50 years since the closing of the passenger line

It was while I was attending the recent A.G.M of the Bungay Museum Trustees that I was reminded of the fact that it was fifty years ago on January 5th 2003 that the Bungay Railway was closed for passenger transport. With this in mind, I thought it would be a good opportunity to do a short potted history using a few photographs of the railway at Bungay.

Earsham Station c.1920

Bungay Station c.1930

It was on July 3rd 1857 that the Waveney Valley line was authorised by an Act of Parliament. Two years later on the 4th August 1853 by a second Act it was agreed that the line should be extended from Bungay to Beccles and on November 2nd 1860 the Harleston to Bungay line was also completed.On March 2nd 1863 when the track from Bungay to Beccles was opened, the Waveney Valley line was finally incorporated into the Great Eastern Railway network

Bungay Goods Station c.1950

Ditchingham Station c.1929

In August 1912, the platform at Homersfield was severely damaged by floods after heavy rainfall and flood water carried away the ballasting and the embankment and left nothing but the rails and sleepers. On the Earsham side of the Bungay station some of the bridges had the brick supports severely damaged and had to be repaired as did the track also.

The wooden buildings at Bungay erected by the navvies working on the line, were used as the waiting room for seventy three years until January 1933 when they were replaced with brick buildings.

Repairs to bridge supports c.1912

The Railway Staff c.1910

Freight traffic increased during the second world war when the lines were busy conveying military stores and personnel to local airbases in the area.

The line finally closed for passenger transport on January 5th 1953 and the Beccles and Bungay Journal recorded the fact on Friday 9th January 1953. From February 1st 1969 the line from Harleston to Bungay saw deisel engines being used for transporting freight until April 1965 when the line from Ditchingham to Beccles closed. By August 1964 the line closed form Bungay to Ditchingham and eventually the line was completely removed.

Servicemen during the Second World War c.1940

Opening of the Bungay Bypass 9th November 1983 (Photo - Shaun Leahy)

Later, in the early 1980's the buildings at Ditchingham and the goods station at Bungay were demolished and the old bridge removed to make way for the Bungay bypass. The buildings at the old passenger station were demolished in 1965

Frank Honeywood
Town Recorder