Is it really 6 months since I walked down to the Mid Suffolk Light Railway to see how they were getting on with the line extension?
Braving the mud after the days of rain I went to have another look.
Last April the new track-bed was clear -ready for sleepers and tracks
Now.............6 months and brambles have crept in from the sides, it will take a bit of clearing
But they've nearly finished the bridge carrying the path across the ditch. Six months ago,the big oblong box sitting on a picnic table was ready to be dropped in the hole and filled with concrete to make a firm footing for one side of a bridge..................
Now it's nearly done.......A good sturdy bridge across the Dove Brook, no steps yet but I climbed up to have a look
From the bridge here's the very old tunnel taking the water from the ditches near my house under the railway track and all the way down to join the River Dove which then flows north to eventually join the Waveney. This culvert would have been built in the 1890's when the line was first laid.
They've got lots of sleepers old and new ready to lay for the new quarter mile extension.
So one day the new bit will look like the bit they've already restored.
Like many other small visitor attractions run by charity they've been shut all year but should be running Santa Specials on 3 Sundays in December and on New Years Day hope to have Festival of Steam and Light.
I'll keep an eye out for booking info.
It's odd that the ditches behind the house go north to join up with other streams that end up in the River Waveney, eventually flowing out to sea at Gt Yarmouth but not far away on the other side of the road the water flows down to Debenham and south to the River Deben and out to the sea at Felixstowe Ferry.
Back Tomorrow
Gosh, they will have a lot of clearing to do there - surprising how quickly nature reclaims her own. Interesting to see that little culvert, doing very nicely thank you even though it was built 130 years ago. They've done a good job on the bridge.
ReplyDeleteIf the country was abandoned there would soon be brambles everywhere and only blackberries to eat!
DeleteIt's a very sturdy bridge - will allow people to get off the train after quarter of a mile and walk to a picnic area.
At Yarmouth it joins with the Yare at the confluence in Breydon Water where the two rivers meet and hence the name Yarmouth. It could be confusing for people not to know this and how Yarmouth gets its name.
ReplyDeleteI love how I live in such a "High" spot that I'm at the top of a watershed. It was the same at the smallholding too and we were even nearer to sea level there.
DeleteThe Waveney source is just up the road from me.
DeleteIt's amazing how quickly nature will reclaim and recover what is hers.
ReplyDeletebtw, I did really well on University Challenge last night, I actually qualified for the next round all on my own!
Wow that's VERY good. I forgot to keep count but got at least 2 x Starter for 10 and about half a dozen 5 points - Not enough to see me through even as a high scoring loser!
DeleteI was cheering for the mature student from Little Weighton, East Yorkshire. She got at least three starters for ten. Then watched Who Do You Think You Are about Jodie Whittaker - goodness knows what people thought of "that lass from Shat" which is near where I am but that's what they talk like near t'mast. Sorry - the railway looks good too.
DeleteIt look like it will take a bit of clearing but it should be brilliant when it's all finished.
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I expect the lack of income this year has set it back by a couple of years.
DeleteSuper photographs Sue - We have the Wensleydale Railway here, run by keen volunteers and like those doing the one near you each time you go you see just how much they have achieved.
ReplyDeleteI love old heritage railways and it's interesting to have this one so close
DeleteI love that nature claims back her space whenever we give her time to. That little bridge looks nice and sturdy and hopefully they will get on with more of the work as and when they are able to.
ReplyDeleteThe brick arch of the culvert is gorgeous, especially surrounded by the greenery as it is.
That's how nature was taking over on my meadow - give brambles an inch and they take a yard!
DeleteI've just found out there is one in Lincolnshire, definitely going to investigate it further next summer.
ReplyDeleteI just looked to see how much the Santa Specials will be but at £12.50 per adult and the same for children I dont think I'll be taking any grandchildren there after all!
DeleteAs others have said, it's amazing how quickly nature takes over isn't it? There's a house up for sale not far away from here, it's been empty since the Spring but now you can hardly see the house for all the brambles, ivy and weeds that have shot up in the front garden and are covering the house as well as the garden.
ReplyDeleteThat's unusual as often the Estate Agents will have somebody keep a garden tidy in an empty house.
DeleteIt's good to see the progress. We've got volunteers restoring a canal near us and I always enjoy seeing the changes on my annual visits. Arilx
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you showed us the progress on this railway near you. I love the heritage railways with the old steam engines. That bridge looks very nice. I enjoy seeing the progress on things like this.
ReplyDeleteWe have a volunteer run railway on a old closed rail not far from our village in southern Australia, the volunteers do an amazing job. They now run music train and a fine dining train although I assume these are currently closed due to the virus! I wonder if these will all survive such a long closure?
ReplyDeleteThey will definitely be busy clearing things up.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Stowmarket wasn't that far from raf Bentwaters. That would have been fun to see years ago. I remember the river Deben as well as I lived in Felixstowe after marriage. Thanks for sharing these photos and link.
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