Now the fields have dried and the sticky clay mud has turned to solid clay concrete I thought I'd walk down to the Mid Suffolk Light Railway to see if any work had been done to EXTEND THE LINE
It was Easter Saturday, a beautiful blue sky day
Here are the buffers where the line will end. But it all looks the same as early last year, nothing has been done in the mean time. It's awaiting sleepers and rails and fences
The footpath goes beside a field of Willow, which is cut and bundled ready for collection. I have no idea where it goes - to be made into baskets I assume.
In the 1940's when the railway ran from Haughley Junction to Laxfield this gate would have been for farmers crossing the track from field to field. There is another further down the track and they will be restored later.
The little steam engines would have puffed up this slope from Brockford Halt, and they will again sometime.
Below are some of the old carriages in storage at the station, this is as far as it's possible to walk to at the moment.
Here it looked like someone had started to dig a grave! but I decided the big oblong box sitting on a picnic table is to be dropped in the hole and filled with concrete to make a firm footing for one side of a bridge..................
.................to cross this ditch. A similar dug out area waits on the otherside.
And then I turned round and walked back up the hill and home.
More about the history of this railway which never made any money, went bankrupt and closed in 1952 can be seen HERE
With two of their main visitor events already cancelled and another postponed it seems unlikely any more funds will be raised for work on the extension this year.
Back Tomorrow
Sue
Sadly, a lot of these projects will have to wait now. It's not a helpful time for fund raising.
ReplyDeletexx
I did a basket weaving course in Norfolk about 5years ago. The tutor had bundles of willow like that. From what she told us, the stack of bundles in your picture would be worth about £500! I hope somebody collects them soon.
ReplyDeleteThere are many more stacks of bundles all down the field - it's well hidden from any road
DeleteThat was an interesting walk - it will be good when the extended line is completed. I have been watching the old railway lines program on TV - they did the Woodhead route through the Pennines close to us this Sunday - Can't remember the title of the program but it is on Chanel 54 at about 8pm. x
ReplyDeleteIt look an interesting walk you had and do hope the railway will finally get going again. I remember doing a basket weaving course at Kew Gardens and still have a basket in use.
ReplyDeleteHazel c uk πππ
When I first looked at the heading I thought it said midden!
ReplyDeletewhat a rubbish post that would have been!!
DeleteHa ha!
DeleteI'm glad you figured out what the 'grave' was :-)
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the concrete clay. What a difference a couple of weeks makes. Great walk.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice day for walking. what is blooming (yellow) in your header?
ReplyDeleteThe yellow is a crop of oil-seed rape.The seeds make an oil for cooking or animal feed. Very common crop in East of England.
DeleteJust coming out in flower this month Marcia.
DeleteWell, I am glad you deduced the purpose of that large hole dug into the ground, as I prefer my English country mysteries to be purely fictional. Looks like a lovely walk, and knowing a bit of the history always makes it more interesting.
ReplyDeleteNewly sown fields here are ok but the rest are like concrete. We need some rain!
ReplyDeleteA very beautiful walk :O)
ReplyDeleteGlad you got out for a different walk and to check up on progress on the old railway line. We have a much-loved one in the Gwili valley near Carmarthen, which has lots of chaps volunteering to help out there. It runs about 3 miles out of the station, but there are plans for it to go much further along the old line. I've always had a soft spot for steam trains.
ReplyDeleteThis one can go no further now as there is a house and garage right in the way!
DeleteWhat a lovely walk to make :)
ReplyDeleteGood to ‘see you’ enjoying a lovely walk...my we have been so lucky with the weather these past couple of weeks. x
ReplyDeleteIts so great to see that instead of removing old rail lines and bridges etc, there is actually a push to restore them! Sometimes at least! Looks like a beautiful walk too!
ReplyDeleteI do hope the restoration of the line makes headway, these places are so wonderful to visit and see. Thanks for the tour.
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