Bury St Edmunds and Norwich (generally calling all stations) calling at Bramford. Up services generally terminated at Ipswich. [8]
In 1923 the Great Eastern Railway amalgamated with other railway companies to form the London and North Eastern Railway. Two years later the signal box (1912) was abolished being replaced by a new signal box located at Sproughton Sidings some 46 chains closer to Ipswich. [9]
On nationalisation in 1948 the station and its services became part of the Eastern Region of British Railways.
The station was closed with the last train calling on 2 May 1955. [10]
In 1950s the goods yard - in reality a loop off the main line - was handling very little traffic and it lasted until the 1960s. The station was demolished in 1965 and the only remains today are the old track up to the up platform of the original station. [11]
A large rail connected chemical works was situated one mile north of Bramford railway station. Opened by Packard and Co in 1851 and situated between the railway and the B1067 (although one siding crossed that road and served a sand quarry). Rail traffic ceased c 1968 with the rails lifted soon after although some inset track remained in the yard in 2013. [12] A narrow gauge railway was situated in the quarry until 1948. [notes 1]
This location also had a signal box called "Lime Works" which closed on 26 June 1968 presumably when, or soon after, rail traffic to the sidings ceased. [13]
| Preceding station | Historical railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claydon Line open, station closed | Great Eastern Railway Main Line | Ipswich Line and station open | ||
The East Suffolk line is an un-electrified 49-mile secondary railway line running between Ipswich and Lowestoft in Suffolk, England. The traffic along the route consists of passenger services operated by Greater Anglia, while nuclear flask trains for the Sizewell nuclear power stations are operated by Direct Rail Services.
Waltham Cross railway station is on the West Anglia Main Line, serving the suburban town of Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire, and the neighbouring Waltham Abbey in Essex, England. It is 12 miles 63 chains (20.6 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Enfield Lock and Cheshunt. Its three-letter station code is WLC and it is in Travelcard zone 7.
Lowestoft railway station serves the town of Lowestoft, Suffolk, and is the eastern terminus of the East Suffolk Line from Ipswich and is one of two eastern termini of the Wherry Lines from Norwich. Lowestoft is 23 miles 41 chains (37.8 km) down the line from Norwich and 48 miles 75 chains (78.8 km) measured from Ipswich; and is the easternmost station on the National Rail network in the United Kingdom.
Derby Road railway station is on the Felixstowe Branch Line in the east of England, serving the Rose Hill area and southern area of California on the eastern side of the town of Ipswich, Suffolk. It is 6 miles 8 chains (9.8 km) down the line from Ipswich station and 74 miles 67 chains (120.4 km) measured from London Liverpool Street; It is situated between Westerfield and Trimley and is managed by Greater Anglia, which also operates all passenger trains that call.
Trimley railway station is on the Felixstowe Branch Line in the east of England, serving the village of Trimley St. Mary, Suffolk. It is 14 miles 5 chains (22.6 km) down the line from Ipswich and 82 miles 64 chains (133.3 km) measured from London Liverpool Street; it is situated between Derby Road and Felixstowe. Its three-letter station code is TRM.
Ipswich railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England, serving the town of Ipswich, Suffolk. It is 68 miles 59 chains (110.6 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and, on the main line, it is situated between Manningtree to the south and Needham Market to the north.
Orwell railway station was on the Felixstowe Branch Line near the small village of Nacton, Suffolk, England. It was situated between Derby Road and Trimley stations and was opened in 1877 but was closed in 1959 to allow an acceleration of the service to the remaining stations. The former station building is now a private residence near to the modern Seven Hills crematorium.
Stowmarket railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) in the East of England, serving the town of Stowmarket, Suffolk. It is 80 miles 9 chains (128.9 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Needham Market to the south and Diss to the north. It is also the junction where the Ipswich to Ely Line joins the GEML. Its three-letter station code is SMK.
Diss railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England, serving the town of Diss, Norfolk. It is 94 miles 43 chains (152.1 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Stowmarket to the south and Norwich to the north. It is approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of Norwich. Its three-letter station code is DIS.
Mistley railway station is on the Mayflower Line, a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England, serving the village of Mistley, Essex. It is 61 miles 14 chains (98.45 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Manningtree to the west and Wrabness to the east. Its three-letter station code is MIS.
Wrabness railway station is on the Mayflower Line, a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England, serving the village of Wrabness, Essex. It is 65 miles 6 chains (104.73 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Mistley to the west and Harwich International station to the east. Its three-letter station code is WRB.
Dovercourt railway station is on the Mayflower Line, a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line, in the East of England, serving the seaside town of Dovercourt, Essex. It is 70 miles 19 chains (113.04 km) from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Harwich International to the west and Harwich Town to the east. Its three-letter station code is DVC.
Felixstowe Beach is a disused railway station which served the seafront and southern part of Felixstowe in Suffolk, England. First opened in 1877, the station closed to freight on 5 December 1966 and to passenger traffic on 11 September 1967. The line remains open and sidings to the south of the station connect with railway lines in the Port of Felixstowe.
Melton Constable was a railway station on the Midland and Great Northern Railway which served the North Norfolk village of Melton Constable from 1882 to 1964. Notwithstanding its rural location, the station became an important railway centre with lines converging from all directions providing connections to key East Anglian towns such as King's Lynn, Norwich, Cromer, Fakenham, Yarmouth and Lowestoft. Although long since demolished, there is a possibility that the station may yet be resurrected as part of the proposed Norfolk Orbital Railway.
Newtown Halt was a railway station on the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GN) which served the northern part of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England. Opened in 1933, it was closed as a wartime economy measure and reopened in 1948 only to last a further eleven years before closing with the line.
Lowestoft North railway station was in Lowestoft, England. It closed in 1970.
Forncett railway station was a railway station in Forncett, South Norfolk located 104 miles from London Liverpool Street. It was opened in 1849 when Norwich and Ipswich were connected by the Eastern Union Railway in 1849. Between 1881 and 1951 it was a junction for a short route to Wymondham and was closed as a result of the Beeching Axe with other smaller stations between Norwich and Ipswich.
Yarmouth South Town, sometimes known as Yarmouth Southtown, was a railway station in Great Yarmouth, England, that is now closed. It was one of three major stations in the town, the others being Yarmouth Vauxhall and Yarmouth Beach, of which only Yarmouth Vauxhall now remains.
Finningham railway station was a station physically located in the neighbouring parish of Bacton, Suffolk on the Great Eastern Main Line between London and Norwich. It was located 86 miles and 54 chains from Liverpool Street and was opened to passenger in 1849. It was closed in 1966 as part of the Beeching Axe with other smaller stations on the line although the line remains open.
Chesterton railway station was located on the line between Cambridge and Histon. It opened in 1850 and closed the same year.
